Tupelo, MS to Waveland, MS is 310.5 miles and takes about 6h 9m via I 59 and US Highway 45 Alternate, with a fuel budget near $46 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Southeast region of Mississippi to the Southeast region of Mississippi, largely on highways. With a recommended one-day drive, it's a straightforward path that should be manageable for most drivers looking for a direct connection between these two Mississippi points. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to cover this distance without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
155.3 miles from Tupelo, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 59
121.1 mi
2h 10m
US Highway 45 Aiternate
60.6 mi
1h 9m
US Highway 45 Alternate
54.7 mi
1h 6m
MS 603
25 mi
37m
South Main Street
15.7 mi
23m
Martin Luther King Drive
8.7 mi
10m
I 20
8.1 mi
9m
US 45 ALT
7.2 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
I 59
— 121.1 mi, about 2h 10m
Traffic on I-59
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~906 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,135
Quietest
1 AM
~87 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tupelo, MS and Waveland, MS.
1
Start on North Spring Street
68 ft·5 sec·North Spring Street
2
Turn right onto Court Street
317 ft·16 sec·Court Street
3
Turn right onto North Front Street
287 ft·15 sec·North Front Street
4
Turn left onto East Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·East Main Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
6
Merge onto US 45; MS 6
1.0 mi·1 min·Martin Luther King Drive
7
Continue on US 45; MS 6
2.3 mi·2 min·Martin Luther King, Junior Drive
8
Continue on US 45; US 278
7.7 mi·8 min·Martin Luther King Drive
9
Continue on US 45 ALT
1.4 mi·1 min·US 45 ALT
10
Continue on US 45 ALT
2.2 mi·2 min·US 45 ALT
11
Continue on US 45 ALT
1.5 mi·1 min·US 45 ALT
12
Continue on US 45 ALT
0.7 mi·49 sec·US 45 ALT
13
Continue on US 45 ALT
1.4 mi·1 min·US 45 ALT
14
Continue on US 45 ALT
55 mi·1 hr 6 min·US Highway 45 Alternate
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 45
61 mi·1 hr 9 min·US Highway 45 Aiternate
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 45
3.9 mi·4 min·US 45
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 59 South, I 20 West: Meridian
18
Merge onto I 20; I 59
6.3 mi·7 min·I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 20; I 59; US 80
1.8 mi·2 min·I 20; I 59; US 80
Use the straight lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 59
121 mi·2 hr 10 min·I 59
Toward I 59 South: Laurel, New OrleansUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward MS 53: Poplarville, Necaise
22
Turn left onto MS 53
16 mi·23 min·South Main Street
23
Continue on MS 603
25 mi·37 min·MS 603
24
Continue on Nicholson Avenue
0.2 mi·34 sec·Nicholson Avenue
25
Turn right onto McLaurin Street
0.5 mi·1 min·McLaurin Street
26
Turn right onto Saint Anthony Street
82 ft·8 sec·Saint Anthony Street
27
Turn left onto Saint Joseph Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Saint Joseph Street
28
Turn left onto Coleman Avenue
0.1 mi·15 sec·Coleman Avenue
29
Turn right onto Central Avenue
397 ft·10 sec·Central Avenue
30
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 9m duration, leaving Tupelo in the morning will allow you to reach Waveland with plenty of daylight remaining. Plan for one stop, as the data suggests this is sufficient for a single-day trip of this length. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, particularly during the 121.1-mile stretch on I 59, as services might be spaced out. The fuel cost estimate of $46 is helpful for budgeting. Since this is a one-day drive, you have flexibility in your departure time.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 155.3 miles from Tupelo, MS, or about 3h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 121.1 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 68 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 155.3 miles or 3h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waveland, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tupelo, MS 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 Tupelo, MS
This is one driving day of about 310.5 miles and 6h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Tupelo, MS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 59 for about 121.1 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 147 — 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|Court Street
Turn right onto Court Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
138.4 mi into trip|~2h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 59 South, I 20 West: Meridian
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 59 South, I 20 West: Meridian
5
138.9 mi into trip|~2h 44m in|I 20; I 59
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
147 mi into trip|~2h 54m in|I 59
Keep slight left at fork onto I 59 toward I 59 South: Laurel, New Orleans
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 59 South: Laurel, New Orleans
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.34 one way
$96.67 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg109 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$53.29
$106.57
premium
$4.71
$57.59
$115.18
diesel
$6.18
$75.53
$151.07
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
93.2
1
$32.60
$14.90
Efficient EV
77.6
0
$27.17
$12.42
EV Truck/SUV
124.2
1
$43.47
$19.87
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Tupelo, MS
Late night
in Tupelo on Tuesday
Local time
2:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Waveland, MS
Late night
in Waveland on Tuesday
Local time
2:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
NE 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
77°F
Waynesboro, MS
155 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
27 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
6h 9m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Tupelo National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In July, 1864, federal forces, including men from the United States Colored Troops, marched into Tupelo, Mississippi. Disorganized Confederate soldiers fought fiercely but could not overpower the fede...
The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is five sections of hiking trail running roughly parallel to the 444-mile long Natchez Trace Parkway scenic motor road. The foot trails total more than 60 miles...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily highway, with 90% of the 310.5 miles on interstates and major roadways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 121.1 miles on I 59, indicating long stretches of consistent cruising. Expect a dense network of exits for a significant portion of the trip, especially on the interstate segments. The transition to surface roads will occur later in the drive, offering a change of pace.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 121.1 mi on I 59.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 59 and US Highway 45 Aiternate. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Court Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 310.5 miles you will encounter 15 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 (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 138.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
472 ft17 ft
Total Climb
381 ft
Total Descent
642 ft
Highest Point
472 ft
~177.4 mi in
Elevation Range
455 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tupelo, MS and Waveland, MS, road signs point toward New Orleans and Necaise.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 9m. Total distance: 310.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 9m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 121.1 miles on I 59. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Waveland, MS 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 10 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 138.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Tupelo National Battlefield and Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.2 hours each way, a round trip means 12.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Waveland, MS before the return drive.
