The City of Gary, IN to New Pekin, IN is 260.5 miles and takes about 5h 4m via Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway and I-65, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Indiana, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving, making it a straightforward trip if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points. With a recommended one-day drive time, it's a solid option for a single-day excursion or the start of a longer adventure.
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
130.3 miles from City of Gary, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
132.6 mi
2h 25m
I 65
99.9 mi
1h 53m
State Road 56
15.5 mi
23m
State Road 60
6.6 mi
11m
Salem Bypass
2.1 mi
3m
West 5th Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
West McClain Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Madison Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
— 132.6 mi, about 2h 25m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 210 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,041 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,747
Quietest
2 AM
~363 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 City of Gary, IN and New Pekin, IN.
1
Start on this road
342 ft·27 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·33 sec·West 8th Avenue
3
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Madison Street
4
Turn right onto US 12; US 20
1.8 mi·3 min·West 5th Avenue
5
Turn right onto I 65
133 mi·2 hr 25 min·Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
17 mi·22 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 65
1.9 mi·2 min·I 65
Exit 112AToward I 70 East: Dayton
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
81 mi·1 hr 28 min·I 65
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 29BToward SR 56 West: Salem
10
Turn straight onto SR 56
0.9 mi·1 min·West McClain Avenue
11
Continue on SR 56
0.2 mi·15 sec·West Mount Drive
12
Continue on SR 56
16 mi·23 min·State Road 56
13
Turn left onto SR 60; SR 135
2.1 mi·3 min·Salem Bypass
14
Enter roundabout onto SR 60
226 ft·3 sec·State Road 60
15
Continue on SR 60
6.6 mi·11 min·State Road 60
16
Arrive at destination
SR 60
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5-hour drive, consider leaving Gary in the morning to allow ample daylight for the entire trip. Since it's a single-day route, you have flexibility, but breaking it up with one planned stop can make it more comfortable. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 132.6-mile stretch on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, as services might be less frequent than on major interstates. The transition from highway to surface roads around the halfway point is a good time to consider a brief rest stop.
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 130.3 miles from City of Gary, IN, or about 2h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.6 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 57 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 130.3 miles or 2h 25m 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 1m
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 City of Gary, IN 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 City of Gary, IN
This is one driving day of about 260.5 miles and 5h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from City of Gary, IN.
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 Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway for about 132.6 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 235 — 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|West 8th Avenue
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Navigation decision point
6
135.1 mi into trip|~2h 30m in|I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
154 mi into trip|~2h 55m in|I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
5
235 mi into trip|~4h 24m in
Take the exit toward SR 56 West: Salem
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 29B
Toward SR 56 West: Salem
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.45 one way
$86.91 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg91 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$47.41
$94.83
premium
$5.25
$53.87
$107.75
diesel
$6.28
$64.37
$128.73
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
78.2
0
$27.35
$12.50
Efficient EV
65.1
0
$22.79
$10.42
EV Truck/SUV
104.2
1
$36.47
$16.67
Gas CO2
91 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
City of Gary, IN
Evening
in City of Gary on Thursday
Local time
6:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Sunny
S 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
New Pekin, IN
Evening
in New Pekin on Thursday
Local time
7:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Sunny
N 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
44°F
Beech Grove, IN
130 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
4 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
5h 4m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Indiana Dunes National Park
National Park
Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 38% of this drive is on highways, with the remaining stretch on surface roads. You'll experience a significant 132.6-mile segment on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway before transitioning. Expect to notice the shift from potentially higher speeds on the highway to more varied traffic and intersections as you move onto surface roads. This change will likely impact your average speed for the latter half of the trip.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 132.6 mi on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 8th Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 260.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 4m. Total distance: 260.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 132.6 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 31 rest areas or service plazas 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.
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 31 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at New Pekin, IN before the return drive.
