If you are planning a quick excursion through the Indiana Midwest, the 65.7-mile trek from Bloomington to New Pekin is a straightforward option. You can comfortably complete this 1-hour and 36-minute journey in a single day, making it an ideal choice for those who prefer to keep their travel plans simple. Budgeting approximately $10 for fuel should cover your needs for this excursion. Navigating between these two points involves a mix of local roads, specifically SR 37, South Old State Road 37, and State Road 60. Because the total duration is quite manageable, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics, allowing you to focus on the road ahead.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
32.9 miles from Bloomington, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Road 60
28.4 mi
43m
SR 37
26.8 mi
32m
South Old State Road 37
2.7 mi
4m
South Walnut Street
2.5 mi
5m
South Jackson Street
1.4 mi
2m
Mulberry Street
1.2 mi
1m
South College Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Old State Road 60
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
State Road 60
— 28.4 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IN and New Pekin, IN.
1
Start on this road
99 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Continue on East 4th Street
379 ft·20 sec·East 4th Street
3
Turn left onto South Dunn Street
403 ft·17 sec·South Dunn Street
4
Turn right onto East 3rd Street
0.4 mi·45 sec·East 3rd Street
5
Turn left onto South College Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South College Avenue
6
Turn straight onto South Walnut Street
2.5 mi·5 min·South Walnut Street
7
Continue on South Old State Road 37
2.7 mi·4 min·South Old State Road 37
8
Turn left onto SR 37
27 mi·32 min·SR 37
9
Turn left onto SR 60
22 mi·32 min·State Road 60
10
At end of road, turn left onto SR 56; SR 60
1.2 mi·1 min·Mulberry Street
11
Continue on SR 56; SR 60
0.2 mi·24 sec·West Hackberry Street
12
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi·21 sec·North Main Street
Use the right lane.
13
At end of road, turn right onto Westside Road
522 ft·12 sec·Westside Road
14
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Main Street
15
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
1.4 mi·2 min·South Jackson Street
16
Continue on Old State Road 60
0.6 mi·58 sec·Old State Road 60
17
Enter roundabout onto SR 60
157 ft·2 sec·State Road 60
18
Continue on SR 60
6.6 mi·11 min·State Road 60
19
Arrive at destination
SR 60
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever it best fits your schedule without needing to worry about rigid timing. Because there are no mandatory stops scheduled along the 65.7-mile path, you can easily pull over whenever you feel the need to stretch your legs or grab a quick refreshment. Keep in mind that your primary route relies on a combination of state roads, so stay attentive to speed limit changes as you move between highway sections and smaller stretches. A helpful tip for this specific drive is to ensure your fuel tank is ready for the 1-hour and 36-minute duration, as maintaining a steady pace across the 28.4-mile stretch on State Road 60 is much more comfortable when you aren't worrying about your fuel gauge.
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 32.9 miles from Bloomington, IN, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.4 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 14 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 32.9 miles or 45m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Pekin, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bloomington, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bloomington, IN
This is one driving day of about 65.7 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Bloomington, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on State Road 60 for about 28.4 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 59.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|South Dunn Street
Turn left onto South Dunn Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|East 3rd Street
Turn right onto East 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
6
56.4 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|North Main Street
Turn right onto North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
56.6 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|Westside Road
At end of road, turn right onto Westside Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
59.1 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|SR 60 / State Road 60
Enter roundabout onto SR 60 / State Road 60
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.27 one way
$20.54 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$11.28
$22.56
premium
$4.89
$12.64
$25.29
diesel
$5.61
$14.51
$29.01
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.7
0
$6.90
$3.15
Efficient EV
16.4
0
$5.75
$2.63
EV Truck/SUV
26.3
0
$9.20
$4.20
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IN
Late night
in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
New Pekin, IN
Late night
in New Pekin on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Orleans, IN
33 mi in
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
22 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 36m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a varied experience as you transition through the regional landscape, as this route is classified as a mixed drive. Roughly 41% of your trip will be spent on highways, providing a balance between steady speeds and more localized travel. You will encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 28.4 miles while navigating State Road 60, which serves as the backbone of the latter half of the trip. The transition between these road types keeps the drive engaging, moving you from the familiarity of SR 37 into the more specific corridors leading toward New Pekin. You will find that the character of the road shifts fluidly, requiring you to stay alert as you move through these different road segments.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.4 mi on State Road 60.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Dunn Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 36m drive. You will face about 10 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 (South Dunn Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 56.4 miles (North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Bloomington is a city of 86,000 people (2019) in Southern Indiana. Bloomington is home to the flagship campus of Indiana University (IU) and therefore also the IU Hoosiers sports teams. As it is the largest city in the region, it serves as the de facto employment, service, and shopping center for several adjacent counties.
The longest stretch is about 28.4 miles on State Road 60. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Dunn Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 56.4 miles (North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Pekin, IN before heading back.
