Trip from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN

Drive Time

1h 57m

Distance

110 mi

177 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

Downtown Bloomington, MN, MN

Photo: Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 110 miles and takes about 1h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Main Street, 195th Avenue, MN 7 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.73 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

55 miles from Clara City, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 57m drive with frequent turns across 110 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN is easy. At 1h 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
195th Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
MN 7 Unavailable Refreshing
highway 7 West Unavailable Refreshing
4th Avenue Northwest Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 7 East Unavailable Refreshing
the route Unavailable Refreshing
Rolling Acres Road Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clara City, MN and Bloomington, MN.

1

Start on 1st Avenue Southwest

56 ft · 4 sec · 1st Avenue Southwest
2

Turn right onto Main Street

3.2 mi · 4 min · Main Street
3

Continue straight

13 mi · 16 min
4

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward 195th Avenue

157 ft · 2 sec · 195th Avenue
5

Exit the roundabout onto 195th Avenue

0.1 mi · 8 sec · 195th Avenue
6

Continue on MN 7

7.9 mi · 9 min · MN 7
7

Continue on 195th Avenue

10 mi · 13 min · 195th Avenue
8

Continue on highway 7 West

16 mi · 20 min · highway 7 West
9

Continue on 4th Avenue Northwest

0.6 mi · 1 min · 4th Avenue Northwest
10

Continue on State Highway 7 East

4.5 mi · 6 min · State Highway 7 East
11

Continue straight

11 mi · 14 min
12

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

131 ft · 2 sec · the route
13

Exit the roundabout

9.0 mi · 11 min
14

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

125 ft · 2 sec · the route
15

Exit the roundabout

2.5 mi · 3 min
16

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

187 ft · 3 sec · the route
17

Exit the roundabout

5.8 mi · 7 min
18

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

138 ft · 2 sec · the route
19

Exit the roundabout

3.2 mi · 4 min
20

Turn right onto Rolling Acres Road

1.2 mi · 2 min · Rolling Acres Road
21

Turn left onto Arboretum Boulevard

0.7 mi · 59 sec · Arboretum Boulevard
22

Continue on Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway

5.6 mi · 7 min · Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway
23

Continue on West 78th Street

3.8 mi · 4 min · West 78th Street
24

Take the exit slight right toward I 494 East, MN 5 East

0.2 mi · 18 sec · I 494 East, MN 5 East
25

Keep slight left to continue on I 494 East, MN 5 East

6.2 mi · 7 min · I 494 East, MN 5 East
26

Take the exit slight right toward I 35W South: Albert Lea

0.2 mi · 25 sec · I 35W South: Albert Lea
27

Continue on I 35W South: Albert Lea

0.4 mi · 50 sec · I 35W South: Albert Lea
28

Merge slight left

1.0 mi · 1 min
29

Take the exit slight right toward 90th Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · 90th Street
30

Turn left onto West 90th Street

207 ft · 6 sec · West 90th Street
31

Arrive at your destination

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 55 miles from Clara City, MN, or about 58m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 55 miles or 58m 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 36m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Clara City, 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 Clara City, MN

This is one driving day of about 110 miles and 1h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Clara City, MN.
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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 55 mi from Clara City, MN · 58m into the drive

Downtown Albertville, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Albertville, MN

55 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

Plymouth, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Albertville, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 55 miles from Clara City, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Bloomington, MN

The final approach into Bloomington, MN 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 Bloomington, MN.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.73 one way

$31.47 round trip

$3.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 39 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.92 $16.98 $33.96
premium $4.39 $19.02 $38.04
diesel $5.64 $24.44 $48.88

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 38.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 33 0 $11.55 $5.28
Efficient EV 27.5 0 $9.63 $4.40
EV Truck/SUV 44 0 $15.40 $7.04

Gas CO2

38 kg

EV CO2

13 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Clara City, MN

Morning in Clara City on Sunday

Local time

11:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bloomington, MN

Morning in Bloomington on Sunday

Local time

11:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

38°F

Albertville, MN

55 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 57m 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 Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 110 miles and takes about 1h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Main Street, 195th Avenue, MN 7. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 55 miles from Clara City, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.73 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.
The drive from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN is easy. At 1h 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Clara City, MN to Bloomington, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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