Connecting Manila to Little Rock is a straightforward 165.8-mile journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 42 minutes to complete. Because the travel time is relatively short, this route functions perfectly as a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $25 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Southeast Arkansas locations. Expect a shift from the local character of Manila toward the more urban environment of the state capital. Planning for this drive is simple since it fits easily into a morning or afternoon window, giving you plenty of time to settle in once you arrive.
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
81.5 miles from Manila, AR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
102.7 mi
1h 45m
Highway 18
34.3 mi
46m
US 78
12.5 mi
14m
Southwest Drive
7.4 mi
8m
US 167
1.4 mi
2m
I 40
0.9 mi
1m
West 3rd Street
0.8 mi
1m
West Olympia Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 102.7 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Manila, AR and Little Rock, AR.
1
Start on West Olympia Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·West Olympia Avenue
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 78; AR 18
34 mi·46 min·Highway 18
3
Turn left onto AR 18
7.4 mi·8 min·Southwest Drive
4
Continue on US 78; AR 226
13 mi·14 min·US 78; AR 226
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
6
Merge onto I 57
103 mi·1 hr 45 min·I 57
7
Merge onto I 40; US 167
0.9 mi·1 min·I 40; US 167
8
Take the exit onto US 167
1.4 mi·2 min·US 167
Toward I 30 West, US 65 South, US 67 South, US 167 South: Little Rock
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward US 70 East
10
Turn right onto East 7th Street
0.5 mi·54 sec·East 7th Street
11
Turn straight onto West 7th Street
175 ft·3 sec·West 7th Street
12
Continue on North Broadway Street
0.3 mi·31 sec·North Broadway Street
13
Continue on US 70
0.5 mi·42 sec·Broadway Bridge
14
Continue on US 70
0.2 mi·24 sec·Broadway Street
15
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
0.8 mi·1 min·West 3rd Street
16
Turn left onto State Capitol
314 ft·13 sec·State Capitol
17
Continue on State Capitol
440 ft·20 sec·State Capitol
18
Continue on State Capitol
415 ft·25 sec·State Capitol
19
Turn sharp left
260 ft·19 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For the smoothest experience, plan your departure to avoid peak local traffic, as the turn-heavy nature of this 165.8-mile route requires your full focus. You only need to build in one planned stop to keep your trip on schedule and ensure you stay refreshed behind the wheel. Given the $25 estimated fuel cost, filling up before you leave Manila is a smart way to maximize your convenience. Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your personal preferences. Keep a close eye on your navigation through the local road segments, as these turns are the most critical part of your journey to Little Rock.
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 81.5 miles from Manila, AR, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.7 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 36 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.5 miles or 1h 39m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Little Rock, AR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Manila, AR 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 Manila, AR
This is one driving day of about 162.9 miles and 3h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Manila, AR.
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 I 57 for about 102.7 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 162.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18
At end of road, turn right onto US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18
Navigation decision point
5
54.8 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
158.8 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|US 167
Take the exit onto US 167 toward I 30 West, US 65 South, US 67 South, US 167 South: Little Rock
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 30 West, US 65 South, US 67 South, US...
4
160.2 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 70 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 70 East
6
162.9 mi into trip|~3h 7m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.60 one way
$49.20 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$27.01
$54.01
premium
$4.56
$29.24
$58.48
diesel
$5.61
$35.97
$71.93
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.9
0
$17.10
$7.82
Efficient EV
40.7
0
$14.25
$6.52
EV Truck/SUV
65.2
0
$22.81
$10.43
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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
Manila, AR
Late night
in Manila on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Little Rock, AR
Late night
in Little Rock on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Bono, AR
81 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 7m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you navigate away from Manila. Your path primarily utilizes Highway 18 and Southwest Drive before eventually transitioning onto I-30 West to complete the final leg of the trip. Since the highway share is 0 percent, you will spend the majority of your time on local roads rather than high-speed interstates. This creates a more engaged driving environment where you will need to remain attentive through various turns and transitions. The personality of the road is distinctively local, requiring you to pace yourself differently than you would on a strictly interstate-based route.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.7 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Highway 18. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 7m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18): Navigation decision point; at 54.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 158.8 miles (US 167): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the state of Arkansas. Little Rock is a cultural, economic, government, and transportation center within Arkansas and the American South. Several cultural institutions are in Little Rock, along with hiking, boating, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. Little Rock's history is available through history museums, historic districts or neighborhoods.
The longest stretch is about 102.7 miles on I 57. 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: at 0.6 miles (US 78; AR 18 / Highway 18): Navigation decision point; at 54.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 158.8 miles (US 167): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Little Rock, AR, but most travelers stay overnight.
