Trip from East Florence, AL to Chelsea, AL

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

Drive Time

1h 31m

Distance

65.2 mi

105 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min

4 AM

1h 25m ★

6 AM

1h 32m

8 AM

1h 46m

10 AM

1h 37m

12 PM

1h 35m

3 PM

1h 38m

5 PM

1h 45m

8 PM

1h 28m

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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East Florence, AL

Efrem Efre

Chelsea, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from East Florence, AL to Chelsea, AL covers 65.2 miles and takes about 1h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 72, Florence Boulevard, Huntsville Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55 miles on US 72. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.85 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.

Midpoint

32.6 miles from East Florence, AL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 72	55 mi	1h 13m
Florence Boulevard	3.1 mi	4m
Huntsville Road	2.9 mi	5m
Jordan Lane Northwest	1.1 mi	1m
Drake Avenue Southwest	1 mi	1m
Patton Road Southwest	1 mi	1m
Triana Boulevard Southwest	0.5 mi	1m
Jordan Lane Southwest	0.5 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: US 72 — 55 mi, about 1h 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Florence, AL and Chelsea, AL.

Start on Midway Street

60 ft · 9 sec · Midway Street

Turn sharp left onto CR 32

2.9 mi · 5 min · Huntsville Road

Use the straight / right lanes.

Take the ramp

238 ft · 6 sec

Merge onto US 43; US 72; AL 13

3.1 mi · 4 min · Florence Boulevard

Use the straight lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto US 72

0.3 mi · 26 sec · US 72

Toward US 72 East: Athens, Huntsville Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 72

0.6 mi · 52 sec · US 72

Continue on US 72

54 mi · 1 hr 12 min · US 72

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto AL 53

1.1 mi · 1 min · Jordan Lane Northwest

Continue on AL 53

0.5 mi · 52 sec · Jordan Lane Southwest

Continue on Patton Road Southwest

1.0 mi · 1 min · Patton Road Southwest

Turn left onto Drake Avenue Southwest

1.0 mi · 1 min · Drake Avenue Southwest

Turn right onto Triana Boulevard Southwest

0.5 mi · 1 min · Triana Boulevard Southwest

Arrive at destination

Triana Boulevard Southwest

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 32.6 miles from East Florence, AL, or about 45m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55 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 14 miles or 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 32.6 miles or 45m 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 16m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving East Florence, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from East Florence, AL

This is one driving day of about 65.2 miles and 1h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from East Florence, AL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on US 72 for about 55 miles.

Where to Stop

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

county seat of Limestone County, Alabama, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Athens, AL

33 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

Town Creek, AL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Athens, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.6 miles from East Florence, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Coffee Stop

Toasty Cafe & Health Bar

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Florence, Alabama

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+12563492283

Café de Frida

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Florence, Alabama

1.8 mi

Coffee Off The Square

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Athens, Alabama

1.7 mi

Amerigo Italian Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $20 to $30 mile 65.2

Huntsville, Alabama

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+12565852808

Visit website

Toasty Cafe & Health Bar

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10

Florence, Alabama

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+12563492283

Café de Frida

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Florence, Alabama

Hours: 7 am–2 pm

+12562753601

Coffee Off The Square

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour $1 to $10 mile 41.9

Athens, Alabama

Hours: 7:30 am–5 pm

+12564440635

Visit website

Just Love Coffee Cafe - Madison, AL

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 55.9

Madison, Alabama

Hours: 6 am–7 pm

+12564891223

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 41.9

Athens, Alabama

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 60.5

Huntsville, Alabama

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 65.2

Huntsville, Alabama

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.3 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 55.9

Huntsville, Alabama

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 64.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 32 / Huntsville Road

Turn sharp left onto CR 32 / Huntsville Road

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

3 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 43; US 72; AL 13 / Florence Boulevard

Merge onto US 43; US 72; AL 13 / Florence Boulevard

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

Use the straight lane.

6.1 mi into trip | ~10m in | US 72

Keep slight right at fork onto US 72 toward US 72 East: Athens, Huntsville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward US 72 East: Athens, Huntsville

63.6 mi into trip | ~1h 28m in | Drake Avenue Southwest

Turn left onto Drake Avenue Southwest

Navigation decision point

64.6 mi into trip | ~1h 30m in | Triana Boulevard Southwest

Turn right onto Triana Boulevard Southwest

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.85 one way

$19.69 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.21	$10.81	$21.62
premium	$4.56	$11.70	$23.41
diesel	$5.61	$14.40	$28.79

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	19.6	$6.85	$3.13
Efficient EV	16.3	$5.71	$2.61
EV Truck/SUV	26.1	$9.13	$4.17

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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

East Florence, AL

Afternoon in East Florence on Saturday

Local time

2:13 PM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chelsea, AL

Afternoon in Chelsea on Saturday

Local time

2:13 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

76°F

Athens, AL

33 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

32 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 31m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

65.2 mi in 1h 31m, mostly highway — 55 mi of that is on US 72.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 55 mi on US 72.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 72 and Florence Boulevard. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 32 / Huntsville Road.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 31m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 32 / Huntsville Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (US 43; US 72; AL 13 / Florence Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (US 72): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

On the drive from East Florence, AL to Chelsea, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Huntsville along the way.

Huntsville

6.1 mi in | ~10m | via US 72

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 31m. Total distance: 65.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 55 miles on US 72. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chelsea, AL before heading back.

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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Explore More

Explore more options from East Florence, AL or browse trips ending in Chelsea, AL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.

Trip from East Florence, AL to Chelsea, AL

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Nearby Places

Toasty Cafe & Health Bar

Amerigo Italian Restaurant

Toasty Cafe & Health Bar

Café de Frida

Coffee Off The Square

Just Love Coffee Cafe - Madison, AL

Electrify America Charging Station

Tesla Supercharger

ChargePoint Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

Ford Charging Station

Blink Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

Blink Charging Station

McFarland Park Shoalsfest

Kids Kingdom

Dublin Park

Lucky Duck Scavenger Hunt

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

East Florence, AL

Chelsea, AL

Same local time

32 degrees cooler at arrival

1h 31m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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