If you are looking to get from Birmingham to Ardmore, this 109.1-mile journey is a straightforward trek across Alabama. Expect to spend about 2 hours and 2 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. Since the drive stays within the Southeast region, you will find the transition between these two Alabama locations relatively seamless. You should budget approximately $17 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. Because of the manageable duration, you won't need to plan for an overnight stay, giving you plenty of flexibility to complete the trip at your own pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
54.5 miles from Birmingham, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 65
104.4 mi
1h 53m
7th Street
2 mi
3m
6th Avenue North
1.2 mi
2m
Ardmore Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
6th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
24th Street North
<0.1 mi
<1m
1st Avenue West
<0.1 mi
<1m
Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 104.4 mi, about 1h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Birmingham, AL and Ardmore, AL.
1
Start on 24th Street North
523 ft·19 sec·24th Street North
2
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
1.2 mi·2 min·6th Avenue North
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 65 North
4
Merge onto I 65
104 mi·1 hr 53 min·I 65
Use the slight left / straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 365Toward 53: Ardmore
6
Keep slight right at fork
153 ft·2 sec
Exit 365Toward 53: Ardmore
7
Turn slight right onto AL 53
2.0 mi·3 min·7th Street
8
Turn left onto AL 53
427 ft·8 sec·1st Avenue West
9
Turn right onto AL 53
0.3 mi·34 sec·6th Street
10
Turn left onto AL 53
0.5 mi·1 min·Ardmore Avenue
11
At end of road, turn left onto TN 7
137 ft·4 sec·Main Street
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
TN 7
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive, you have the advantage of choosing a departure time that best fits your schedule without needing to worry about long-distance fatigue. There are no mandatory stops required to reach Ardmore, but keeping an eye on your fuel gauge before leaving Birmingham is a smart move to ensure you stay within your $17 budget. Given that the route is almost entirely highway-based, check traffic reports for I-65 before you head out to avoid any unexpected congestion. Once you clear the initial local roads in Birmingham, you can settle into a steady rhythm for the duration of the trip. Use the lack of scheduled stops to your benefit by planning your own breaks whenever you feel the need to stretch your legs.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 54.5 miles from Birmingham, AL, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 24 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.5 miles or 1h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ardmore, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Birmingham, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Birmingham, AL
This is one driving day of about 109.1 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Birmingham, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 65 for about 104.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 109 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|6th Avenue North
Turn left onto 6th Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
1.5 mi into trip|~2m in|I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight / slight right lanes.
5
105.9 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Take the exit toward 53: Ardmore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 365
Toward 53: Ardmore
6
106.2 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 53: Ardmore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 365
Toward 53: Ardmore
6
109 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|TN 7 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto TN 7 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.48 one way
$32.95 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$18.09
$36.17
premium
$4.56
$19.58
$39.16
diesel
$5.61
$24.09
$48.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.7
0
$11.46
$5.24
Efficient EV
27.3
0
$9.55
$4.36
EV Truck/SUV
43.6
0
$15.27
$6.98
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026
Origin
Birmingham, AL
Night
in Birmingham on Saturday
Local time
11:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ardmore, AL
Night
in Ardmore on Saturday
Local time
11:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
S 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
34 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 2m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily focused on highway travel, with 96% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate through city streets like 6th Avenue North and 7th Street before settling into the primary route via I-65. The vast majority of your journey—a 104.4-mile stretch—consists of steady interstate driving. You should prepare for a consistent, highway-focused experience rather than technical winding backroads. Overall, the road maintains a predictable pace that allows you to focus on the miles ahead without frequent turns or complex navigation.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104.4 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and 7th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 6th Avenue North.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 2m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 105.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
902 ft407 ft
Total Climb
1,043 ft
Total Descent
855 ft
Highest Point
902 ft
~50 mi in
Elevation Range
495 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 109.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 104.4 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (6th Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 105.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ardmore, AL before heading back.
