Origin
Grand Haven, MI
Late night in Grand Haven on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grand Haven, MI to Grand Rapids, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
33.6 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Haven, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Grand Rapids, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick jaunt between Grand Haven and Grand Rapids, this 33.6-mile trip is an ideal candidate for a simple day excursion. Expect to spend about 44 minutes behind the wheel, making it an efficient connection within the Midwest. With a fuel budget of just $5, the transit is both budget-friendly and straightforward. Since the route requires no stops to complete, you can easily handle this drive in a single day without needing to look for overnight accommodations. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that links the lakeshore to the inland city center with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 20.9 mi | 22m |
| Cleveland Street | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| US 131 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| West Savidge Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| North Beacon Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Avenue Northwest | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Exit 9 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North 5th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 20.9 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Haven, MI and Grand Rapids, MI.
1
Start on Washington Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Washington Avenue
2
Turn left onto North 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
North 5th Street
3
Turn right onto Jackson Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Jackson Street
4
Turn left onto US 31
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Beacon Boulevard
5
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 104A
Toward M 104: Spring Lake
6
Continue on M 104
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
West Savidge Street
7
Continue on M 104
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Cleveland Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto Exit 9
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Exit 9
Toward I 96 East: Grand Rapids
9
Merge onto I 96
21 mi
·
22 min
·
I 96
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31A
Toward US 131 South: Kalamazoo
11
Merge onto US 131
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 131
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 86A
Toward I 196 East: Lansing
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 196
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Gerald R Ford Freeway
14
Take the exit
450 ft
·
11 sec
Exit 77C
Toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
416 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Downtown
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on Ottawa Avenue Northwest
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto Monroe Center Street Northwest
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Monroe Center Street Northwest
18
Turn right onto Division Avenue North
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Division Avenue North
19
Turn right onto Fulton Street West
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Fulton Street West
20
Arrive at destination
Fulton Street West
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 32.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward M 104: Spring Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 104A
Toward M 104: Spring Lake
5
29.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward US 131 South: Kalamazoo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 31A
Toward US 131 South: Kalamazoo
7
32.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward I 196 East: Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 86A
Toward I 196 East: Lansing
9
32.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
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 77C
Toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
8
32.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.25 one way
$10.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.77 | $11.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.47 | $12.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.42 | $14.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Grand Rapids, MI
Late night in Grand Rapids on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
44m 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?
This highway-focused drive is defined by its efficiency, with 69% of the journey spent on major roads like I-96 and US-131. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, as the longest uninterrupted stretch covers 20.9 miles on I-96. The experience transitions from local thoroughfares like Cleveland Street into a more consistent interstate pace. Because the route is largely comprised of high-speed transit, you can expect a steady drive rather than a winding or technical one. It is a functional path designed to move you from point A to point B as directly as possible.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.9 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Cleveland Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 33.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 29.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 32.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
791 ft
598 ft
Total Climb
243 ft
Total Descent
206 ft
Highest Point
791 ft
~26.4 mi in
Elevation Range
193 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 33.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.9 miles on I 96. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Grand Rapids, MI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 29.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 32.3 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 Grand Rapids, MI 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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