Origin
Leeds, AL
Morning in Leeds on Sunday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leeds, AL to Vestavia Hills, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
21.5 mi
35 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leeds, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Vestavia Hills, AL
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Leeds, AL to Vestavia Hills, AL covers 21.5 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on John M. Harbert III Freeway, US 280, Parkway Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.3 miles on John M. Harbert III Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.25 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 8.3 mi | 8m |
| US 280 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Parkway Drive | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| I 20 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Montgomery Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Shades Creek Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Ashville Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Tyson Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John M. Harbert III Freeway
— 8.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leeds, AL and Vestavia Hills, AL.
1
Start on Ashville Road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Ashville Road
2
Turn right onto US 78
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Parkway Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I-20 West: Birmingham
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 20
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 20
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 136
Toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
7
Merge onto I 459
8.3 mi
·
8 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 19
Toward US 280: Mountain Brook, Childersburg
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward US 280 West: Mountain Brook
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 280
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
US 280
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
Toward SR 149: Homewood, Mountain Brook
12
Turn left onto AL 149
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Shades Creek Parkway
13
Turn right
378 ft
·
13 sec
14
Turn slight right onto US 31
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Montgomery Highway
15
Turn left onto Tyson Drive
380 ft
·
22 sec
·
Tyson Drive
16
Turn right onto Tremont Drive
187 ft
·
11 sec
·
Tremont Drive
17
Turn left
142 ft
·
10 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 15.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 78 / Parkway Drive
Turn right onto US 78 / Parkway Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 136
Toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
6
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
8
15.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward US 280: Mountain Brook, Childersburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19
Toward US 280: Mountain Brook, Childersburg
7
15.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 280 West: Mountain Brook
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 280 West: Mountain Brook
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.25 one way
$6.49 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $3.56 | $7.13 |
| premium | $4.56 | $3.86 | $7.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.75 | $9.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 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 | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
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
Vestavia Hills, AL
Morning in Vestavia Hills on Sunday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
31m 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?
21.5 mi in 31m, mostly highway — 8.3 mi of that is on John M. Harbert III Freeway.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on John M. Harbert III Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John M. Harbert III Freeway and US 280. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 78 / Parkway Drive.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 21.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 78 / Parkway Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles: 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.
Between Leeds, AL and Vestavia Hills, AL, road signs point toward Tuscaloosa, Gadsden, Childersburg and Mountain Brook.
Tuscaloosa
5.8 mi in
|
~9m
Gadsden
5.8 mi in
|
~9m
Childersburg
15.2 mi in
|
~20m
Mountain Brook
18.7 mi in
|
~25m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 21.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.3 miles on John M. Harbert III Freeway. 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 Vestavia Hills, AL 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 0.2 miles (US 78 / Parkway Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Vestavia Hills, AL 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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