Origin
Tuscaloosa, AL
Morning in Tuscaloosa on Sunday
Local time
7:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tuscaloosa, AL to Vestavia Hills, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
57.1 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tuscaloosa, AL
Kelly
Vestavia Hills, AL
Kelly
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Tuscaloosa to Vestavia Hills, you are looking at a straightforward 58.3-mile journey that typically takes about 57 minutes to complete. This route sits entirely within the Southeast region of Alabama, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $8, the trip is highly economical for travelers moving between these two locations. You will navigate a mix of University Boulevard, Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard South, and I-459 North to reach your destination. Because the total travel time is under an hour, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics. It serves as a practical, efficient connection for anyone needing to bridge the gap between these two Alabama cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 34.2 mi | 36m |
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 13 mi | 13m |
| Montgomery Highway | 5 mi | 8m |
| I 359 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| University Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Tyson Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Tremont Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 34.2 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tuscaloosa, AL and Vestavia Hills, AL.
1
Start on this road
132 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto University Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
University Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto US 43; AL 69
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
I 359; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 359; US 11; AL 69
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 359; US 11; AL 69
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto I 20; I 59
34 mi
·
36 min
·
I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 106
Toward I 459 North: Gadsden, Atlanta
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on I 459
13 mi
·
13 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13
Toward US 31: Hoover, Pelham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto US 31
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Montgomery Highway
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Tyson Drive
307 ft
·
17 sec
·
Tyson Drive
14
Turn right onto Tremont Drive
187 ft
·
11 sec
·
Tremont Drive
15
Turn left
142 ft
·
10 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Tuscaloosa, AL, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 51.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
University Boulevard
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 43; AL 69 / Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South
Turn left onto US 43; AL 69 / Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
37.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward I 459 North: Gadsden, Atlanta
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 106
Toward I 459 North: Gadsden, Atlanta
8
51.4 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward US 31: Hoover, Pelham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward US 31: Hoover, Pelham
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.62 one way
$17.25 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.47 | $18.93 |
| premium | $4.56 | $10.25 | $20.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.61 | $25.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $6.00 | $2.74 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.99 | $3.65 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Vestavia Hills, AL
Morning in Vestavia Hills on Sunday
Local time
7:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Woodstock, AL
29 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
2 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 8m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate haul on this 58.3-mile stretch. While you will eventually jump onto I-459 North, the route maintains a 0% highway share, emphasizing the local roads that define the journey's personality. You won't find long, uninterrupted high-speed stretches here; in fact, the longest stretch on University Boulevard is 0 miles, confirming that you will be navigating frequent turns throughout the drive. This transition from local streets to the interstate requires your full attention behind the wheel. The experience is best described as a practical, functional transit that requires you to stay alert through the various intersections and turns rather than settling into a cruise-control rhythm.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.2 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near University Boulevard.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.1 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 (University Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (US 43; AL 69 / Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Tuscaloosa, AL and Vestavia Hills, AL, road signs point toward Atlanta and Pelham.
Atlanta
37.8 mi in
|
~42m
Pelham
51.4 mi in
|
~57m
About the Cities
Starting in Tuscaloosa, AL
Full guide →Tuscaloosa is a city of over 100,000 people (2020) in Metropolitan Alabama and home of the University of Alabama.
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 1h 8m. Total distance: 57.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.2 miles on I 20. 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 Vestavia Hills, AL 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: near the start (University Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (US 43; AL 69 / Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights 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 Vestavia Hills, AL 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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