Connecting Paris to Hendersonville, this 115-mile trek takes you across Tennessee in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. It is a straightforward journey that fits perfectly into a single day, making it an ideal choice for a quick getaway or a necessary commute. You can expect to spend roughly $17 on fuel, depending on your vehicle's efficiency. Because the entire route stays within the Southeast, you will notice a consistent regional character as you transition between these two Tennessee locales. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, the simple logistics allow you to plan your day without needing an overnight stay. It is a manageable drive that provides a reliable connection between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.5 miles from Paris, TN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 24
29.3 mi
31m
Main Street
28.1 mi
34m
Austin Peay Memorial Highway
25.1 mi
28m
Ashland City Road
5.6 mi
6m
West Wood Street
3.9 mi
5m
Old Hickory Boulevard
3.9 mi
6m
TN 76
3.1 mi
3m
I 65
3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 24
— 29.3 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paris, TN and Hendersonville, TN.
1
Start on SR 54; SR 69
3.9 mi·5 min·West Wood Street
2
Continue on US 79
25 mi·27 min·Austin Peay Memorial Highway
3
Continue on US 79
0.2 mi·11 sec·Fort Donelson Parkway
4
Continue on US 79
0.6 mi·37 sec·Austin Peay Memorial Highway
5
Continue on US 79
0.5 mi·36 sec·Lake Highway
6
Continue on US 79
1.7 mi·1 min·Donelson Parkway
7
Continue on US 79
28 mi·34 min·Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto US 41A; US 79
0.1 mi·13 sec·Fort Campbell Boulevard
9
Continue on US 41A; US 79
1.6 mi·2 min·Providence Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 41A; US 79
340 ft·7 sec·North 2nd Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 41A Bypass
2.4 mi·4 min·North Riverside Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on US 41A Bypass
5.6 mi·6 min·Ashland City Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on TN 76
3.1 mi·3 min·TN 76
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
15
Merge onto I 24
29 mi·31 min·I 24
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 40Toward TN 45: Old Hickory BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto TN 45
3.9 mi·6 min·Old Hickory Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 65 North: LouisvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 65
2.8 mi·3 min·I 65
20
Continue on I 65
0.2 mi·14 sec·I 65
21
Keep slight right at fork onto TN 386
2.4 mi·2 min·Vietnam Veterans Boulevard
Exit 95Toward SR 386: Hendersonville, GallatinUse the slight right lane.
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 2Toward Center Point Road, HendersonvilleUse the slight right lane.
23
Keep slight right at fork
163 ft·6 sec
Toward Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center, HendersonvilleUse the slight right lane.
24
Turn right onto Center Point Road
0.2 mi·38 sec·Center Point Road
25
Turn left onto US 31E
2.7 mi·4 min·West Main Street
Use the left lane.
26
Turn right onto Walton Ferry Road
53 ft·1 sec·Walton Ferry Road
27
Arrive at destination
Walton Ferry Road
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 115-mile trip, you have plenty of flexibility when it comes to your departure time. You can easily complete the journey in one go, as there are no mandatory stops required to finish the route within the 2 hour and 20-minute timeframe. If you want to avoid the heaviest traffic, try to time your departure to miss peak commuting hours on the highway portions of the drive. Keep in mind that while the route is efficient, fueling up near your origin in Paris will help you stay within your $17 budget. A helpful tip for this specific drive is to keep your navigation apps handy when switching from the Austin Peay Memorial Highway to I-24 to ensure you stay on the most direct path.
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 57.5 miles from Paris, TN, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.3 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.5 miles or 1h 9m 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 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hendersonville, TN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Paris, TN 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 Paris, TN
This is one driving day of about 115 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Paris, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 24 for about 29.3 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 102 and 112.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
102 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Take the exit toward TN 45: Old Hickory Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 40
Toward TN 45: Old Hickory Boulevard
5
106.2 mi into trip|~2h 8m in
Take the ramp toward I 65 North: Louisville
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 65 North: Louisville
9
109.4 mi into trip|~2h 12m in|TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard toward SR 386: Hendersonville, Gallatin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 95
Toward SR 386: Hendersonville, Gallatin
8
111.8 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Take the exit toward Center Point Road, Hendersonville
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 2
Toward Center Point Road, Hendersonville
9
112.1 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center, Hendersonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center, Hend...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.98 one way
$35.96 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.74
$39.48
premium
$4.89
$22.13
$44.26
diesel
$5.61
$25.39
$50.78
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.5
0
$12.08
$5.52
Efficient EV
28.8
0
$10.06
$4.60
EV Truck/SUV
46
0
$16.10
$7.36
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Paris, TN
Late night
in Paris on Sunday
Local time
2:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 5 to 10 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Hendersonville, TN
Late night
in Hendersonville on Sunday
Local time
2:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
34 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
2h 20m 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.
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant was becoming quite famous as he wrote these words following the surrender of Confederate Fort Donelson on Sunday, February 16, 1862. The Union victory at Fort Donels...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip offers a mixed driving profile, balancing local roads with interstate travel. You will spend about 32% of your time on highways, navigating a combination of Main Street and the Austin Peay Memorial Highway before transitioning to I-24. Do not expect a monotonous interstate grind; the longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 29.3-mile segment on I-24. The transition from local thoroughfares to the faster pace of the interstate creates a dynamic flow that keeps the drive engaging. Expect a shifting environment as you move from the quieter, smaller-town stretches onto the more heavily trafficked highway sections.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.3 mi on I 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 102 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 115 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 102 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 109.4 miles (TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Hendersonville is a city in Sumner County of the American state of Tennessee. It is a well-known suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, and has been the home of many country music stars, including Conway Twitty, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 20m. Total distance: 115 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.3 miles on I 24. 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 Hendersonville, TN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 102 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 109.4 miles (TN 386 / Vietnam Veterans Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Fort Donelson National Battlefield. 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 Hendersonville, TN before heading back.
