Morgantown, MS to West Gulfport, MS is 208.3 miles and takes about 3h 51m via West Florida Republic Parkway and I-55, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Mississippi, connecting two points in the Southeast region. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making for a relatively straightforward drive. With a recommended one-day duration and a low fuel cost, this route is a practical option for getting between these two locations.
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
104.1 miles from Morgantown, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
West Florida Republic Parkway
48.2 mi
51m
I 55
43.2 mi
46m
US 98
43.2 mi
48m
Stephen E Ambrose Memorial Parkway
39.3 mi
42m
US 84
28.3 mi
32m
US 61
2.6 mi
2m
US 49
1.7 mi
2m
Morgantown Road
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
West Florida Republic Parkway
— 48.2 mi, about 51m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,390 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,963
Quietest
2 AM
~199 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Morgantown, MS and West Gulfport, MS.
1
Start on Morgantown Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Morgantown Road
2
Continue on Morgantown Road
174 ft·4 sec·Morgantown Road
3
Turn left onto US 61; US 84
2.6 mi·2 min·US 61; US 84
4
Take the exit onto US 84
28 mi·32 min·US 84
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
6
Keep slight left at fork
167 ft·4 sec
7
Turn right onto US 98; MS 184
0.6 mi·43 sec·US 98; MS 184
8
Turn right onto US 98
29 mi·32 min·US 98
9
Take the exit onto US 98
14 mi·14 min·US 98
10
Continue on I 55
43 mi·46 min·I 55
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 29AToward I 12 East: Slidell
12
Merge onto I 12
47 mi·50 min·West Florida Republic Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 12
0.7 mi·43 sec·West Florida Republic Parkway
Exit 85CToward I 10: Bay Saint Louis
14
Merge onto I 10
39 mi·42 min·Stephen E Ambrose Memorial Parkway
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 49 South: Gulfport, Airport
16
Turn straight onto US 49
1.7 mi·2 min·US 49
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
424 ft·14 sec·Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
18
Turn right onto Arkansas Avenue
31 ft·0 sec·Arkansas Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Arkansas Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 51m drive time, you can comfortably complete this trip in a single day. Aim for an early morning departure from Morgantown to maximize daylight and avoid any potential afternoon traffic. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel level, as the $30 budget is an estimate and prices can fluctuate. The final leg into West Gulfport will involve navigating more local roads, so stay alert for changing speed limits and traffic patterns.
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 104.1 miles from Morgantown, MS, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 48.2 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 46 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.1 miles or 1h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Gulfport, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Morgantown, MS 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 Morgantown, MS
This is one driving day of about 208.3 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Morgantown, MS.
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 West Florida Republic Parkway for about 48.2 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 32 and 208.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
32 mi into trip|~38m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
118.3 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Take the exit toward I 12 East: Slidell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 29A
Toward I 12 East: Slidell
5
118.5 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway
Merge onto I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
205.9 mi into trip|~3h 47m in
Take the exit toward US 49 South: Gulfport, Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 49 South: Gulfport, Airport
5
208.3 mi into trip|~3h 51m in|Arkansas Avenue
Turn right onto Arkansas Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.92 one way
$57.83 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$32.35
$64.70
premium
$4.29
$35.17
$70.35
diesel
$4.80
$39.33
$78.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.5
0
$21.87
$10.00
Efficient EV
52.1
0
$18.23
$8.33
EV Truck/SUV
83.3
1
$29.16
$13.33
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Morgantown, MS
Morning
in Morgantown on Sunday
Local time
6:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:23PM CDT until July 19 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
West Gulfport, MS
Morning
in West Gulfport on Sunday
Local time
6:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 0 to 5 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:23PM CDT until July 19 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
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
2 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
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Natchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Discover the history of all the peoples of Natchez, Mississippi, from European settlement, African enslavement, the American cotton economy, to the Civil Rights struggle on the lower Mississippi River...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 99% of the trip on major roads. You'll encounter a stretch of 48.2 miles on the West Florida Republic Parkway before transitioning to I-55. Expect a high volume of exits and merges as you travel, characteristic of such a highway-focused path. The drive concludes with surface roads as you approach West Gulfport.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.2 mi on West Florida Republic Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on West Florida Republic Parkway and I 55. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 32 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 208.3 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 32 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 118.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 118.5 miles (I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
470 ft9 ft
Total Climb
503 ft
Total Descent
668 ft
Highest Point
470 ft
~44.6 mi in
Elevation Range
461 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 51m. Total distance: 208.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48.2 miles on West Florida Republic Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 32 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 118.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 118.5 miles (I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Natchez National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
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 West Gulfport, MS, but most travelers stay overnight.
