Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 51m
Distance
189.2 mi
304 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$32
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Suamico, WI
Anete Lusina
Eau Claire to Suamico is 189.2 miles and takes about 3h 51m via WI 29 and US 53, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Given its mostly highway profile and manageable distance, this is a straightforward drive. You'll find it's a good option for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. The route is designed for efficient travel between these two points.
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
94.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 51m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WI 29 | 164.1 mi | 3h 9m |
| US 53 | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| School Lane | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Crest Drive | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| State Highway 160 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Birch Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| County Road B | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Wisconsin Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire, WI and Suamico, WI.
Start on East Grand Avenue
Turn left onto South Farwell Street
Turn right onto East Madison Street
Continue on Germania Street
Continue on Birch Street
Continue on River Prairie Drive
Turn left
Merge onto US 53
Take the exit
Merge onto WI 29
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 29
Keep slight right at fork onto WI 29
Take the exit onto WI 55
Turn left onto WI 55
Continue on WI 160
Continue on WI 160
Turn straight onto WI 32
Continue on WI 32
Turn straight onto WI 32
Enter roundabout onto CTH B
Continue on CTH B
Continue on CTH B; CTH C
Continue on CTH B
Enter roundabout onto CTH B
Continue on CTH B
Continue on CTH B
Turn right onto CTH J
Continue on CTH J
Arrive at destination
For this 189.2-mile drive, leaving Eau Claire in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and arrive in Suamico well before evening. Since the total duration is under four hours, you can easily complete this in one day without needing to split the drive. There's only one suggested stop, so plan your fuel and breaks accordingly, keeping the $30 budget in mind. A good tip for this route is to be aware of the transition from highway to surface roads near Suamico, as this is where you'll encounter the main road changes.
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.
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 42 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.6 miles or 1h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Suamico, WI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Eau Claire, WI 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 Eau Claire, WI
This is one driving day of about 189.2 miles and 3h 51m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
95 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 94.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before WI 29 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 164.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 173 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward WI 29 East: Green Bay
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 29 toward US 51 South: Green Bay, Madison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto WI 29 toward WI 29 East: Weston, Green Bay
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto WI 55 toward WI 55, WI 160: Pulaski, Seymour
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$31.56 one way
$63.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $34.44 | $68.87 |
| premium | $5.25 | $39.13 | $78.26 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $46.75 | $93.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 56.8 | 0 | $19.87 | $9.08 |
| Efficient EV | 47.3 | 0 | $16.56 | $7.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 75.7 | 0 | $26.49 | $12.11 |
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Eau Claire on Thursday
Local time
7:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Suamico on Thursday
Local time
7:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Sunny
51°F
Marathon, WI
95 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
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.
This drive is primarily on highways, with 91% of the 189.2 miles utilizing major roadways like WI 29 and US 53. You'll experience a long stretch of 164.1 miles on WI 29, suggesting extended periods of highway cruising. Surface roads, including School Lane, will likely come into play towards the end of your trip. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and relatively frequent exits during the highway portions.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WI 29 and US 53. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in.
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 189.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 96.6 miles (WI 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
670 ft
Total Descent
865 ft
Highest Point
1,373 ft
~81.1 mi in
Elevation Range
779 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Eau Claire, WI and Suamico, WI, road signs point toward Madison, Green Bay and Seymour.
Madison
Green Bay
Seymour
Eau Claire (pronounced: O'Clare, French for clear water) is a city of about 62,000 in Northwest Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
Founded 1873
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 51m. Total distance: 189.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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