Origin
Portland, OR
Late night in Portland on Sunday
Local time
3:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portland, OR to McMinnville, OR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
39.6 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McMinnville, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 39.6-mile drive from Portland, OR to McMinnville, OR takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Primarily following Southwest Pacific Highway, I-5, and Pacific Highway West, this route offers a straightforward journey within the Pacific Coast region. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $8, it's an economical option for a short excursion. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a more local and less highway-centric experience. Since it’s a relatively short distance with no suggested overnight stops, you'll have plenty of flexibility to explore.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Pacific Highway | 12.1 mi | 21m |
| I 5 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Pacific Highway West | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Newberg-Dundee Bypass | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Southeast Dayton Bypass | 4 mi | 5m |
| Southeast Three Mile Lane | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Stadium Freeway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Springbrook Road | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Southwest Pacific Highway
— 12.1 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portland, OR and McMinnville, OR.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Northwest Couch Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Couch Street
3
Turn left onto Northwest 13th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest 13th Avenue
4
Turn right onto Southwest Taylor Street
29 ft
·
1 sec
·
Southwest Taylor Street
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 405
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Stadium Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 5
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 294
Toward OR 99W South: Tigard, Newberg, McMinnville, Lincoln City
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on OR 99W
12 mi
·
21 min
·
Southwest Pacific Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on OR 99W
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pacific Highway West
11
Continue on OR 99W
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Portland Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto North Springbrook Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Springbrook Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto OR 219
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Northeast Saint Paul Highway
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto OR 18
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Newberg-Dundee Bypass
15
Take the exit onto OR 18
425 ft
·
13 sec
·
OR 18
16
Merge onto OR 99W; OR 18
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway West
17
Turn left onto OR 18; OR 233
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast Dayton Bypass
18
Continue on OR 18
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Three Mile Lane
19
Take the exit onto OR 18SP
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
OR 18SP
20
Continue on Southeast Three Mile Lane
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
Southeast Three Mile Lane
21
Continue on Northeast 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Northeast 3rd Street
22
Turn left onto OR 157
259 ft
·
7 sec
·
Northeast Johnson Street
23
Turn right onto Northeast 2nd Street
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Northeast 2nd Street
24
Turn right onto OR 99W
260 ft
·
10 sec
·
Northeast Baker Street
25
Turn left onto Northeast 3rd Street
193 ft
·
8 sec
·
Northeast 3rd Street
26
Arrive at destination
Northeast 3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Portland, OR, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 8.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Southwest Taylor Street
Turn right onto Southwest Taylor Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 405 South
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 405 / Stadium Freeway
Merge onto I 405 / Stadium Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward OR 99W South: Tigard, Newberg, McMinnville, Lincoln City
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 294
Toward OR 99W South: Tigard, Newberg, McMinnvil...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.89 one way
$15.78 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.35 | $16.70 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.72 | $17.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.74 | $17.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
McMinnville, OR
Late night in McMinnville on Sunday
Local time
3:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
King City, OR
20 mi in
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
1h 5m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 39.6-mile trip. While 18% of the route utilizes highways, the majority involves navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.1 miles on Southwest Pacific Highway. This suggests a driving experience that is more about engaging with the local road network rather than cruising on a high-speed interstate. The character of the drive will likely shift as you transition between these different road types, requiring your attention to be on changing speed limits and turns.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.1 mi on Southwest Pacific Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Southwest Taylor Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.6 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.7 miles (Southwest Taylor Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 405 / Stadium Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Portland, OR and McMinnville, OR, road signs point toward Newberg and Lincoln City.
Newberg
8.3 mi in
|
~14m
Lincoln City
8.3 mi in
|
~14m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 39.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.1 miles on Southwest Pacific Highway. 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 McMinnville, OR 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 0.7 miles (Southwest Taylor Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 405 / Stadium Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McMinnville, OR 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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