Origin
Gainesville, GA
Late night in Gainesville on Saturday
Local time
3:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gainesville, GA to Brookhaven, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
47.4 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gainesville, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Brookhaven, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gainesville to Brookhaven is 47.4 miles and takes about 56 minutes via I 85 and Lanier Parkway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia, traveling from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a largely highway-focused experience for this relatively short drive. It's a straightforward journey perfect for a quick hop between these two Georgia locales, ideal if you're looking for a direct and efficient way to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 47.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly a highway experience, with 94% of the route utilizing major roads like I 85 and Lanier Parkway. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 21.8 miles on I 85, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. The profile is clearly highway-focused, meaning you can anticipate higher speeds and fewer stops for traffic lights. While the majority is highway, the inclusion of Briarwood Road Northeast suggests a brief transition towards local roads as you near your destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 85 is the longest continuous segment at about 21.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Lanier Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near GA 60; GA 369 / Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 47.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (GA 60; GA 369 / Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 985; US 23 / Lanier Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 60; GA 369 / Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast
Turn right onto GA 60; GA 369 / Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 985; US 23 / Lanier Parkway
Merge onto I 985; US 23 / Lanier Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
22.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 85
Merge onto I 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
29.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 85
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
44.6 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward US 23, GA 155: Clairmont Road, Decatur
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 91
Toward US 23, GA 155: Clairmont Road, Decatur
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 Gainesville, GA to Brookhaven, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Decatur along the way.
Decatur
44.6 mi in
|
~49m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 85 | 21.8 mi | 23m |
| Lanier Parkway | 21.2 mi | 22m |
| Briarwood Road Northeast | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| E. E. Butler Parkway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| I-85 Access Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Druid Hills Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Peachtree Road Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 85
— 21.8 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gainesville, GA and Brookhaven, GA.
1
Start on Green Street
36 ft
·
3 sec
·
Green Street
2
Turn right onto GA 60; GA 369
183 ft
·
4 sec
·
Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast
3
Turn right onto US 129 Business; GA 11
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
E. E. Butler Parkway
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 985 South: Atlanta
5
Merge onto I 985; US 23
21 mi
·
22 min
·
Lanier Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 85
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 85
15 mi
·
16 min
·
I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 91
Toward US 23, GA 155: Clairmont Road, Decatur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto I-85 Access Road
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I-85 Access Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Continue on I-85 Access Road
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
I-85 Access Road
11
Turn right onto Briarwood Road Northeast
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Briarwood Road Northeast
12
At end of road, turn right onto North Druid Hills Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Druid Hills Road
13
Turn slight right onto GA 141
427 ft
·
12 sec
·
Peachtree Road Northeast
14
Turn right
139 ft
·
12 sec
15
Turn right
63 ft
·
9 sec
16
Turn left
347 ft
·
25 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.7 mi from Gainesville, GA · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.7 miles from Gainesville, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Brookhaven, GA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Brookhaven, GA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.41 one way
$14.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.10 | $16.21 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.77 | $17.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.47 | $20.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.15 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.64 | $3.03 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Brookhaven, GA
Late night in Brookhaven on Saturday
Local time
3:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Duluth, GA
24 mi in
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
2 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
56m 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 Gainesville, GA to Brookhaven, GA covers 47.4 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 85, Lanier Parkway, Briarwood Road Northeast. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.7 miles from Gainesville, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.41 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 is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 47.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (GA 60; GA 369 / Jesse Jewell Parkway Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 985; US 23 / Lanier Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (I 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Gainesville, GA to Brookhaven, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Decatur along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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