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Trip from City of Gary, IN to Wanatah, IN

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

47m

Distance

34.1 mi

55 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown City of Gary, IN, IN

City of Gary, IN

Артем Дворецкий

Downtown Wanatah, IN, IN

Wanatah, IN

Ever Rayan

Trip Overview

The drive from City of Gary, IN to Wanatah, IN covers 34.1 miles and takes about 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Indiana Toll Road, SR 49, East Morthland Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.5 miles on Indiana Toll Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.33 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

17.1 miles from City of Gary, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 22m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 47m drive with frequent turns across 34.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Indiana Toll Road is the longest continuous segment at about 15.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 8th Avenue.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.1 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: at 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (SR 53 / Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 8th Avenue

Turn right onto West 8th Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | SR 53 / Broadway

Turn left onto SR 53 / Broadway

Navigation decision point

5
1.1 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 90 East

Navigation decision point

Toward I 90 East
5
1.5 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 90 / Indiana Toll Road

Merge onto I 90 / Indiana Toll Road

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward SR 49: Chesterton, Valparaiso

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 31 Toward SR 49: Chesterton, Valparaiso

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 City of Gary, IN to Wanatah, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Valparaiso along the way.

Valparaiso

17 mi in | ~22m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Indiana Toll Road 15.5 mi 18m
SR 49 9 mi 12m
East Morthland Drive 6.9 mi 9m
Madison Street 0.4 mi 1m
West 5th Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
North Illinois Street 0.2 mi <1m
Broadway 0.2 mi <1m
West 8th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Indiana Toll Road — 15.5 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Gary, IN and Wanatah, IN.

1

Start on this road

342 ft · 27 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto West 8th Avenue

0.2 mi · 33 sec · West 8th Avenue
3

Turn left onto Madison Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Madison Street
4

Turn right onto US 12; US 20

0.3 mi · 34 sec · West 5th Avenue
5

Turn left onto SR 53

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Broadway
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward I 90 East
7

Merge onto I 90

16 mi · 18 min · Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 31 Toward SR 49: Chesterton, Valparaiso Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn right onto SR 49

9.0 mi · 12 min · SR 49
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward US 30 East: Plymouth
11

Merge onto US 30; SR 2

6.9 mi · 9 min · East Morthland Drive
12

Turn right onto North Illinois Street

0.2 mi · 56 sec · North Illinois Street
13

Turn left onto West Cross Street

124 ft · 5 sec · West Cross Street
14

Arrive at destination

West Cross Street

Trip Plan

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 17.1 miles from City of Gary, IN, or about 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.5 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 34.1 miles or 47m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 17.1 miles or 22m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 39m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wanatah, IN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving City of Gary, IN 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 City of Gary, IN

This is one driving day of about 34.1 miles and 47m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from City of Gary, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Indiana Toll Road for about 15.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 17.1 mi from City of Gary, IN · 22m into the drive

Downtown chicago-il

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

17 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

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 34.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chicago, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from City of Gary, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Wanatah, IN

The final approach into Wanatah, IN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Wanatah, IN.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park

National Park

Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour $20 near mile 15.3
Park Closure: Partial Closures to Marquette Greenway Trail and Glenwood Dunes Trail
Park Closure: Mount Baldy Closure
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.33 one way

$10.66 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.85 $11.71
premium $4.89 $6.56 $13.12
diesel $5.61 $7.53 $15.06

Estimated Tolls: $1.09

Indiana Toll Road (15.5 mi) $1.09

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

$5

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.2 0 $3.58 $1.64
Efficient EV 8.5 0 $2.98 $1.36
EV Truck/SUV 13.6 0 $4.77 $2.18

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

City of Gary, IN

Night in City of Gary on Tuesday

Local time

9:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Wanatah, IN

Night in Wanatah on Tuesday

Local time

9:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

8 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from City of Gary, IN to Wanatah, IN covers 34.1 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Indiana Toll Road, SR 49, East Morthland Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.1 miles from City of Gary, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.33 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.1 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (SR 53 / Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
On the drive from City of Gary, IN to Wanatah, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Valparaiso along the way.

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