Traveling from Winona to Minneapolis covers 118.3 miles and takes approximately 2 hours and 13 minutes behind the wheel. Because this journey is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $17 on fuel for the trek through the Minnesota Midwest. Navigating this route requires you to stick primarily to local roads rather than major interstates. It is a straightforward transit that connects two distinct parts of the state, making it an efficient option for those looking to reach the Twin Cities from the river valley area.
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
59.1 miles from Winona, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
45.9 mi
55m
Route 61
21.2 mi
28m
Route 61/Route 63
14.8 mi
19m
I 94
10.3 mi
14m
Red Wing Boulevard
5.9 mi
8m
US 14
4.2 mi
5m
South Lakeshore Drive
2.8 mi
5m
West Broadway Street
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
— 45.9 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winona, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on MN 43
41 ft·5 sec·Main Street
2
Turn right onto West Broadway Street
2.0 mi·4 min·West Broadway Street
3
Turn right onto County Highway 32
0.1 mi·11 sec·County Highway 32
4
Continue on CR 32
0.4 mi·43 sec·West 5th Street
5
Turn left onto Pelzer Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·Pelzer Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto US 14; US 61
4.2 mi·5 min·US 14; US 61
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
0.5 mi·37 sec·Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
8
Continue on US 61
28 mi·33 min·Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 61
0.2 mi·17 sec·2nd Street
10
Continue on US 61
9.5 mi·13 min·Route 61
11
Continue on US 61
2.8 mi·5 min·South Lakeshore Drive
12
Continue on US 61; US 63
15 mi·19 min·Route 61/Route 63
13
Continue on US 61; US 63
1.8 mi·3 min·East Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Continue on US 61
6.5 mi·9 min·Route 61
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 61
5.2 mi·6 min·Route 61
Use the straight lane.
16
Enter roundabout onto MN 316
23 ft·0 sec·Highway 316 Boulevard
17
Continue on MN 316
2.0 mi·2 min·Highway 316 Boulevard
18
Continue on MN 316
1.8 mi·2 min·Polk Avenue
19
Continue on MN 316
4.9 mi·7 min·Red Wing Boulevard
20
Enter roundabout onto MN 316
73 ft·1 sec·Red Wing Boulevard
21
Continue on MN 316
0.5 mi·43 sec·Red Wing Boulevard
22
Enter roundabout onto MN 316
64 ft·1 sec·Red Wing Boulevard
23
Continue on MN 316
0.4 mi·32 sec·Red Wing Boulevard
24
Enter roundabout onto MN 316
70 ft·1 sec·Red Wing Boulevard
25
Continue on MN 316
0.1 mi·9 sec·Red Wing Boulevard
26
Turn right onto US 61
1.8 mi·3 min·Vermillion Street
27
Continue on US 61
0.7 mi·1 min·Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
28
Continue on US 61
0.2 mi·14 sec·Hastings Road South
29
Continue on US 61
17 mi·20 min·Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit onto US 10; US 61
0.6 mi·56 sec·US 10; US 61
31
Merge onto I 94
10 mi·14 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
32
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 234CToward Cedar AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Turn right onto CR 152
0.5 mi·1 min·Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
34
Continue on CR 152
0.9 mi·2 min·Washington Avenue South
35
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable day trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. With no mandatory stops included in the 118.3-mile plan, you can easily pace the drive according to your own schedule. Budgeting about $17 for fuel is a safe bet, but filling up before you leave Winona will help you avoid searching for stations along the local roads. Given that the route relies entirely on local streets and highways, keep a close eye on your navigation to account for the frequent turns. Prioritizing a morning departure will ensure you reach Minneapolis with plenty of time to spare before the evening traffic sets in.
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 59.1 miles from Winona, MN, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 45.9 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 26 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.1 miles or 1h 19m 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 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Minneapolis, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Winona, MN 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 Winona, MN
This is one driving day of about 118.3 miles and 2h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Winona, MN.
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 Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway for about 45.9 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 116.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.8 mi into trip|~6m in|US 14; US 61
Turn right onto US 14; US 61
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
71.2 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|US 61 / Route 61
Keep slight right at fork onto US 61 / Route 61
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
106.4 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
116.7 mi into trip|~2h 38m in
Take the exit toward Cedar Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 234C
Toward Cedar Avenue
5
116.9 mi into trip|~2h 39m in|CR 152 / Cedar Avenue South
Turn right onto CR 152 / Cedar Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.61 one way
$35.21 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$18.97
$37.94
premium
$4.53
$21.11
$42.22
diesel
$5.61
$26.12
$52.24
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.5
0
$12.42
$5.68
Efficient EV
29.6
0
$10.35
$4.73
EV Truck/SUV
47.3
0
$16.56
$7.57
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 15, 2026
Origin
Winona, MN
Night
in Winona on Saturday
Local time
11:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Minneapolis, MN
Night
in Minneapolis on Saturday
Local time
11:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
43°F
Ellsworth, WI
59 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
1 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
2h 42m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate through local thoroughfares like West Broadway Street, Highway 32, and West 5th Street to complete the 118.3-mile distance. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on West Broadway Street, you should prepare for a drive that demands constant focus and frequent adjustments. This is not the type of trip where you can set the cruise control and relax, as the local road profile keeps you engaged with the road surface and changing conditions throughout the entire 2-hour and 13-minute duration.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.9 mi on Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near US 14; US 61.
Driving Effort5/10
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 118.3 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 2.8 miles (US 14; US 61): Lane positioning matters here; at 71.2 miles (US 61 / Route 61): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 42m. Total distance: 118.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.9 miles on Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 2.8 miles (US 14; US 61): Lane positioning matters here; at 71.2 miles (US 61 / Route 61): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Minneapolis, MN before heading back.
