Origin
Fairfield Beach, OH
Morning in Fairfield Beach on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield Beach, OH to Columbus, OH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield Beach, OH
David Kanigan
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfield Beach to Columbus is 36.6 miles and takes about 51 minutes via I 70, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest and is entirely within Ohio, making it a straightforward journey. It’s a highway-focused drive, perfect for a quick relocation or a day trip. You won't encounter significant changes in scenery, but it's a reliable route for getting from point A to point B efficiently. Plan for a smooth and uncomplicated drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 24.6 mi | 27m |
| Blacklick-Eastern Road Northeast | 4 mi | 7m |
| Lancaster-Newark Road Northeast | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Shell Beach Road Northeast | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Lancaster Road Southwest | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Refugee Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Fairfield Beach Road Northeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East State Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 24.6 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield Beach, OH and Columbus, OH.
1
Start on Laurel Road Northeast
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Laurel Road Northeast
2
Continue on Laural Road
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Laural Road
3
Continue on Laurel Road Northeast
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Laurel Road Northeast
4
Turn right onto CR 3
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairfield Beach Road Northeast
5
Turn left onto CR 84
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Shell Beach Road Northeast
6
Turn right onto SR 204
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Blacklick-Eastern Road Northeast
7
Continue on SR 204
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Lancaster Street
8
Turn left onto SR 204
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Refugee Street
9
Continue on SR 204
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Blacklick-Eastern Road Northeast
10
Turn right onto SR 37
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Lancaster-Newark Road Northeast
11
Continue on SR 37
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Lancaster Road Southwest
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 70 West: Columbus
13
Merge onto I 70
25 mi
·
27 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 101B
Toward Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on East Mound Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Mound Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto South Grant Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Grant Avenue
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto East State Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East State Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Fairfield Beach, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 10.3 and 36.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
10.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Columbus
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 70 West: Columbus
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
35.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 101B
Toward Downtown
6
35.8 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
South Grant Avenue
Turn right onto South Grant Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
36.2 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
East State Street
Turn left onto East State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.68 one way
$11.36 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $6.30 | $12.61 |
| premium | $4.91 | $7.07 | $14.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Columbus, OH
Morning in Columbus on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Etna, OH
18 mi in
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
19 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
51m 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 primarily highway-focused drive, with about 67% of the route utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.6 miles on I 70, offering a consistent pace. This section is characterized by its highway nature, meaning you'll experience higher speeds and less varied scenery. The transition onto Blacklick-Eastern Road Northeast and Lancaster-Newark Road Northeast will likely involve a slight shift in pace but remains largely on well-maintained roads suitable for steady travel. Overall, it’s a drive that prioritizes directness over scenic detours.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.6 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Blacklick-Eastern Road Northeast. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 10.3 miles in.
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 36.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 10.6 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Columbus, OH
Full guide →Founded 1812
Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state as the core of the Greater Columbus area. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Farm Belt meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of the Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and the Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of the Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers.
Top landmarks
- • Ohio Stadium — stadium in Columbus, Ohio, USA
- • Columbus Museum of Art — Museum in Columbus, Ohio, United States
- • Wexner Center for the Arts — center at Ohio State University
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 51m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.6 miles on I 70. 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 10.6 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbus, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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