Livonia, MI to Cadillac, MI is 203.4 miles and takes about 3h 51m via US 23 and US 10, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest and Michigan, offering a straightforward drive from one point to another. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable route for a quick getaway or to reach your destination without an overnight stay. The majority of this drive is on highways, making for efficient travel time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
101.7 miles from Livonia, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 23
78.2 mi
1h 23m
US 10
56.9 mi
56m
Cadillac Drive
34.2 mi
46m
Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
23 mi
24m
Jeffries Freeway
3.3 mi
3m
Mackinaw Trail
2.1 mi
2m
South Mitchell Street
1.6 mi
3m
Merriman Road
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 23
— 78.2 mi, about 1h 23m
Traffic on I-96
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,912 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~209 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 2 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Livonia, MI and Cadillac, MI.
1
Start on this road
74 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn right
87 ft·8 sec
3
Turn right onto Plymouth Road
149 ft·10 sec·Plymouth Road
4
Turn left onto Merriman Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Merriman Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Schoolcraft Road
333 ft·12 sec·Schoolcraft Road
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on Schoolcraft Road
0.2 mi·36 sec·Schoolcraft Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 96 West
8
Merge onto I 96
3.3 mi·3 min·Jeffries Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, LansingUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 275; I 96
23 mi·24 min·Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·11 sec
Exit 148A; 147; 147BToward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, FlintUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·54 sec
Exit 148BToward US 23 North: FlintUse the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto US 23
78 mi·1 hr 23 min·US 23
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 162BToward US 10 West: Midland
15
Continue on US 10
11 mi·11 min·US 10
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
38 mi·38 min·US 10
Toward US 10: Clare
17
Take the exit onto US 10
7.6 mi·7 min·US 10
Toward US 10 WEST, TO M 115: Ludington, Cadillac
18
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward M 115: Cadillac
19
Turn right onto M 115
34 mi·46 min·Cadillac Drive
20
Turn right onto Mackinaw Trail
2.1 mi·2 min·Mackinaw Trail
Use the right lane.
21
Turn left onto US 131 Business
1.6 mi·3 min·South Mitchell Street
22
Turn left onto West Pine Street
94 ft·2 sec·West Pine Street
23
Arrive at destination
West Pine Street
Trip Plan
For this 3h 51m drive, leaving Livonia in the morning is ideal, allowing you to arrive in Cadillac with plenty of daylight. Since it's a relatively short trip at 203.4 miles, you can easily complete it in one day. There's one recommended stop, so plan for a brief break to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on fuel, especially as the longest stretch on US 23 is 78.2 miles, and budgeting around $32 for fuel should cover the trip. The transition from highway to surface roads might require a slight adjustment in your driving pace as you get closer to Cadillac.
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 101.7 miles from Livonia, MI, or about 1h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.2 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 45 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.7 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cadillac, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Livonia, MI 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 Livonia, MI
This is one driving day of about 203.4 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Livonia, MI.
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 US 23 for about 78.2 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 29 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Merriman Road
Turn left onto Merriman Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1 mi into trip|~2m in|Schoolcraft Road
Turn right onto Schoolcraft Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
4.9 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, Lansing
8
28.8 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the exit toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint
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 148A; 147; 147B
Toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spe...
8
29 mi into trip|~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 23 North: Flint
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 148B
Toward US 23 North: Flint
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.54 one way
$63.07 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$34.58
$69.16
premium
$4.93
$39.46
$78.93
diesel
$5.60
$44.84
$89.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61
0
$21.36
$9.76
Efficient EV
50.9
0
$17.80
$8.14
EV Truck/SUV
81.4
1
$28.48
$13.02
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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 Aug 29, 2026
Origin
Livonia, MI
Late night
in Livonia on Saturday
Local time
2:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Clear
SSW 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cadillac, MI
Late night
in Cadillac on Saturday
Local time
2:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Patchy Fog
S 0 to 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
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
6 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
3h 51m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 68% of the 203.4 miles on high-speed roads. You'll experience a consistent 78.2-mile stretch on US 23, offering a good opportunity for steady cruising. After the highway portions, expect a shift to surface roads as you approach Cadillac. The transition from highway to local roads will be noticeable as you near your destination.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.2 mi on US 23.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 23 and US 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Merriman Road.
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 20 significant decision points across 203.4 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 0.1 miles (Merriman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (Schoolcraft Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,308 ft588 ft
Total Climb
1,100 ft
Total Descent
430 ft
Highest Point
1,308 ft
~203.4 mi in
Elevation Range
720 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Livonia, MI and Cadillac, MI, road signs point toward Flint, To M 115: Ludington and M 115: Cadillac.
Cadillac is a city in the state of Michigan. The community has a population of approximately 10,000 within city limits, and over 40,000 within the surrounding two counties. It was established as an industrial town known as the Village of Clam Lake. The village was incorporated into a city in 1877. It changed its name to Cadillac after the 17th and 18th century French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac (the car brand is also named after him). The area became a popular tourist destination following World War II, and remains so today.
Cadillac is the gateway to northwest Michigan. Nearly a million visitors come each year to the area, to enjoy the scenic lakes and quaint small town. While popular, Cadillac is quiet and makes a great Northern Michigan destination for summer and winter recreation enthusiasts.
Top landmarks
•Cobbs and Mitchell Building — office building in Cadillac, United States of America
•Cadillac-Soo Lumber Company 3 — preserved American 3-cylinder 2-truck Shay locomotive
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 51m. Total distance: 203.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 78.2 miles on US 23. 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.
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 Cadillac, MI 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Merriman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (Schoolcraft Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Cadillac, MI, but most travelers stay overnight.
