If you are planning a trip from Pine City to Lakeville, you are looking at a 90.3-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 26 minutes behind the wheel. This drive is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $13 on fuel for the trip, making it a budget-friendly option for your schedule. You will be traveling entirely within the Midwest, specifically navigating through Minnesota. Because this route relies on local roads rather than interstates, it offers a distinct change of pace from standard highway travel. It is a straightforward trip that provides the flexibility to arrive, spend time at your destination, and return home all in one go.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.3 miles from Pine City, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35W
44.3 mi
53m
I 35
41.9 mi
44m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
2.2 mi
3m
Kenwood Trail
1.3 mi
2m
Hillside Avenue Southwest
0.7 mi
1m
Main Street South
0.5 mi
<1m
202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.5 mi
<1m
Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 44.3 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Lakeville, MN.
1
Start on Railroad Street Southeast
212 ft·14 sec·Railroad Street Southeast
2
Turn left onto CR 8
414 ft·18 sec·3rd Avenue Southeast
3
Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 61
0.5 mi·58 sec·Main Street South
4
Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 7
0.7 mi·1 min·Hillside Avenue Southwest
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
6
Merge onto I 35
42 mi·44 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
44 mi·53 min·I 35W
Toward I 35W: MinneapolisUse the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 85Toward CR 5, CR 50Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto CR 5
1.3 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
127 ft·2 sec·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
11
Continue on CR 5
2.2 mi·3 min·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
12
Continue on CR 5
0.1 mi·16 sec·Kenwood Trai/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
13
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi·48 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto Holyoke Avenue
12 ft·0 sec·Holyoke Avenue
15
Continue on Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Holyoke Avenue
16
Turn left onto 207th Street West
22 ft·0 sec·207th Street West
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
207th Street West
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though avoiding peak traffic hours on local roads is always a smart move. Because the entire route covers 90.3 miles without any designated stops, make sure to fuel up before you leave Pine City to keep your $13 estimated budget on track. There is no need to over-plan your pacing, as the total duration is quite manageable for most drivers. A concrete tip for this specific drive is to keep your navigation tools handy, as the reliance on local streets like Hillside Avenue Southwest means you will have more turns to navigate than a typical interstate route. Keep a steady focus on your surroundings, as the lack of highway stretches means you will be moving through local corridors for the duration of the journey.
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 46.3 miles from Pine City, MN, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.3 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 20 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.3 miles or 51m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakeville, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pine City, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Pine City, MN
This is one driving day of about 92.5 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Pine City, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35W for about 44.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 92.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
6
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
7
43.5 mi into trip|~48m in|I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Minneapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 35W: Minneapolis
8
87.8 mi into trip|~1h 41m in
Take the exit toward CR 5, CR 50
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 85
Toward CR 5, CR 50
6
92.5 mi into trip|~1h 50m in|207th Street West
Turn left onto 207th Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.77 one way
$27.53 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$14.83
$29.67
premium
$4.53
$16.50
$33.01
diesel
$5.61
$20.42
$40.85
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: 32.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.8
0
$9.71
$4.44
Efficient EV
23.1
0
$8.09
$3.70
EV Truck/SUV
37
0
$12.95
$5.92
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 16, 2026
Origin
Pine City, MN
Morning
in Pine City on Sunday
Local time
6:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lakeville, MN
Morning
in Lakeville on Sunday
Local time
6:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Roseville, MN
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
21 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
1h 50m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Forget the monotony of the interstate; this route is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention. With a 0% highway share, you will spend the entire 1 hour and 26 minutes navigating surface streets. Your path is defined by a sequence of roads including 3rd Avenue Southeast, Main Street South, and Hillside Avenue Southwest. Because there is no significant highway mileage, the longest uninterrupted stretch on 3rd Avenue Southeast is negligible. You should be prepared for a drive that requires constant engagement as you transition through various local intersections rather than cruising at high speeds.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.3 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 35. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast.
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 92.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.5 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Pine City, MN and Lakeville, MN, road signs point toward Cr 5 and Cr 50.
Pine City is a city in east central Minnesota with the tagline "North. Nice and close." The Pine City zip code (55063), which is a more accurate reflection of the size of the town, has a population of approximately 10,000 people and even more native pine trees. It's an easy day trip from the Twin Cities to Pine City, the largest city in, and county seat of Pine County.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 92.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.3 miles on I 35W. 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: near the start (CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.5 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lakeville, MN before heading back.
