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Trip from Cleveland, OH to Nelson, OH

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

45.7 mi

73 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States

Cleveland, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Nelson, OH, OH

Nelson, OH

Jean Carlo Duque

Trip Overview

Cleveland, OH to Nelson, OH is 45.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via Route 422, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, single-day trip primarily within the Midwest region of Ohio. You'll be spending a good portion of your time on major roadways, making it a practical option for a quick journey. Given the relatively short distance and estimated drive time, this route is ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Route 422 15.3 mi 18m
Outerbelt South Freeway 7.1 mi 8m
Willow Freeway 5.3 mi 6m
Wakefield Road 4.8 mi 7m
Painesville Ravenna Road 2.6 mi 3m
Ravenna Road 2.5 mi 3m
SR 305 2.5 mi 3m
Twinsburg Warren Road 1.6 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Route 422 — 15.3 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cleveland, OH and Nelson, OH.

1

Start on Frankfort Avenue

156 ft · 12 sec · Frankfort Avenue
2

Turn left onto West 3rd Street

339 ft · 16 sec · West 3rd Street
3

Turn left onto US 6; US 20; US 42; SR 3

315 ft · 14 sec · West Superior Avenue
4

Turn right onto US 6; US 20

503 ft · 23 sec · West Roadway
5

Turn right onto US 422; SR 8; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87

0.8 mi · 1 min · Ontario Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on US 422; SR 8; SR 10; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87

0.7 mi · 1 min · Orange Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
7

Take the ramp onto SR 10

0.2 mi · 27 sec · SR 10
Toward I 77 South, I 490: Akron Use the straight lane.
8

Merge onto I 77; SR 10

5.3 mi · 6 min · Willow Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 156 Toward I 480: Youngstown, Toledo Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward I 480 East: Youngstown Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 480

5.6 mi · 6 min · Outerbelt South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 480N

1.5 mi · 1 min · Outerbelt South Freeway
Toward I 271 North, US 422: Erie Pennsylvania, Warren Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 43 sec
Toward US 422 East: Warren
14

Merge onto US 422

15 mi · 18 min · Route 422
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 29 Toward SR 44: Ravenna, Chardon
16

Turn right onto SR 44

2.5 mi · 3 min · Ravenna Road
17

Continue on SR 44

2.6 mi · 3 min · Painesville Ravenna Road
18

Turn left onto SR 82

1.6 mi · 2 min · Twinsburg Warren Road
19

Continue on SR 82

4.8 mi · 7 min · Wakefield Road
20

Continue on SR 305

2.5 mi · 3 min · SR 305
21

Enter roundabout onto SR 305

58 ft · 1 sec · Nelson Town Square
22

Arrive at destination

SR 305

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Solon, OH

23 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Garfield Heights, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Solon, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.8 miles from Cleveland, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 13.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 422; SR 8; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87 / Ontario Street

Turn right onto US 422; SR 8; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87 / Ontario Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.7 mi into trip | ~4m in | SR 10

Take the ramp onto SR 10 toward I 77 South, I 490: Akron

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward I 77 South, I 490: Akron
8
7.2 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward I 480: Youngstown, Toledo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 156 Toward I 480: Youngstown, Toledo
7
7.5 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 480 East: Youngstown

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 480 East: Youngstown
8
13.9 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 480N / Outerbelt South Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 480N / Outerbelt South Freeway toward I 271 North, US 422: Erie Pennsylvania, Warren

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 271 North, US 422: Erie Pennsylvania,...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.80 one way

$13.60 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.23 $7.62 $15.24
premium $4.78 $8.60 $17.20
diesel $5.61 $10.09 $20.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.7 0 $4.80 $2.19
Efficient EV 11.4 0 $4.00 $1.83
EV Truck/SUV 18.3 0 $6.40 $2.92

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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 19, 2026

Origin

Cleveland, OH

Afternoon in Cleveland on Tuesday

Local time

4:17 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Nelson, OH

Afternoon in Nelson on Tuesday

Local time

4:17 PM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

15 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

1h 3m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with approximately 66% of the journey utilizing major freeways like the Outerbelt South Freeway and Willow Freeway. You'll experience a consistent pace for much of the trip, including a stretch of 15.3 miles on Route 422 where you can maintain speed. The character is less about winding backroads and more about efficient travel on established routes. Expect a straightforward driving experience that prioritizes getting you to your destination promptly.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.3 mi on Route 422.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Route 422 and Outerbelt South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 422; SR 8; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87 / Ontario Street.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.7 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.2 miles (US 422; SR 8; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87 / Ontario Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (SR 10): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Cleveland, OH and Nelson, OH, road signs point toward Toledo, Warren and Chardon.

Toledo

7.2 mi in | ~11m

Warren

13.9 mi in | ~20m | via I 480N

Chardon

31.3 mi in | ~41m

About the Cities

Starting in Cleveland, OH

Full guide →

Cleveland is a culturally diverse city on the shores of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes, in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA. Recreational, cultural and educational opportunities are abundant throughout Northeast Ohio. You'll find world-class museums, cultural events, professional sports, and amusement parks.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 45.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.3 miles on Route 422. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Nelson, OH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 0.2 miles (US 422; SR 8; SR 14; SR 43; SR 87 / Ontario Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (SR 10): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 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 Nelson, OH before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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