Origin
Marietta, GA
Late night in Marietta on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marietta, GA to Covington, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
54.6 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Covington, GA
Mr. Location Scout
Trip Overview
This 54.6-mile journey from Marietta, GA to Covington, GA will take you about 1 hour and 8 minutes. With no highway driving, this route offers a more local feel for its entire duration. It's perfectly suited as a day trip, requiring just one day of travel. Expect the fuel to cost around $9 for this drive. Both your origin and destination are within the Southeast region, keeping the scenery consistently Southern. This is a straightforward, turn-heavy local drive that's easy to navigate.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 22.8 mi | 24m |
| Ralph David Abernathy Freeway | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| Horace E Tate Freeway | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| Downtown Connector | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Roswell Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Highway 278 Northwest | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Cobb Parkway South | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 22.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marietta, GA and Covington, GA.
1
Start on West Park Square
117 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Park Square
2
Continue on South Park Square
343 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Park Square
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Roswell Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Roswell Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn right onto US 41; GA 3
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cobb Parkway South
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto GA 120
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Marietta Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 75 South: Atlanta
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 75
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 75
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Horace E Tate Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 75; I 85
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 247
Toward I 20: Augusta, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 20 East: Augusta
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto I 20
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 20
23 mi
·
24 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto US 278; GA 12
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 278; GA 12
Exit 90
Toward US 278 East: Covington, Oxford
15
Continue on US 278; GA 12
458 ft
·
10 sec
·
Access Road
16
Continue on US 278; GA 12
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Access Road
17
Continue on US 278; GA 12
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 278 Northwest
18
Turn right onto Pace Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Pace Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right onto Clark Street Southwest
198 ft
·
4 sec
·
Clark Street Southwest
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
40 ft
·
0 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.3 miles from Marietta, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 52.6 — 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
|
South Park Square
Continue onto South Park Square
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 75 South: Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 South: Atlanta
8
19.2 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 20: Augusta, Birmingham
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 247
Toward I 20: Augusta, Birmingham
7
19.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 East: Augusta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 20 East: Augusta
6
52.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
US 278; GA 12
Take the exit onto US 278; GA 12 toward US 278 East: Covington, Oxford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 90
Toward US 278 East: Covington, Oxford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.54 one way
$17.08 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.34 | $18.67 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.11 | $20.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.05 | $24.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Covington, GA
Late night in Covington on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
22 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 8m 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?
Don't expect any high-speed highway cruising on this trip, as the highway share is 0%. The drive is characterized by frequent turns and a local road feel throughout its 54.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile suggests you'll be navigating through towns and neighborhoods rather than long, open roads. This type of driving requires your attention to be on local traffic signals and road changes.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 mi on Purple Heart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Park Square.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Park Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
On the drive from Marietta, GA to Covington, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.
Birmingham
19.2 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
Starting in Marietta, GA
Full guide →Marietta is a city of 61,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 54.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.8 miles on Purple Heart Highway. 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 Covington, GA 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: near the start (South Park Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 Covington, GA 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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