Opp to Tuscaloosa is 204 miles and takes about 4h 12m via US 82 and I-65, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Alabama, connecting the Southeast region of Opp to the Southeast region of Tuscaloosa. With 85% highway driving, expect a fairly direct trip with minimal detours. This route is well-suited for a single day of travel, offering a straightforward path for those looking to cover ground efficiently. Consider this a practical option for moving between these two Alabama locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
102 miles from Opp, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 82
86.7 mi
1h 51m
I 65
53.7 mi
57m
AL 55
17.9 mi
20m
US 84
12.7 mi
15m
Mobile Road
9.3 mi
11m
South Boulevard
4.7 mi
7m
River Falls Street
3.8 mi
5m
Birmingham Highway
3.7 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 82
— 86.7 mi, about 1h 51m
Traffic on I-359
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,412 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~125 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Opp, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
1
Start on West Hart Avenue
80 ft·8 sec·West Hart Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.1 mi·10 sec·South Main Street
3
Turn right onto West Cummings Avenue
3.0 mi·4 min·West Cummings Avenue
4
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·31 sec·this road
5
Turn right onto US 84
13 mi·15 min·US 84
6
Take the exit onto US 84
217 ft·5 sec·US 84
7
Turn slight right onto US 84; AL 55
3.8 mi·5 min·River Falls Street
8
Turn right onto AL 55
18 mi·20 min·AL 55
9
Continue on US 31; AL 55
9.3 mi·11 min·Mobile Road
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 65
54 mi·57 min·I 65
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 168Toward US 80, US 82
13
Turn left onto US 80; US 82; AL 21
4.7 mi·7 min·South Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 31
3.7 mi·5 min·Birmingham Highway
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 31
2.0 mi·2 min·Memorial Drive
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto US 82; AL 14
513 ft·7 sec·US 82; AL 14
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on US 82; AL 14
87 mi·1 hr 51 min·US 82; AL 14
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Take the exit
308 ft·10 sec
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on Old Montgomery Highway
1.8 mi·2 min·Old Montgomery Highway
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Turn left onto US 11
0.3 mi·41 sec·Skyland Boulevard East
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto US 11; AL 69
2.4 mi·2 min·US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.4 mi·33 sec·I 359; AL 69
23
Continue on US 43; AL 69
0.5 mi·1 min·Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North
Use the straight / left lanes.
24
Turn right onto University Boulevard
284 ft·10 sec·University Boulevard
Use the right lane.
25
Turn left
168 ft·12 sec
Use the left lane.
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour drive, leaving in the morning will give you plenty of time to reach Tuscaloosa with daylight to spare. The single recommended stop suggests you can easily complete this trip in one day without needing to break it up. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $30, and plan your refueling stops accordingly, especially before heading into longer stretches like the 86.7 miles on US 82. Since this is a manageable drive, you have flexibility in your timing and can adjust your departure based on your schedule.
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 102 miles from Opp, AL, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.7 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 45 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tuscaloosa, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Opp, AL 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 Opp, AL
This is one driving day of about 204 miles and 4h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Opp, AL.
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 US 82 for about 86.7 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 47.2 and 204 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
47.2 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
101.2 mi into trip|~1h 57m in
Take the exit toward US 80, US 82
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 168
Toward US 80, US 82
6
101.4 mi into trip|~1h 57m in|US 80; US 82; AL 21 / South Boulevard
Turn left onto US 80; US 82; AL 21 / South Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
203.9 mi into trip|~4h 12m in|University Boulevard
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
204 mi into trip|~4h 12m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.32 one way
$56.64 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$31.68
$63.37
premium
$4.29
$34.45
$68.89
diesel
$4.80
$38.52
$77.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.2
0
$21.42
$9.79
Efficient EV
51
0
$17.85
$8.16
EV Truck/SUV
81.6
1
$28.56
$13.06
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Opp, AL
Morning
in Opp on Sunday
Local time
6:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tuscaloosa, AL
Morning
in Tuscaloosa on Sunday
Local time
6:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Clear
0 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 8:56PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 8:39PM CDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
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
15 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
4h 12m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 85% of this 204-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch of highway is 86.7 miles on US 82, offering a good opportunity for consistent cruising. The remaining miles will transition to surface roads, likely involving more local traffic and potentially more intersections as you approach your destination. The profile is mostly highway, so anticipate a good amount of straight-line driving and fewer sharp turns.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.7 mi on US 82.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 82 and I 65. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 47.2 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 204 miles you will encounter 15 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 47.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 101.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 101.4 miles (US 80; US 82; AL 21 / South Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 12m. Total distance: 204 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.7 miles on US 82. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 47.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 101.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 101.4 miles (US 80; US 82; AL 21 / South Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Tuscaloosa, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
