The drive from Hawthorne, WI to New Berlin, WI covers 365.3 miles and takes about 6h 44m 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, South Moorland Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 228.7 miles on I 94.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $57.11 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
182.6 miles from Hawthorne, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
228.7 mi
4h 5m
US 53
131.1 mi
2h 28m
South Moorland Road
3.2 mi
6m
County Road B
1.2 mi
1m
Town Hall Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
West National Avenue
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 228.7 mi, about 4h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hawthorne, WI and New Berlin, WI.
1
Start on Town Hall Road
121 ft·6 sec·Town Hall Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto CTH B
1.2 mi·1 min·County Road B
3
Take the ramp
317 ft·8 sec
4
Merge onto US 53
46 mi·53 min·US 53
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 53
84 mi·1 hr 34 min·US 53
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn straight onto US 53
0.2 mi·20 sec·US 53
Toward US 53 South: Brackett
7
Enter roundabout onto US 53
378 ft·5 sec·US 53
8
Continue on US 53
441 ft·8 sec·US 53
9
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
10
Merge onto I 94
168 mi·2 hr 59 min·I 94
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
61 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 94
Exit 138AToward I 94: MilwaukeeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Exit 301A-BToward I 94 East Alternate: Moorland RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
183 ft·4 sec
Toward I 94 Alternate East: New BerlinUse the right lane.
14
Turn straight onto CTH O
3.2 mi·6 min·South Moorland Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Arrive at destination
West National Avenue
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 182.6 miles from Hawthorne, WI, or about 3h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 228.7 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 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 182.6 miles or 3h 25m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Berlin, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hawthorne, 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 Hawthorne, WI
This is one driving day of about 365.3 miles and 6h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Hawthorne, 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 228.7 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 362 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|US 53
Merge onto US 53
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
47.7 mi into trip|~55m in|US 53
Keep slight left at fork onto US 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
300.7 mi into trip|~5h 31m 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
7
361.6 mi into trip|~6h 37m in
Take the exit toward I 94 East Alternate: Moorland Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 301A-B
Toward I 94 East Alternate: Moorland Road
7
362 mi into trip|~6h 38m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 Alternate East: New Berlin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 94 Alternate East: New Berlin
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.11 one way
$114.22 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg128 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$62.71
$125.41
premium
$4.89
$70.30
$140.60
diesel
$5.61
$80.65
$161.31
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: 127.8 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
$38.36
$17.53
Efficient EV
91.3
1
$31.96
$14.61
EV Truck/SUV
146.1
1
$51.14
$23.38
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Hawthorne, WI
Afternoon
in Hawthorne on Sunday
Local time
12:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
New Berlin, WI
Afternoon
in New Berlin on Sunday
Local time
12:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Blair, WI
183 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
28 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
6h 44m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, manage...
25 mi from route
~64 min detour
Free
near mile 239.3
Caution: General Advisory — Flooding Possible
Caution: Averill–Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment — Dangerous Ford at New Wood River
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
365.3 mi in 6h 44m, mostly highway — 228.7 mi of that is on I 94.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 228.7 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near US 53.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 365.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (US 53): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.7 miles (US 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 300.7 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 44m. Total distance: 365.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 44m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 228.7 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 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.
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 New Berlin, 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. There are 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (US 53): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.7 miles (US 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 300.7 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Ice Age National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at New Berlin, WI before the return drive.
