Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
70.7 mi
114 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Tonka Bay, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Cloud to Tonka Bay is 70.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 27 minutes via I-94, I-494, and MN-7, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making for a fairly straightforward drive. Plan for a quick trip that gets you to your destination without much fuss, ideal for a single-day excursion.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 45.4 mi | 48m |
| I 494 | 11.1 mi | 13m |
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| Roosevelt Road | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Washington Memorial Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Smithtown Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Manitou Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Saint Germain Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,218 veh/hr typical · worst 4,035
Quietest
2 AM
~172 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and Tonka Bay, MN.
Start on Courthouse Square
Turn right onto 1st Street North
Turn left onto 9th Avenue North
Turn right onto West Saint Germain Street
Turn left onto Washington Memorial Drive
Turn left onto CR 75
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 94
Take the exit
Continue on I 494
Take the exit
Turn straight onto MN 7
Turn right onto CR 19
Continue on CR 19
Turn straight onto CR 19
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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.
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 35.4 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 62.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto 1st Street North
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 9th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 494 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 7 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$11.20 one way
$22.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $11.92 | $23.84 |
| premium | $4.85 | $13.49 | $26.99 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $15.58 | $31.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.42 | $3.39 |
| Efficient EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.3 | 0 | $9.90 | $4.52 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Saint Cloud on Friday
Local time
6:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Partly Sunny
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 30 at 2:58PM CDT until August 30 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Destination
Evening in Tonka Bay on Friday
Local time
6:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 30 at 2:58PM CDT until August 30 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 88% of the 70.7 miles on interstates. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 45.4 miles along I-94. You can expect a highway feel for the majority of your trip, transitioning to surface roads as you approach Tonka Bay. Keep an eye out for the dense exits and merging traffic typical of interstate travel in this region.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st Street North.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 27m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (1st Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (9th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
166 ft
Total Descent
259 ft
Highest Point
1,037 ft
Elevation Range
157 ft
Founded 1856
Saint Cloud is a city in Central Minnesota with a population of 68,000 (2018). Although it may have few attractions to draw the tourist, it is a nexus of medical advances, particularly in orthopedics (St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, for example). It is also a college town as it is home to St. Cloud State University and St Cloud Technical College. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are nearby.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 70.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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