Origin
McDonough, GA
Late night in McDonough on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McDonough, GA to Brookhaven, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
39.8 mi
64 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McDonough, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Brookhaven, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 39.8-mile drive from McDonough, GA to Brookhaven, GA is a straightforward, turn-heavy local journey that should take about 49 minutes. It's an easy day trip with no highway driving, making it accessible for most vehicles. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this route is quite budget-friendly. Since it's a short trip with no planned stops, you'll have plenty of flexibility. Both McDonough and Brookhaven are located in the Southeast region of the US, so you'll be staying within familiar territory.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 28.8 mi | 35m |
| Jonesboro Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| North Druid Hills Road Northeast | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Expressway | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Buford-Spring Connector | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Buford Highway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Jonesboro Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Peachtree Road Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 28.8 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McDonough, GA and Brookhaven, GA.
1
Start on US 23; GA 20; GA 42; GA 81
127 ft
·
10 sec
·
Atlanta Street
2
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81
261 ft
·
13 sec
·
Keys Ferry Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn left onto US 23; GA 42
250 ft
·
14 sec
·
Macon Street
4
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81
266 ft
·
8 sec
·
John Frank Ward Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on GA 20; GA 81
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jonesboro Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Enter roundabout onto Jonesboro Road
133 ft
·
2 sec
·
Jonesboro Road
7
Continue on Jonesboro Road
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Jonesboro Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 75 North
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 75
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 75
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
23 mi
·
28 min
·
I 75
Toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Expressway
Exit 251B
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 86
Toward GA 13 North: Buford Highway
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto GA 13
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Buford-Spring Connector
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on GA 13
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Buford Highway
15
Turn left onto North Druid Hills Road Northeast
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Druid Hills Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto North Druid Hills Road Northeast
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Druid Hills Road Northeast
Toward North Druid Hills Road
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn slight right onto GA 141
427 ft
·
12 sec
·
Peachtree Road Northeast
18
Turn right
139 ft
·
12 sec
19
Turn right
63 ft
·
9 sec
20
Turn left
347 ft
·
25 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from McDonough, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard
Turn left onto GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
7
34.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward GA 13 North: Buford Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 86
Toward GA 13 North: Buford Highway
7
38.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
North Druid Hills Road Northeast
Keep slight right at fork onto North Druid Hills Road Northeast toward North Druid Hills Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward North Druid Hills Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.22 one way
$12.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.81 | $13.61 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.37 | $14.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.79 | $17.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.48 | $1.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.57 | $2.55 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Brookhaven, GA
Late night in Brookhaven on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
55m 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?
Expect a very turn-heavy local drive for this 39.8-mile trip, with 0% highway share. The route relies on local roads like Keys Ferry Street, Macon Street, and John Frank Ward Boulevard. There isn't a longest uninterrupted stretch to consider, as you'll be navigating through neighborhoods and town centers for the entire duration. The road's personality remains consistent, focusing on local navigation rather than open highway cruising.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.8 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Jonesboro Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 39.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 McDonough, GA to Brookhaven, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.
Birmingham
10.3 mi in
|
~15m
|
via I 75
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 39.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.8 miles on I 75. 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 Brookhaven, 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 (GA 20; GA 81 / Keys Ferry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (GA 20; GA 81 / John Frank Ward Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Brookhaven, 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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