Nicholasville, KY to Whitley City, KY is 92.3 miles and takes about 1h 47m via US 27, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day drive keeps you within Kentucky, traversing the Southeast region from start to finish. You'll primarily stick to US 27 for the entirety of your journey. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, this route is ideal for a single-day trip, offering a simple connection between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.2 miles from Nicholasville, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 27
27.5 mi
31m
US Route 27
21.4 mi
24m
Lexington Road
13.7 mi
15m
Stanford Street
8.9 mi
10m
Nicholasville Bypass
6 mi
7m
KY 914
6 mi
7m
Burnside Road
3.9 mi
4m
North Main Street
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 27
— 27.5 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nicholasville, KY and Whitley City, KY.
1
Start on US 27 Business
2.2 mi·3 min·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 27
6.0 mi·7 min·Nicholasville Bypass
3
Continue on US 27
13 mi·15 min·Lexington Road
4
Turn slight right onto US 27
0.3 mi·22 sec·Lexington Road
5
Continue on US 27; KY 39
8.9 mi·10 min·Stanford Street
6
Continue on US 27; KY 1247
27 mi·31 min·US 27; KY 1247
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward Bowling Green
8
Merge onto Cumberland Parkway
1.2 mi·1 min·Cumberland Parkway
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 86Toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
10
Continue on KY 914
6.0 mi·7 min·KY 914
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto US 27
3.9 mi·4 min·Burnside Road
12
Continue on US 27; KY 90
21 mi·24 min·US Route 27
13
Turn right onto KY 478
0.2 mi·19 sec·Williamsburg Street
14
Arrive at destination
KY 478
Trip Plan
With a drive time of under two hours, this trip offers considerable flexibility. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive at your destination well before midday, or opt for a later start. Since the longest stretch on US 27 is 27.5 miles, consider refueling before you leave Nicholasville, KY, as services might be more spaced out on certain segments. There are no designated stops in the data, so plan any breaks for food or rest as needed, keeping in mind the total duration and fuel cost of approximately $14.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 46.2 miles from Nicholasville, KY, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.5 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 20 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.2 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whitley City, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nicholasville, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Nicholasville, KY
This is one driving day of about 92.3 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Nicholasville, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 27 for about 27.5 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 58.3 and 92.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
58.3 mi into trip|~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward Bowling Green
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Bowling Green
3
58.8 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|Cumberland Parkway
Merge onto Cumberland Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
60 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 86
Toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
3
66.8 mi into trip|~1h 18m in|US 27 / Burnside Road
Turn right onto US 27 / Burnside Road
Navigation decision point
4
92.2 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|KY 478 / Williamsburg Street
Turn right onto KY 478 / Williamsburg Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.43 one way
$28.86 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$15.84
$31.69
premium
$4.89
$17.76
$35.52
diesel
$5.61
$20.38
$40.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
2 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
DON FRANKLIN CL1-PL2-SIDE
Somerset, KY
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
DON FRANKLIN CL1-PL1-CUST-PK
Somerset, KY
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Network: 2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.7
0
$9.69
$4.43
Efficient EV
23.1
0
$8.08
$3.69
EV Truck/SUV
36.9
0
$12.92
$5.91
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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
Nicholasville, KY
Morning
in Nicholasville on Sunday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Whitley City, KY
Morning
in Whitley City on Sunday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Stanford, KY
46 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
5 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 47m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops a...
The US won a significant victory early in the Civil War at the Battle of Mill Springs. Explore the rolling fields of Kentucky where the battle took place and learn about that state's strategic importa...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 60.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 61% of the journey on highway roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 27.5 miles on US 27 without interruption, providing a consistent pace. Expect a driving experience that largely mirrors the character of US Route 27, which serves as your main artery for this trip. The route offers a straightforward connection, minimizing complex navigation and allowing you to maintain a steady speed.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.5 mi on US 27.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 27 and US Route 27. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 58.3 miles in.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Whitley City, KY is easy. At 1h 47m with 61% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 58.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 58.8 miles (Cumberland Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 60 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Between Nicholasville, KY and Whitley City, KY, road signs point toward Bowling Green and Burnside.
Nicholasville is a city of 31,000 (2019) in Jessamine County in the Bluegrass Region. The city serves as both a residential area for Lexington-area commuters and as an employment and shopping center for central Kentucky.
The longest stretch is about 27.5 miles on US 27. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 58.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 58.8 miles (Cumberland Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 60 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument and Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument. 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 Whitley City, KY before heading back.
