Spice Restaurant & Bar
Around the midpoint, short detour
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Hours: 2–11 pm
+17176913131
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 26m
Distance
344.1 mi
554 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$61
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beaver, PA
Wikimedia Commons
Croydon, PA to Beaver, PA is 344.1 miles and takes about 6h 26m via Pennsylvania Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $57 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Pennsylvania, moving from the Northeast region to the western part of the state. It's a straightforward trip primarily on the turnpike, making it a solid option if you need to cover a good distance without complex navigation. Plan for a single day of driving unless you prefer to break it up for a more relaxed pace.
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
172.1 miles from Croydon, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 12m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 323.4 mi | 5h 51m |
| Freedom Crider Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Street Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Ohio River Boulevard | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Freedom Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| State Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Crows Run Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Perry Highway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Croydon, PA and Beaver, PA.
Start on State Road
Turn right onto Street Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 1
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 276; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn slight left
Turn left onto US 19
Turn left onto Freedom Road
Continue on Freedom Crider Road
Enter roundabout onto Freedom Crider Road
Continue on Freedom Crider Road
Turn straight onto Crows Run Road
Turn right onto PA 65
Take the exit onto PA 51
Take the exit
Continue on PA 68
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 6h 26m drive, aim to depart early in the morning to avoid potential traffic, especially as you leave the Philadelphia area. With only one recommended day and a longest stretch of 323.4 miles on the turnpike, you can comfortably complete this in a single push. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as services can be spaced out on the turnpike. Consider a brief stop midway, perhaps around the 3-hour mark, to stretch your legs before the final leg of the journey into Beaver.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 76 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 172.1 miles or 3h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Beaver, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Croydon, PA 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 Croydon, PA
This is one driving day of about 344.1 miles and 6h 26m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
172 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.
A short stop after about 76 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 172.1 miles from Croydon, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 323.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Best meal stop · early in the drive
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Around the midpoint, short detour
Hours: 2–11 pm
+17176913131
Acapulco | Mexican Restaurant & Bar
Irwin, Pennsylvania
Around the midpoint, short detour
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Hours: 2–11 pm
+17176913131
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Irwin, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+17243824335
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Irwin, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11:30 am–9 pm
+17248634483
Visit websiteNear the end, ~9 min detour
North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Hours: 4–8 pm
+17245155983
Visit websiteNear the end, ~9 min detour
Glenshaw, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11:30 am–2 pm
+14127673500
Visit websiteNear the end, ~10 min detour
Jeannette, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+17245275553
Visit websiteNear the end, ~10 min detour
Jeannette, Pennsylvania
Hours: 5–8 pm
+17245279880
Visit websiteLater in the drive, ~11 min detour
Mt Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Hours: Closed
+17245472900
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Somerset, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Somerset, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Somerset, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18777983752
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18777983752
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Adamsburg, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887174544
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Somerset, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18889982546
Visit websiteLater in the drive, right off the route
Somerset, Pennsylvania
+18885577099
Visit websiteNear the start, ~9 min detour
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+12152475777
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+16102773825
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 330.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Street Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 276, PATP
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 276 Toll West: Harrisburg, Allentown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 79, US 19: Erie, Pittsburgh, Warrendale, Cranberry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 19: Warrendale, Cranberry
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$60.56 one way
$121.11 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.89 | $66.22 | $132.44 |
| premium | $5.23 | $70.80 | $141.60 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $83.71 | $167.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $42.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$61
Tolls
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$128–$153
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 120.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 103.2 | 1 | $36.13 | $16.52 |
| Efficient EV | 86 | 0 | $30.11 | $13.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 137.6 | 1 | $48.17 | $22.02 |
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Croydon on Tuesday
Local time
5:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Beaver on Tuesday
Local time
5:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
63°F
Oil City, PA
172 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
Valley Forge is the place where George Washington and the Continental Army took refuge during the winter of 1777-1778. Today the park protects 3,500 acres of meadows, woodlands, historic landscapes, a...
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
National Historical Park
The park represents the founding ideals of the nation, and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of I...
National Memorial
Visit the house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived and hear how this brilliant military engineer designed successful fortifications during the American Revolution. See the...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
You'll spend about 94% of the 344.1 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, covering a significant 323.4 miles on this main highway. The remaining stretch, approximately 20.7 miles, will be on surface roads like Freedom Crider Road and Street Road. Expect frequent exits and entrances as you navigate the turnpike system for most of your drive.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike and Freedom Crider Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Street Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 344.1 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: at 1.6 miles (Street Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,543 ft
Total Descent
1,776 ft
Highest Point
2,324 ft
~245.8 mi in
Elevation Range
2,298 ft
Notable High Points
Founded 1792
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 26m. Total distance: 344.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 26m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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