Origin
Sun Lakes, AZ
Late night in Sun Lakes on Tuesday
Local time
2:02 AM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun Lakes, AZ to Avondale, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
39.7 mi
64 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun Lakes, AZ
Kris Møklebust
Avondale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This straightforward 39.7-mile drive from Sun Lakes, AZ to Avondale, AZ, is easily manageable in about 53 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate via the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, with a significant portion on these main arteries. Given the short duration and modest 49% highway share, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay. Expect a fuel cost of around $8 for this journey. Both your origin and destination are within the Desert Southwest region, so you'll experience consistent arid landscapes throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| West Buckeye Road | 8.9 mi | 13m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| East Riggs Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Dobson Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Foster Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Glenburn Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
— 19.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun Lakes, AZ and Avondale, AZ.
1
Start on East Bud Court
144 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Bud Court
2
Turn left onto South Glenburn Drive
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Glenburn Drive
3
Turn left onto East Foster Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Foster Avenue
4
Turn left onto East Palomino Place
182 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Palomino Place
5
Turn right onto South Dobson Road
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Dobson Road
6
Turn left onto East Riggs Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Riggs Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 10
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on South 59th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
South 59th Avenue
14
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
West Buckeye Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Turn slight right
363 ft
·
13 sec
Toward South Dysart Road
16
Turn straight onto South Dysart Road
300 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Dysart Road
17
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right
27 ft
·
1 sec
20
Arrive at destination
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 39.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Sun Lakes, AZ, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 29.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
East Riggs Road
Turn left onto East Riggs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
9.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
7
29.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.91 one way
$15.82 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.74 | $17.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.77 | $17.53 |
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 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.56 | $2.54 |
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
Avondale, AZ
Late night in Avondale on Tuesday
Local time
2:02 AM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
53m 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?
This route offers a mixed drive experience, balancing efficient freeway travel with stretches on local roads. Nearly half of your journey, 49%, will be on highways, allowing for quicker progress. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 19.6 miles along the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway. As you transition between the freeway and roads like West Buckeye Road, you'll notice changes in speed and the surrounding environment, moving from faster-paced travel to more community-focused areas.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.6 mi on Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.6 miles in near East Riggs Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 39.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Sun Lakes, AZ
Full guide →Arriving in Avondale, AZ
Full guide →Avondale is a city in the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 39.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). 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 19.6 miles on Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway. 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 Avondale, AZ 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 0.6 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. 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 Avondale, AZ 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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