This 187.8-mile journey from Lewis, Indiana, to the City of Gary, Indiana, will take you approximately 3 hours and 19 minutes to complete. Designed as a single-day trip, this route is best tackled with a budget of around $29 for fuel. You'll primarily navigate using East Union Drive and State Road 246, with a portion designated as Chicago. With no highway driving, expect a more local feel throughout your travels in the Midwest. This drive is straightforward and manageable for a single day.
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
93.7 miles from Lewis, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
SR 63
63.3 mi
1h 20m
US 41
62.8 mi
1h 26m
I 65
41.1 mi
46m
State Road 14
9.5 mi
13m
State Road 246
7.3 mi
12m
East 5th Avenue
1 mi
1m
East 4th Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Madison Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
SR 63
— 63.3 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lewis, IN and City of Gary, IN.
1
Start on 104th Street
18 ft·2 sec·104th Street
2
Turn right onto East Union Drive
478 ft·23 sec·East Union Drive
3
Turn right onto SR 159; SR 246
0.1 mi·17 sec·SR 159; SR 246
4
Turn left onto SR 246
7.3 mi·12 min·State Road 246
5
Turn right onto US 41; US 150
15 mi·26 min·US 41; US 150
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn straight onto SR 63
63 mi·1 hr 20 min·SR 63
Toward Chicago
7
Continue on US 41
47 mi·59 min·US 41
8
Turn right onto SR 14
9.5 mi·13 min·State Road 14
9
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
10
Merge onto I 65
41 mi·46 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto US 12; US 20
1.0 mi·1 min·East 5th Avenue
12
Continue on US 12; US 20
0.9 mi·1 min·East 4th Avenue
13
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Madison Street
14
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·31 sec·West 8th Avenue
15
Turn left
342 ft·25 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour and 19-minute duration and the turn-heavy nature of this 187.8-mile route, starting your day after morning rush hour might offer a more relaxed experience. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $29, and local roads can sometimes have fewer services than major highways. A practical tip for this route is to familiarize yourself with the specific segments of East Union Drive and State Road 246 before you depart, as these will be your primary guides.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 93.7 miles from Lewis, IN, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.3 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 41 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.7 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Gary, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lewis, IN 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 Lewis, IN
This is one driving day of about 187.4 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Lewis, IN.
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 SR 63 for about 63.3 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 0 and 187.3 — 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|East Union Drive
Turn right onto East Union Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|SR 159; SR 246
Turn right onto SR 159; SR 246
Navigation decision point
6
7.5 mi into trip|~13m in|US 41; US 150
Turn right onto US 41; US 150
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
143.6 mi into trip|~3h 15m in|I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
187.3 mi into trip|~4h 6m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.30 one way
$58.60 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$32.17
$64.34
premium
$4.89
$36.06
$72.13
diesel
$5.61
$41.38
$82.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.2
0
$19.68
$9.00
Efficient EV
46.9
0
$16.40
$7.50
EV Truck/SUV
75
0
$26.24
$11.99
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Lewis, IN
Morning
in Lewis on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
City of Gary, IN
Morning
in City of Gary on Sunday
Local time
9:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Danville, IL
94 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
5 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
4h 6m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive on this route, as indicated by its 0% highway share. You won't encounter long stretches of high-speed driving; instead, anticipate frequent turns and changes in pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, suggesting a continuous engagement with the road. This driving profile means you'll be actively navigating for much of the trip, offering a hands-on experience of Indiana's local roadways.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.3 mi on SR 63.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SR 63 and US 41. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Union Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 6m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Union Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 159; SR 246): Navigation decision point; at 7.5 miles (US 41; US 150): 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.
On the drive from Lewis, IN to City of Gary, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
23 mi in|~40m|via SR 63
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 6m. Total distance: 187.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 63.3 miles on SR 63. 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Union Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 159; SR 246): Navigation decision point; at 7.5 miles (US 41; US 150): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at City of Gary, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
