Bloomington, MN to Lakewood, MN is 173.1 miles and takes about 3h 20m via I 35/I 35W/MN 61, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This all-highway trip stays within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. With a duration under four hours and fully paved roads, it's a straightforward drive, making it ideal for a single-day excursion. Plan for a smooth and efficient transit between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86.5 miles from Bloomington, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
127.3 mi
2h 19m
I 35W
38.7 mi
46m
MN 61
6.3 mi
12m
Lakewood Road
0.2 mi
<1m
West 90th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Superior 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
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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 Lakewood, 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
6.3 mi·12 min·MN 61
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn sharp right onto Lakewood Road
0.2 mi·29 sec·Lakewood Road
13
Turn sharp left onto East Superior Street
35 ft·1 sec·East Superior Street
14
Arrive at destination
East Superior Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short drive time of 3 hours and 20 minutes, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Bloomington, MN in the morning allows ample time to reach Lakewood, MN well before evening. The fuel cost is estimated at $29, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before departing to minimize any mid-trip stops. Keep an eye out for the transition from I 35W to MN 61, as this will be your primary route for a significant portion of the 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 86.5 miles from Bloomington, MN, or about 1h 39m 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 38 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.5 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood, 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 173.1 miles and 3h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 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
$29.12 one way
$58.24 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg61 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$31.36
$62.72
premium
$5.04
$34.32
$68.64
diesel
$5.64
$38.43
$76.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.9
0
$18.18
$8.31
Efficient EV
43.3
0
$15.15
$6.92
EV Truck/SUV
69.2
0
$24.23
$11.08
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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 May 15, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, MN
Night
in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
10:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lakewood, MN
Night
in Lakewood on Friday
Local time
10:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
31°F
Unavailable
Live 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
37 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
3h 20m 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?
This drive is entirely on paved highways, with 100% of the 173.1 miles on roads like I 35W and MN 61. You'll encounter one continuous stretch of highway driving for 127.3 miles on I 35, indicating a long period of consistent speed and fewer turns. Expect a mostly highway profile with limited opportunities for surface street navigation.
100% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 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 I 35W. 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 173.1 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 3h 20m. Total distance: 173.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (100%). 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Lakewood, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Lakewood, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
