Allentown to Vernon is 77.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 47 minutes via Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Pennsylvania's Northeast region, offering a straightforward drive with a significant highway component. It's a practical option if you need to get between these two points efficiently. You can expect a mostly highway experience, making it a quick trip for a single day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.6 miles from Allentown, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 46m into the drive
.
Given the short duration of this trip, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Allentown in the morning should get you to Vernon with plenty of daylight to spare. While there are no designated stops in the data, it's always wise to take a break during the 47.7-mile highway stretch if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $13, but it's good to have a buffer. Since this is a shorter drive, you could easily make it a spontaneous trip without extensive planning.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.6 miles from Allentown, PA, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.7 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 17 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.6 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Vernon, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Allentown, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Allentown, PA
This is one driving day of about 77.3 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Allentown, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension for about 47.7 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 71.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
4.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 476, PATP
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 476, PATP
7
4.9 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 476 North: Scranton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 476 North: Scranton
6
53.1 mi into trip|~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward PA 115: Wilkes-Barre, Bear Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 105
Toward PA 115: Wilkes-Barre, Bear Creek
4
53.8 mi into trip|~1h 3m in|PA 115 / Bear Creek Boulevard
Turn left onto PA 115 / Bear Creek Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
71.5 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|Demunds Road
Keep slight left at fork onto Demunds Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.82 one way
$25.63 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$14.04
$28.07
premium
$4.93
$14.99
$29.98
diesel
$5.61
$17.07
$34.13
Estimated Tolls: $6.20
Pennsylvania Turnpike
(47.7 mi)$6.20
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$6
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
16 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Tilghman Square Shopping Center - Tesla Supercharger
Allentown, PA
Tesla
16 DCFC
Wawa - Tesla Supercharger
Allentown, PA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Wilkes-Barre Township Commons - Tesla Supercharger
Wilkes-Barre Township, PA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Wawa - Tesla Supercharger
Allentown, PA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Hickory Run Service Plaza - Southbound - Tesla Supercharger
Jim Thorpe, PA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Hickory Run Service Plaza - Northbound - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.2
0
$8.12
$3.71
Efficient EV
19.3
0
$6.76
$3.09
EV Truck/SUV
30.9
0
$10.82
$4.95
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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
Allentown, PA
Afternoon
in Allentown on Saturday
Local time
4:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Vernon, PA
Afternoon
in Vernon on Saturday
Local time
4:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Hudson, PA
39 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
3 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 47m 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?
This drive is 77% highway, meaning you'll spend the bulk of your time on faster roads. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 47.7 miles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. After this, you'll transition to surface roads like PA 309 and Tilghman Street, which will feature more frequent exits and potentially slower speeds as you approach your destination. Expect a noticeable change in pace once you leave the turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension is the longest continuous segment at about 47.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension and PA 309. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 47m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Allentown, PA and Vernon, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Bear Creek.
Patp
4.5 mi in|~7m
Bear Creek
53.1 mi in|~1h 1m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 77.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The drive from Allentown, PA to Vernon, PA covers 77.3 miles and takes about 1h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, PA 309, Tilghman Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 38.6 miles from Allentown, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 47m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Allentown, PA and Vernon, PA, road signs point toward Patp and Bear Creek.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
