Origin
Lakeland, TN
Late night in Lakeland on Tuesday
Local time
5:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakeland, TN to Memphis, TN
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
29m
Distance
23.7 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeland, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Memphis, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Lakeland to Memphis covers a quick 23.7 miles, typically taking about 24 minutes to complete. Because this is such a short commute within the Southeast, you can easily handle the entire trip in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $4 on fuel for the journey, making it a very affordable connection between these two Tennessee locations. You will navigate primarily via Canada Road, the Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway, and I-240 West. This route serves as a straightforward local transit rather than a long-haul excursion, offering you maximum flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 13.3 mi | 16m |
| Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Canada Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Leeward Slopes Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Poplar Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 13.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeland, TN and Memphis, TN.
1
Start on Leeward Slopes Lane
229 ft
·
15 sec
·
Leeward Slopes Lane
2
At end of road, turn left onto Canada Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Canada Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
4
Merge onto I 40
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto I 40
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 40
Exit 10A-B
Toward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississippi, Little Rock
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 40
Exit 10B
Toward I 40 West: Little Rock
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 40
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 1A
Toward Second Street, Third Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on North 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North 2nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Poplar Avenue
202 ft
·
4 sec
·
Poplar Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
Poplar Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 23.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 40
Take the exit onto I 40 toward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississippi, Little Rock
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 10A-B
Toward I 240 West, I 40 West: Jackson Mississip...
8
10 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 West: Little Rock
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10B
Toward I 40 West: Little Rock
6
21.2 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
23.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Second Street, Third Street
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 1A
Toward Second Street, Third Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.71 one way
$7.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.56 | $9.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Memphis, TN
Late night in Memphis on Tuesday
Local time
5:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°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
1 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
29m 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 turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition from Lakeland toward the heart of Memphis. With zero highway share, you will primarily navigate surface streets and local corridors rather than monotonous interstate stretches. The journey lacks any significant long, uninterrupted highway segments, requiring you to stay alert for frequent turns. As you progress through the 23.7-mile route, the character of the road shifts from suburban local roads to more urbanized traffic patterns. It is a practical, functional drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 23.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Lakeland, TN to Memphis, TN, road signs begin pointing toward Little Rock along the way.
Little Rock
9.9 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 40
About the Cities
Arriving in Memphis, TN
Full guide →Memphis is the second largest city in the state of Tennessee, after Nashville. The state rests in the southeastern portion of the United States. Memphis, with a population of more than 651,000 (2019), is also the county seat for Shelby County. The city's claims to fame include Graceland, the mansion Elvis Presley lived in during his later years. Perhaps more importantly, Memphis is considered by many to be the home of blues music.
Top landmarks
- • Graceland — mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, United States; former residence of Elvis Presley
- • Blues Hall of Fame — award by Blues Foundation, since 2015 also a music museum in Memphis, Tennessee
- • National Civil Rights Museum — hotel that was site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., now a museum
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 29m. Total distance: 23.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on I 40. 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 Memphis, TN 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 0.8 miles (I 40 / Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Memphis, TN 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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