Bloomington, MN to Grand Marais, MN is 274.1 miles and takes about 5h 29m via I 35 and Highway 61, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to the same region. The drive is mostly highway, making it a straightforward option for a single-day excursion. You'll experience a gradual transition from the urban edge of the Twin Cities to more open landscapes as you head north. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to reach the North Shore of Lake Superior.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
137.1 miles from Bloomington, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
127.3 mi
2h 19m
Highway 61
82.8 mi
1h 46m
I 35W
38.7 mi
46m
MN 61
23.5 mi
32m
7th Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
West 90th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
West 1st Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 127.3 mi, about 2h 19m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 31 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,829 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,327
Quietest
2 AM
~159 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, MN and Grand Marais, MN.
1
Start on West 90th Street
163 ft·10 sec·West 90th Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 35W North
3
Merge onto I 35W
9.0 mi·12 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
5.6 mi·7 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·25 sec
Exit 22BToward MN 36Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 35W
0.3 mi·19 sec·I 35W
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
7.1 mi·8 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
17 mi·18 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
127 mi·2 hr 19 min·I 35
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·12 sec
Toward MN 61 North
11
Merge onto MN 61
23 mi·32 min·MN 61
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on MN 61
1.2 mi·2 min·7th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn straight onto MN 61
83 mi·1 hr 46 min·Highway 61
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto West 1st Street
53 ft·1 sec·West 1st Street
15
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour 29 minute estimated drive time, leaving Bloomington in the morning should allow ample time to reach Grand Marais before evening. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in when and where you choose to break up the drive. The longest stretch without a major road change is 127.3 miles on I 35, so plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly before embarking on that segment. Keep in mind the $45 fuel cost estimate as you budget for your trip.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 137.1 miles from Bloomington, MN, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 127.3 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 60 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.1 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Grand Marais, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bloomington, MN 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 Bloomington, MN
This is one driving day of about 274.1 miles and 5h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Bloomington, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 127.3 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35W North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 35W North
6
9.2 mi into trip|~12m in|I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
14.8 mi into trip|~20m in
Take the exit toward MN 36
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22B
Toward MN 36
6
15.4 mi into trip|~20m in|I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.5 mi into trip|~29m in|I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.11 one way
$92.22 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$49.66
$99.32
premium
$5.04
$54.35
$108.69
diesel
$5.64
$60.85
$121.70
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.2
1
$28.78
$13.16
Efficient EV
68.5
0
$23.98
$10.96
EV Truck/SUV
109.6
1
$38.37
$17.54
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 May 15, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, MN
Night
in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
10:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
S 10 to 15 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 14 at 8:06PM CDT until May 15 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 14 at 6:46PM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Grand Marais, MN
Night
in Grand Marais on Friday
Local time
10:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
29°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Arnold, MN
137 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
30 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
5h 29m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on highways, with 99% of the route utilizing them. You'll encounter a long stretch of 127.3 miles on I 35, indicating extended periods of consistent highway cruising. The main roads include I 35W and Highway 61, suggesting a mix of interstate travel and a well-maintained state highway. Expect a high number of exits and potential for merging traffic as you leave the Bloomington area.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 127.3 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Highway 61. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 274.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 9.2 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021).
Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
Top landmarks
•Nickelodeon Universe — amusement park inside Mall of America
•SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge — amusement ride
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 29m. Total distance: 274.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 127.3 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Grand Marais, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 1 rest area along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 9.2 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Grand Marais, MN before the return drive.
