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Trip from Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 20m

Distance

178.3 mi

287 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$28

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
3h 9m ★
6 AM
3h 21m
8 AM
3h 45m
10 AM
3h 29m
12 PM
3h 27m
3 PM
3h 30m
5 PM
3h 43m
8 PM
3h 13m

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

city in Summit County, Ohio, United States

Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Wikimedia Commons

city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States

Defiance, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH covers 178.3 miles and takes about 3h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Broad Boulevard, Akron Expressway, I 80 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.67 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

89.2 miles from Cuyahoga Falls, OH

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 20m. Total distance: 178.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 20m drive with frequent turns across 178.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Broad Boulevard 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.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH is easy. At 3h 20m 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 Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Broad Boulevard
Akron Expressway
I 80
I 80 West
Ohio Turnpike
US 20
Reynolds Road
Conant Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Broad Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cuyahoga Falls, OH and Defiance, OH.

1

Start on 2nd Street

26 ft · 8 sec · 2nd Street
2

Turn left onto Broad Boulevard

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Broad Boulevard
3

Take the ramp left

0.4 mi · 49 sec
4

Merge slight left onto Akron Expressway

8.3 mi · 9 min · Akron Expressway
5

Take the exit slight right toward I 80, Ohio Turnpike: Toledo, Youngstown

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 80, Ohio Turnpike: Toledo, Youngstown
6

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Toledo

0.4 mi · 53 sec · I 80 West: Toledo
7

Merge slight left onto Ohio Turnpike

120 mi · 2 hr 9 min · Ohio Turnpike
8

Take the exit slight right toward US 20: Maumee, Toledo

0.7 mi · 1 min · US 20: Maumee, Toledo
9

Keep slight right

0.2 mi · 25 sec
10

Turn straight onto Reynolds Road

0.5 mi · 45 sec · Reynolds Road
11

Continue on Conant Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · Conant Street
12

Turn right onto Anthony Wayne Trail

43 mi · 47 min · Anthony Wayne Trail
13

Take the exit slight right toward SR 66: Defiance, Archbold

0.2 mi · 36 sec · SR 66: Defiance, Archbold
14

Turn left onto North Clinton Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · North Clinton Street
15

Turn left onto West 2nd Street

0.4 mi · 42 sec · West 2nd Street
16

Turn left onto Auglaize Street

26 ft · 1 sec · Auglaize Street
17

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 89.2 miles from Cuyahoga Falls, OH, or about 1h 40m 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 39 miles or 43m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 89.2 miles or 1h 40m 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 44m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cuyahoga Falls, OH 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 Cuyahoga Falls, OH

This is one driving day of about 178.3 miles and 3h 20m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 89.2 mi from Cuyahoga Falls, OH · 1h 40m into the drive

Downtown Port Clinton, OH, OH

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Port Clinton, OH

89 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

Middleburg Heights, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Port Clinton, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 89.2 miles from Cuyahoga Falls, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Defiance, OH

The final approach into Defiance, OH 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 Defiance, OH.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$27.67 one way

$55.34 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 62 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $30.71 $61.42
premium $4.91 $34.46 $68.92
diesel $5.61 $39.37 $78.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$28

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$53–$78

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 62.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 53.5 0 $18.72 $8.56
Efficient EV 44.6 0 $15.60 $7.13
EV Truck/SUV 71.3 0 $24.96 $11.41

Gas CO2

62 kg

EV CO2

21 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

Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Late night in Cuyahoga Falls on Saturday

Local time

12:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Defiance, OH

Late night in Defiance on Saturday

Local time

12:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

71°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

12 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

3h 20m 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 Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH covers 178.3 miles and takes about 3h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Broad Boulevard, Akron Expressway, I 80. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 89.2 miles from Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.67 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH is easy. At 3h 20m 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 Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Cuyahoga Falls, OH to Defiance, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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