Wesson to Meridian is 134.7 miles and takes about 2h 31m via I 55 and I 20, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Mississippi, taking you from the Southeast region towards the Southeast region. You'll primarily be on major highways, making for a straightforward trip. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is easily manageable as a single-day journey, allowing for a relaxed pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
67.4 miles from Wesson, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
86.9 mi
1h 33m
I 55
36.8 mi
39m
US 51
6.8 mi
10m
8th Street
1.4 mi
2m
US 11
1.2 mi
1m
Cooper Drive
0.5 mi
1m
Old Hwy 51 Road
0.4 mi
1m
25th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 86.9 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wesson, MS and Meridian, MS.
1
Start on Spring Street
84 ft·5 sec·Spring Street
2
Turn right onto US 51
6.8 mi·10 min·US 51
3
Turn left onto Old Hwy 51 Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Old Hwy 51 Road
4
Turn slight left onto Cooper Drive
0.5 mi·1 min·Cooper Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 55
6
Merge onto I 55
35 mi·37 min·I 55
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
2.1 mi·2 min·I 55
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20; US 49
85 mi·1 hr 32 min·I 20; US 49
Toward Meridian, Hattiesburg
9
Continue on I 20; I 59; US 80
1.4 mi·1 min·I 20; I 59; US 80
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·44 sec
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian AirportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto US 11
1.2 mi·1 min·US 11
12
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.4 mi·2 min·8th Street
13
Turn right onto 25th Avenue
272 ft·11 sec·25th Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
25th Avenue
Trip Plan
With a drive time of just over 2.5 hours, you have plenty of flexibility on when to depart. Consider starting mid-morning to avoid early rush hour and arrive in Meridian with ample daylight. The longest stretch without a major town is 86.9 miles on I 20, so ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on that segment. There's only one recommended stop indicated, so you can be selective about where you choose to take a break.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 67.4 miles from Wesson, MS, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.9 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 30 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.4 miles or 1h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Meridian, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wesson, 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 Wesson, MS
This is one driving day of about 134.7 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Wesson, 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 20 for about 86.9 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 131.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 51
Turn right onto US 51
Navigation decision point
4
7.8 mi into trip|~12m in
Take the ramp toward I 55
Navigation decision point
Toward I 55
4
42.7 mi into trip|~50m in|I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
44.8 mi into trip|~52m in|I 20; US 49
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20; US 49 toward Meridian, Hattiesburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Meridian, Hattiesburg
7
131.7 mi into trip|~2h 26m in
Take the exit toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian Airport
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.
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Phila...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.34 one way
$40.69 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$22.33
$44.66
premium
$4.56
$24.18
$48.35
diesel
$5.61
$29.74
$59.48
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.4
0
$14.14
$6.47
Efficient EV
33.7
0
$11.79
$5.39
EV Truck/SUV
53.9
0
$18.86
$8.62
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Wesson, MS
Late night
in Wesson on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Meridian, MS
Late night
in Meridian on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
84°F
Brandon, MS
67 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 31m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 41.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a highway-focused drive, with 98% of the journey taking place on interstates. You'll spend most of your time on I 55 and I 20, which are designed for efficient travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 86.9 miles on I 20, so plan for a significant period of consistent highway driving. Expect a steady pace with minimal slowdowns, characteristic of a primary interstate corridor.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.9 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 55. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 51.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 31m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 51): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 42.7 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Wesson, MS to Meridian, MS, road signs begin pointing toward Hattiesburg along the way.
Meridian is a city in Mississippi. It was a titan of commerce of sorts during the Reconstruction era and up through the Great Depression, even after General Tecumseh Sherman had torched it, due to its being a hub to five major rail lines and manufacturing during its golden age. It is now a treasure trove for some of the architecture preserved from that period. Meridian is also noted for being the location of the US v. Cecil Price court case, where several Ku Klux Klan members were charged for the abduction and murder of three Civil Rights workers in 1964 in nearby Neshoba County, an event analogously portrayed in the film Mississippi Burning.
The longest stretch is about 86.9 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 12 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 51): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 42.7 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home 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 Meridian, MS before heading back.
