Origin
Lake Odessa, MI
Morning in Lake Odessa on Sunday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Odessa, 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
47m
Distance
38.4 mi
62 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Odessa, MI
El Capra
Grand Rapids, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lake Odessa, MI to Grand Rapids, MI is 38.4 miles and takes about 47m via I 96, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Michigan, making it a convenient local excursion. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on highways, ideal for a quick getaway or a day trip. Given the short distance and duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or extensive planning for this particular journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 26.9 mi | 28m |
| Jordan Lake Road | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Gerald R Ford Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| Jordan Lake Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Avenue Northwest | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Tupper Lake Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Monroe Center Street Northwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Division Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 26.9 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Odessa, MI and Grand Rapids, MI.
1
Start on Tupper Lake Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Tupper Lake Street
2
Turn left onto Jordan Lake Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Jordan Lake Avenue
3
Continue on Jordan Lake Road
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Jordan Lake Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
5
Merge onto I 96
27 mi
·
28 min
·
I 96
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 196
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Gerald R Ford Freeway
Exit 37
Toward I 196: Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 77C
Toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on Ottawa Avenue Northwest
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Monroe Center Street Northwest
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Monroe Center Street Northwest
10
Turn right onto Division Avenue North
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Division Avenue North
11
Turn right onto Fulton Street West
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Fulton Street West
12
Arrive at destination
Fulton Street West
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Lake Odessa, MI, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 38.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Jordan Lake Avenue
Turn left onto Jordan Lake Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
7.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 96
Merge onto I 96
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
34 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway toward I 196: Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 37
Toward I 196: Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland
8
37.3 mi into trip
|
~43m 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
5
38.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Fulton Street West
Turn right onto Fulton Street West
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.00 one way
$12.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.59 | $13.18 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.39 | $14.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.48 | $16.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 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 | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
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
Grand Rapids, MI
Morning in Grand Rapids on Sunday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Forest Hills, MI
19 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
1 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
47m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 79% of the route utilizing major highways like I 96 and Gerald R Ford Freeway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 26.9 miles on I 96, offering a consistent pace. While mostly highway, there are brief segments on local roads like Jordan Lake Road, providing slight variation before returning to faster speeds. The overall feel is efficient and direct, designed for getting you to your destination without much fuss.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.9 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Jordan Lake Road. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Jordan Lake Avenue.
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 38.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.3 miles (Jordan Lake Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34 miles (I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lake Odessa, MI to Grand Rapids, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Holland along the way.
Holland
34 mi in
|
~39m
|
via I 196
About the Cities
Arriving in Grand Rapids, MI
Full guide →Not to be confused with Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Grand Rapids is in West Michigan, in the United States. Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan with a population of just under 200,000 in the city limits (2018), and nearly 570,000 in the surrounding county (2010). The federal West Michigan metropolitan area, which includes Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland (and some intervening farmland), has 1.4 million people (2010).
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 47m. Total distance: 38.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.9 miles on I 96. 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 0.3 miles (Jordan Lake Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34 miles (I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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