The drive from Macon, GA to McRae, GA covers 80.2 miles and takes about 1h 37m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway, US 319, US 280 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 48.6 miles on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.29 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.1 miles from Macon, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
48.6 mi
52m
US 319
28.6 mi
39m
US 280
1.6 mi
2m
Riverside Drive
0.7 mi
1m
Spring Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
East Oak Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Mulberry Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
— 48.6 mi, about 52m
Traffic on I-16
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 42 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
1 PM
~958 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,415
Quietest
1 AM
~121 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 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 Macon, GA and McRae, GA.
1
Start on Mulberry Street
76 ft·2 sec·Mulberry Street
2
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·Spring Street
3
Turn right onto US 129; GA 11; GA 87
0.7 mi·1 min·Riverside Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto US 80; GA 87
0.2 mi·31 sec·Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward I 16 East: Savannah
6
Merge onto I 16
49 mi·52 min·Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 51Toward US 319, US 441: Dublin, McRae
8
Turn right onto US 319; US 441; GA 31; GA 117
29 mi·39 min·US 319; US 441; GA 31; GA 117
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 319; US 441; GA 31
328 ft·9 sec·US 319; US 441; GA 31
10
Merge onto US 280; US 319; US 441; GA 30; GA 31
1.6 mi·2 min·US 280; US 319; US 441; GA 30; GA 31
11
Turn left onto US 23; US 341; GA 27
85 ft·2 sec·East Oak Street
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
US 23; US 341; GA 27
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.1 miles from Macon, GA, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 48.6 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 18 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.1 miles or 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McRae, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Macon, GA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Macon, GA
This is one driving day of about 80.2 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Macon, GA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway for about 48.6 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 80.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive
Turn right onto US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 16 East: Savannah
Navigation decision point
Toward I 16 East: Savannah
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
Merge onto I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
49.8 mi into trip|~55m in
Take the exit toward US 319, US 441: Dublin, McRae
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 51
Toward US 319, US 441: Dublin, McRae
6
80.2 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|US 23; US 341; GA 27 / East Oak Street
Turn left onto US 23; US 341; GA 27 / East Oak Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.29 one way
$24.58 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$13.49
$26.97
premium
$4.64
$14.64
$29.28
diesel
$5.60
$17.68
$35.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.1
0
$8.42
$3.85
Efficient EV
20.1
0
$7.02
$3.21
EV Truck/SUV
32.1
0
$11.23
$5.13
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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 Sep 4, 2026
Origin
Macon, GA
Night
in Macon on Friday
Local time
10:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
McRae, GA
Night
in McRae on Friday
Local time
10:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Dublin, GA
40 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
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
1h 37m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. This park is a prehistoric American Indian site, where many different American Indian cultures occupied this land for thousands of years. American...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 2.8
Caution: River Trail periodically closed under I-16
Park Closure: BOARDWALK CLOSED along the River Trail
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
80.2 mi in 1h 37m, mostly highway — 48.6 mi of that is on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway.
98% 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: 48.6 mi on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway and US 319. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 37m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Macon is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland. The downtown area of Macon has antebellum homes, cathedrals, and other historic buildings that were built in the past by Macon's elite, including the Woodruff House, the Hay House, and the Cannonball House.
Macon is one of several cities to hold a cherry blossom celebration in springtime, although Macon stands out because it has a particularly large number of trees throughout the city. With over 275,000 Yoshino cherry trees, Macon calls itself the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World."
Top landmarks
•Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park — national monument in the United States
•Georgia Music Hall of Fame — former music museum in Macon, Georgia, USA
The longest stretch is about 48.6 miles on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway. 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 0.2 miles (US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. 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 McRae, GA before heading back.
