Origin
Grantsburg, WI
Morning in Grantsburg on Sunday
Local time
6:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grantsburg, WI to Milwaukee, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 57m
Distance
365.5 mi
588 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$57
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 46m
★
6 AM
6h 58m
8 AM
7h 21m
10 AM
7h 6m
12 PM
7h 4m
3 PM
7h 7m
5 PM
7h 20m
8 PM
6h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Milwaukee, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Grantsburg, WI to Milwaukee, WI covers 365.5 miles and takes about 6h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, US 53, State Highway 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 238.5 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $57.14 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
182.7 miles from Grantsburg, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 37m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 238.5 mi | 4h 18m |
| US 53 | 81.4 mi | 1h 31m |
| State Highway 70 | 38.7 mi | 54m |
| State Highway 35 | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| West Maple Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| East-West Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Milwaukee Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| County Road F | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 238.5 mi, about 4h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grantsburg, WI and Milwaukee, WI.
1
Start on West Wisconsin Avenue
175 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Wisconsin Avenue
2
Turn right onto CTH F
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
County Road F
3
Turn left onto WI 70
15 mi
·
21 min
·
State Highway 70
4
Turn left onto WI 35; WI 70
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 35
5
Enter roundabout onto WI 70
132 ft
·
7 sec
·
State Highway 70
6
Continue on WI 70
23 mi
·
31 min
·
State Highway 70
7
Continue on WI 70
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
West Maple Street
8
Continue on WI 70
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 70
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward US 53 South: Rice Lake
10
Merge onto US 53
81 mi
·
1 hr 30 min
·
US 53
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn straight onto US 53
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
US 53
Toward US 53 South: Brackett
12
Enter roundabout onto US 53
378 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 53
13
Continue on US 53
441 ft
·
8 sec
·
US 53
14
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
15
Merge onto I 94
168 mi
·
2 hr 59 min
·
I 94
Use the straight lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
71 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
I 94
Exit 138A
Toward I 94: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 794
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East-West Freeway
Exit 310C
Toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 1E
Toward Jackson Street, Van Buren Street
19
Turn slight right
309 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Jackson Street South
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto East Saint Paul Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Saint Paul Avenue
21
Turn right onto WI 32
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Milwaukee Street
22
Arrive at destination
US 18; WI 32
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 182.7 miles from Grantsburg, WI, or about 3h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 238.5 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 80 miles or 1h 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 182.7 miles or 3h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Milwaukee, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grantsburg, 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 Grantsburg, WI
This is one driving day of about 365.5 miles and 6h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Grantsburg, WI.
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 I 94 for about 238.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
183 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 182.7 miles from Grantsburg, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 238.5 miles.
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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 364.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CTH F / County Road F
Turn right onto CTH F / County Road F
Navigation decision point
5
43.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward US 53 South: Rice Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 53 South: Rice Lake
8
293.1 mi into trip
|
~5h 35m in
|
I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 toward I 94: Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 138A
Toward I 94: Milwaukee
9
363.8 mi into trip
|
~6h 54m in
|
I 794 / East-West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 794 / East-West Freeway toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 310C
Toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
6
364.8 mi into trip
|
~6h 56m in
Take the exit toward Jackson Street, Van Buren Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1E
Toward Jackson Street, Van Buren Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.14 one way
$114.28 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
128 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $62.74 | $125.48 |
| premium | $4.89 | $70.34 | $140.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $80.70 | $161.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$57
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 127.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 109.6 | 1 | $38.38 | $17.54 |
| Efficient EV | 91.4 | 1 | $31.98 | $14.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 146.2 | 1 | $51.17 | $23.39 |
Gas CO2
128 kg
EV CO2
43 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Milwaukee, WI
Morning in Milwaukee on Sunday
Local time
6:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
21 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
6h 57m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
365.5 mi in 6h 57m, mostly highway — 238.5 mi of that is on I 94.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 238.5 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US 53. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CTH F / County Road F.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 365.5 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (CTH F / County Road F): Navigation decision point; at 43.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 293.1 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 57m. Total distance: 365.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 57m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 238.5 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Milwaukee, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CTH F / County Road F): Navigation decision point; at 43.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 293.1 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.0 hours each way, a round trip means 13.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Milwaukee, WI before the return drive.
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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