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Trip from Dayton, IN to Hammond, IN

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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 58m

Distance

102.2 mi

165 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 50m ★
6 AM
1h 59m
8 AM
2h 16m
10 AM
2h 5m
12 PM
2h 3m
3 PM
2h 6m
5 PM
2h 15m
8 PM
1h 54m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Dayton, IN, IN

Dayton, IN

Brady Wilson

Trip Overview

This 102.2-mile drive from Dayton to Hammond, Indiana, is a straightforward one-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes. You'll navigate through the heart of the Midwest, staying within Indiana for the entire journey. With a fuel cost estimated at $16, it's an economical option for a short excursion. The route is characterized by a series of turns rather than long stretches of highway, making it a more engaging local drive. Since it's a relatively short trip, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, offering great flexibility in your departure and arrival times.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

51.1 miles from Dayton, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 65 89.8 mi 1h 38m
Borman Expressway 8 mi 10m
173rd Street 1 mi 2m
SR 38 0.4 mi <1m
Indianapolis Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
Walnut Street 0.3 mi <1m
Columbia Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Dayton Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 65 — 89.8 mi, about 1h 38m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dayton, IN and Hammond, IN.

1

Start on Dayton Road

58 ft · 5 sec · Dayton Road
2

Turn right onto SR 38

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Walnut Street
3

Continue on SR 38

0.4 mi · 51 sec · SR 38
4

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min
5

Merge onto I 65

90 mi · 1 hr 38 min · I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

1.4 mi · 2 min
Exit 259A Toward I 80 West, I 94 West, US 6 West: Chicago Use the slight right lane.
7

Merge onto I 80; I 94; US 6

8.0 mi · 10 min · Borman Expressway
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 2 Toward SR 152 North, US 41 South: Indianapolis Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward SR 152 North: Indianapolis Boulevard Use the slight left lane.
10

Turn straight onto SR 152

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Indianapolis Boulevard
11

Turn left onto 173rd Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · 173rd Street
Use the left lane.
12

Turn right onto Columbia Avenue

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Columbia Avenue
13

Arrive at destination

Columbia Avenue

Trip Plan

For this 102.2-mile trip, consider leaving mid-morning to avoid potential rush hour traffic in the more populated areas as you approach Hammond. Since the drive is just under two hours and has a $16 fuel cost, you likely won't need many stops, but it's always wise to take breaks as needed. Pay attention to SR 38 for any potential construction or local traffic patterns that might affect your timing. Given the numerous turns, keeping your GPS active and double-checking directions at key intersections will be your most concrete tip for a smooth journey.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.1 miles from Dayton, IN, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.8 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 22 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 51.1 miles or 57m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hammond, IN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Dayton, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Dayton, IN

This is one driving day of about 102.2 miles and 1h 58m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Dayton, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 65 for about 89.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

census-designated place in Indiana, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Shelby, IN

51 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

Rensselaer, IN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Shelby, IN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 51.1 miles from Dayton, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 65 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 89.8 miles.

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

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop

Trish's Red Bird Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dayton, Indiana

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $10 to $20

Hours: 6 am–8:30 pm

+17652966964

Visit website

Giovanni's Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Munster, Indiana

1.6 mi

FLUID Coffee Roasters

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Crown Point, Indiana

1.7 mi

Best coffee break · final third

Kaffa Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Crown Point, Indiana

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third · 25min to go 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour $1 to $10

Hours: 6:30 am–9 pm

+12192132613

Visit website

Sip Coffee House & Artisan Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Crown Point, Indiana

2.5 mi

Cafe Fresco

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Crown Point, Indiana

2.5 mi

Trish's Red Bird Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $10 to $20

Dayton, Indiana

Hours: 6 am–8:30 pm

+17652966964

Visit website

Giovanni's Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour $20 to $30

Munster, Indiana

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+12198366220

Visit website

FLUID Coffee Roasters

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Crown Point, Indiana

Hours: 6 am–6 pm

+12192132044

Visit website

The Country Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Lafayette, Indiana

Hours: 5:30 am–2 pm

+17654481557

Visit website

Sip Coffee House highland

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Highland, Indiana

Hours: 6 am–9 pm

+12195950314

Visit website

The Green Witch Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Highland, Indiana

Hours: 9 am–4 pm

+12198034444

Maria’s Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Highland, Indiana

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+12195136134

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30

Merrillville, Indiana

Hours: 11 am–12 pm

+12195001370

Visit website

Kaffa Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour $1 to $10

Crown Point, Indiana

Hours: 6:30 am–9 pm

+12192132613

Visit website

Sip Coffee House & Artisan Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Crown Point, Indiana

Hours: 6 am–9 pm

+12196629165

Visit website

Cafe Fresco

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $1 to $10

Crown Point, Indiana

Hours: 7 am–5 pm

+12193108078

Visit website

North End Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Lafayette, Indiana

Hours: 7 am–2 pm

+17654771873

Visit website

Smalltown Coffee Company

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $1 to $10

Crown Point, Indiana

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+12193233948

Visit website

The Region Cat Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Merrillville, Indiana

Hours: 11 am–7 pm

Visit website

Jump Start Cafe

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $1 to $10

Lafayette, Indiana

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+17654763454

Visit website

Wanderlust Coffee Roasters

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour $1 to $10

Lafayette, Indiana

Hours: 8 am–4 pm

Visit website

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 1.2 and 101.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 65

Merge onto I 65

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
91 mi into trip | ~1h 40m in

Take the exit toward I 80 West, I 94 West, US 6 West: Chicago

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 259A Toward I 80 West, I 94 West, US 6 West: Chicago
8
100.4 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in

Take the exit toward SR 152 North, US 41 South: Indianapolis Boulevard

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 2 Toward SR 152 North, US 41 South: Indianapolis...
8
100.6 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in

Keep slight left at fork toward SR 152 North: Indianapolis Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward SR 152 North: Indianapolis Boulevard
6
101.1 mi into trip | ~1h 56m in | 173rd Street

Turn left onto 173rd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.98 one way

$31.96 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $17.54 $35.09
premium $4.89 $19.67 $39.33
diesel $5.61 $22.56 $45.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30.7 0 $10.73 $4.91
Efficient EV 25.6 0 $8.94 $4.09
EV Truck/SUV 40.9 0 $14.31 $6.54

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 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 Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Dayton, IN

Morning in Dayton on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hammond, IN

Morning in Hammond on Tuesday

Local time

7:10 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

64°F

Shelby, IN

51 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 earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

2 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

1h 58m 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?

Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with 0% highway share meaning you'll be on surface streets and state roads for the entire 102.2 miles. The drive begins on Walnut Street and transitions to SR 38 before heading west on I-80. While there isn't a defined 'longest stretch' due to its local nature, the constant changes in road type and direction will keep your attention. This isn't a monotonous interstate journey; rather, it's a route that requires active navigation through varied local environments.

96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89.8 mi on I 65.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Borman Expressway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near I 65.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 102.2 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 1.2 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 91 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 100.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

About the Cities

Arriving in Hammond, IN

Full guide →

Hammond is a Chicagoland city of some 76,000 people (2019) in Lake County, Indiana—bordering Chicago's Far Southeast Side. Most visitors will find themselves passing through or on business, but Chicagoans would do well to include it in a close-in Lake County day trip, if for no other reason than to get some good food, perhaps stock up on fireworks, and realize that Chicagoland doesn't stop at the state line!

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 58m. Total distance: 102.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 89.8 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 1.2 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 91 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 100.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hammond, IN 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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