This 164.1-mile drive from Detroit, MI to Dover, MI can be completed in about 3 hours, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, with a 97% highway share, so expect a straightforward journey. The estimated fuel cost for this route is $26, which is quite reasonable for a trip of this distance. This route focuses on efficient travel through the Midwest region, connecting two points within Michigan. It's an ideal drive when you want to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
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
82 miles from Detroit, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
60 mi
1h 5m
I 75
51.3 mi
54m
US 10
47.4 mi
47m
South Clare Avenue
3 mi
5m
East Dover Road
1 mi
3m
Monroe Street
0.4 mi
1m
Randolph Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Cadillac Square
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 60 mi, about 1h 5m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 55 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,415 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,590
Quietest
2 AM
~219 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Detroit, MI and Dover, MI.
1
Start on Cadillac Square
0.1 mi·28 sec·Cadillac Square
2
Continue on Cadillac Square
97 ft·3 sec·Cadillac Square
Toward M 3 NorthUse the left lane.
3
Turn slight left onto M 3
0.2 mi·38 sec·Randolph Street
4
Turn right onto Monroe Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Monroe Street
Use the right lane.
5
At end of road, turn left onto Chrysler Drive
34 ft·1 sec·Chrysler Drive
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
7
Merge onto I 375
60 mi·1 hr 5 min·Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Toward I 75 North: FlintUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
51 mi·54 min·I 75
Toward I 75: Saginaw
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 162BToward US 10 West: Midland
10
Continue on US 10
11 mi·11 min·US 10
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
36 mi·36 min·US 10
Toward US 10: Clare
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward Old 27Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto East Colonville Road
342 ft·13 sec·East Colonville Road
14
Turn right onto US 10 BUS; US 127 BUS
3.0 mi·5 min·South Clare Avenue
15
Turn right onto East Dover Road
1.0 mi·3 min·East Dover Road
16
Turn right onto South Eberhart Avenue
14 ft·0 sec·South Eberhart Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
South Eberhart Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short 3-hour duration and 164.1-mile distance, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. You can leave Detroit at your leisure, perhaps after morning rush hour, to maximize your time. With only one recommended stop, you have a lot of flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the longest stretch without a major exit is 60 miles on the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. The estimated fuel cost of $26 makes this an economical choice for a quick getaway.
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 82 miles from Detroit, MI, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60 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 36 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 82 miles or 1h 30m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dover, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Detroit, MI 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 Detroit, MI
This is one driving day of about 164.1 miles and 3h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Detroit, MI.
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 Walter P. Chrysler Freeway for about 60 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 159.8 — 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|Cadillac Square
Continue onto Cadillac Square toward M 3 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward M 3 North
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Monroe Street
Turn right onto Monroe Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|Chrysler Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Chrysler Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Merge onto I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway toward I 75 North: Flint
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Flint
6
159.8 mi into trip|~2h 50m in
Take the exit toward Old 27
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Old 27
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.28 one way
$54.57 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$29.72
$59.44
premium
$5.18
$33.49
$66.97
diesel
$5.35
$34.56
$69.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49.2
0
$17.23
$7.88
Efficient EV
41
0
$14.36
$6.56
EV Truck/SUV
65.6
0
$22.97
$10.50
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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 28, 2026
Origin
Detroit, MI
Evening
in Detroit on Wednesday
Local time
5:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
NE 5 to 9 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 3:59PM EDT until May 28 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 2:24PM EDT until May 28 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Destination
Dover, MI
Evening
in Dover on Wednesday
Local time
5:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Clear
NNE 2 to 6 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 3:59PM EDT until May 28 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 2:24PM EDT until May 28 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
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
7 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 on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 predominantly highway-focused, with 97% of the route utilizing major roadways like the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and I-75. You'll experience a mostly uninterrupted flow, with the longest stretch covering 60 miles on the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. While primarily a highway experience, the transition onto US-10 will introduce a slight change in road character. Expect a consistent driving pace for the majority of the 3-hour duration.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60 mi on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and I 75. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cadillac Square.
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 164.1 miles you will encounter 14 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 (Cadillac Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Monroe Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Chrysler Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,053 ft587 ft
Total Climb
805 ft
Total Descent
466 ft
Highest Point
1,053 ft
~46.9 mi in
Elevation Range
466 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Detroit is a major metropolis in the US state of Michigan that has had a profound impact on the world. From the advent of the automotive assembly line to the Motown sound, modern techno and rock music, Detroit continues to shape both American and global culture. The city has seen many of its historic buildings renovated, and is bustling with new developments and attractions that complement its world-class museums and theatres. After a long economic slump and decrease in population, Detroit has developed a reputation for crime and urban decline, but revitalization means that it is an exciting destination filled with technological advance and historic charm.
Top landmarks
•Detroit Institute of Arts — art museum in Detroit, Michigan
•Michigan Central Station — historic former railroad station in Detroit, Michigan
•Fisher Building — skyscraper in Detroit, Michigan, United States, including the Fisher Theater
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h. Total distance: 164.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 60 miles on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 15 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cadillac Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Monroe Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Chrysler Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Dover, MI, but most travelers stay overnight.
