Origin
Nelson, OH
Afternoon in Nelson on Tuesday
Local time
4:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nelson, OH to Akron, OH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
36.1 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nelson, OH
Jean Carlo Duque
Trip Overview
Nelson, OH to Akron, OH is 36.1 miles and takes about 52 minutes via I 76 and State Route 88, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, single-day trip primarily within the Midwest region of Ohio. The drive is mostly highway-focused, making it an efficient way to travel between these two points. Given its short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or extensive planning. It's a practical option for moving between these locations without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 76 | 14.4 mi | 16m |
| State Route 88 | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| South Street | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| SR 5 | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Cleveland East Liverpool Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Center Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Center Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| East Mill Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 76
— 14.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nelson, OH and Akron, OH.
1
Start on SR 305
171 ft
·
3 sec
·
Nelson Town Square
2
Continue on Parkman Road
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Parkman Road
3
Turn slight right onto Center Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Center Road
4
Continue on Center Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Center Street
5
Turn slight right onto Freedom Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Freedom Street
6
Turn left onto SR 88
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
South Street
7
Keep slight left at fork onto State Route 88
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
State Route 88
8
Turn left onto SR 14; SR 44
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cleveland East Liverpool Road
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
10
Merge onto SR 5; SR 44
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
SR 5; SR 44
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 76 West
12
Merge onto I 76
14 mi
·
16 min
·
I 76
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 23B
Toward SR 8 North: Cuyahoga Falls
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto SR 8
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Akron Expressway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 1A
Toward Carroll Street, Buchtel Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto Fountain Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Fountain Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
17
Continue on Fountain Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Fountain Street
18
Turn left onto SR 18
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Market Street
19
Turn left onto South Forge Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
South Forge Street
20
Continue on East Mill Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mill Street
21
Enter roundabout onto South Main Street
162 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Main Street
22
Continue on South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
South Main Street
23
Turn right onto West Bowery Street
72 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Bowery Street
24
Arrive at destination
West Bowery Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Nelson, OH, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 7.6 and 36 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
7.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
State Route 88
Keep slight left at fork onto State Route 88
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
19 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward I 76 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 76 West
7
33.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward SR 8 North: Cuyahoga Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 23B
Toward SR 8 North: Cuyahoga Falls
8
34.5 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward Carroll Street, Buchtel Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1A
Toward Carroll Street, Buchtel Avenue
5
36 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
South Main Street
Enter roundabout onto South Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.37 one way
$10.74 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.23 | $6.02 | $12.04 |
| premium | $4.78 | $6.79 | $13.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.97 | $15.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Akron, OH
Afternoon in Akron on Tuesday
Local time
4:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Partly Cloudy
S 12 mph
6% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:34PM EDT until April 22 at 6:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:34PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
52m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route leans heavily into highway driving, with 67% of the journey on major roads like I 76. You'll experience a fairly consistent pace for much of the trip, including a continuous stretch of 14.4 miles on I 76. While the majority of the drive is on faster routes, you'll also navigate sections of State Route 88 and South Street, which will introduce some local road driving. Expect a functional, efficient drive rather than a winding, scenic tour. The character is largely dictated by the interstate, offering a direct connection.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.4 mi on I 76.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 76 and State Route 88. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.6 miles in near State Route 88.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 36.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.6 miles (State Route 88): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 19 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 33.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Akron, OH
Full guide →Akron is a city of almost 200,000 people (2019) in the Northeast Ohio region in Summit County. Akron is proud of its heritage as a center of industry, and now offers visitors a wide range of recreational and cultural attractions, food experiences, and shopping.
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 52m. Total distance: 36.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.4 miles on I 76. 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 Akron, OH 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: at 7.6 miles (State Route 88): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 19 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 33.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cuyahoga Valley National 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 Akron, OH 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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