Trip from Decatur, AL to Grand Bay, AL

Drive Time

6h 38m

Distance

358.6 mi

577 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$55

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
6h 27m ★
6 AM
6h 39m
8 AM
7h 3m
10 AM
6h 47m
12 PM
6h 45m
3 PM
6h 48m
5 PM
7h 2m
8 PM
6h 31m

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

Downtown Decatur, AL, AL

Decatur, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Grand Bay, AL, AL

Grand Bay, AL

Marjan

Trip Overview

The drive from Decatur, AL to Grand Bay, AL covers 358.6 miles and takes about 6h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Ferry Street Northeast, Lee Street Northeast, 6th Avenue Northeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $54.82 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

179.3 miles from Decatur, AL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 19m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 38m drive with frequent turns across 358.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ferry Street Northeast 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 38m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Decatur, AL to Grand Bay, AL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ferry Street Northeast Unavailable Refreshing
Lee Street Northeast Unavailable Refreshing
6th Avenue Northeast Unavailable Refreshing
6th Avenue Southeast Unavailable Refreshing
Point Mallard Parkway Unavailable Refreshing
I-65 South Unavailable Refreshing
I 22 West Unavailable Refreshing
Montgomery Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: Ferry Street Northeast — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, AL and Grand Bay, AL.

1

Start on the route

427 ft · 37 sec · the route
2

At the end of the road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast

164 ft · 9 sec · Ferry Street Northeast
3

Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast

0.3 mi · 53 sec · Lee Street Northeast
4

At the end of the road, turn right onto 6th Avenue Northeast

0.1 mi · 15 sec · 6th Avenue Northeast
5

Continue on 6th Avenue Southeast

3.0 mi · 5 min · 6th Avenue Southeast
6

Turn left onto Point Mallard Parkway

4.2 mi · 6 min · Point Mallard Parkway
7

Take the ramp slight right toward I-65 South: Birmingham

0.4 mi · 47 sec · I-65 South: Birmingham
8

Merge slight left

67 mi · 1 hr 11 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale

0.5 mi · 38 sec · I 22 West, US 31: Memphis, Fultondale
10

Keep slight left to continue on I 22 West: Memphis

0.5 mi · 38 sec · I 22 West: Memphis
11

Keep slight left to continue on Montgomery

0.4 mi · 28 sec · Montgomery
12

Merge slight left

264 mi · 4 hr 48 min
13

Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: Mississippi

0.7 mi · 56 sec · I 10 West: Mississippi
14

Merge slight left

16 mi · 16 min
15

Take the exit slight right toward AL 188: Grand Bay

0.2 mi · 30 sec · AL 188: Grand Bay
16

Turn left onto Grand Bay Wilmer Road

1.4 mi · 2 min · Grand Bay Wilmer Road
17

At the end of the road, turn right onto Government Boulevard

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Government Boulevard
18

Turn left onto Potter Tract

394 ft · 20 sec · Potter Tract
19

Turn right onto Dezauche Lane

374 ft · 16 sec · Dezauche Lane
20

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 179.3 miles from Decatur, AL, or about 3h 19m 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 28m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 179.3 miles or 3h 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 5h 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Grand Bay, AL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Decatur, AL 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 Decatur, AL

This is one driving day of about 358.6 miles and 6h 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Decatur, AL.
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 179.3 mi from Decatur, AL · 3h 19m into the drive

Downtown Columbiana, AL, AL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbiana, AL

179 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

Hayden, AL

Fuel and coffee

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

Columbiana, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 179.3 miles from Decatur, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Grand Bay, AL

The final approach into Grand Bay, AL 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 Grand Bay, AL.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$54.82 one way

$109.64 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 126 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.26 $60.13 $120.26
premium $4.61 $65.08 $130.17
diesel $5.64 $79.67 $159.34

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$55

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$80–$105

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 125.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 107.6 1 $37.65 $17.21
Efficient EV 89.7 1 $31.38 $14.34
EV Truck/SUV 143.4 1 $50.20 $22.95

Gas CO2

125 kg

EV CO2

42 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 4 days ago

Origin

Decatur, AL

Morning in Decatur on Monday

Local time

10:33 AM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Grand Bay, AL

Morning in Grand Bay on Monday

Local time

10:33 AM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

86°F

Columbiana, AL

179 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

6 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

6h 38m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Decatur, AL to Grand Bay, AL covers 358.6 miles and takes about 6h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ferry Street Northeast, Lee Street Northeast, 6th Avenue Northeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 179.3 miles from Decatur, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $54.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 38m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Decatur, AL to Grand Bay, AL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Decatur, AL to Grand Bay, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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