Origin
Griffin, GA
Afternoon in Griffin on Thursday
Local time
2:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Griffin, GA to Sandy Springs, GA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
53 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Griffin, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 53-mile drive from Griffin, GA to Sandy Springs, GA takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 86% of it on major roads like US 19 and I-75. You'll be staying within Georgia for this journey, traversing the Southeast region. With an estimated fuel cost of just $8, this is an economical option for a quick getaway or a convenient transfer. No overnight stays are recommended for this short distance; you can easily complete it in a single day.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 53 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive for this 53-mile trip, with 86% of your journey on major routes. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I-75 and US 19, which are designed for efficient travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.8 miles along US 19, offering a consistent pace. While this route prioritizes speed and directness over scenic detours, it provides a reliable and predictable driving experience as you make your way north.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 19 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 19 and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 43.5 miles in near GA 400 / T Harvey Mathis Parkway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 43.5 miles (GA 400 / T Harvey Mathis Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
43.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
GA 400 / T Harvey Mathis Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GA 400 / T Harvey Mathis Parkway toward GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 87
Toward GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
8
49.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward I 285 East: Greenville, Augusta, Glenridge Connector
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 4A
Toward I 285 East: Greenville, Augusta, Glenrid...
9
49.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 285: Chattanooga, Greenville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4A-B
Toward I 285: Chattanooga, Greenville
8
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
8
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
US 19
Keep slight right at fork onto US 19 toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Griffin, GA and Sandy Springs, GA, road signs point toward Cumming, Augusta and Greenville.
Cumming
43.5 mi in
|
~1h 3m
|
via GA 400
Augusta
49.4 mi in
|
~1h 11m
Greenville
49.7 mi in
|
~1h 11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 19 | 15.8 mi | 23m |
| I 75 | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| North Expressway | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| T Harvey Mathis Parkway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Northeast Expressway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Experiment Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Roswell Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Tara Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 19
— 15.8 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Griffin, GA and Sandy Springs, GA.
1
Start on US 19 Business; US 41 Business; GA 155
381 ft
·
16 sec
·
State Street
2
Turn right onto West Poplar Street
516 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Poplar Street
3
Turn right onto South 8th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South 8th Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto West Broad Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Broad Street
5
Continue on Experiment Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Experiment Street
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Experiment Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Experiment Street
7
Continue on McIntosh Road
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
McIntosh Road
8
Turn right onto US 19; US 41; GA 3
6.4 mi
·
9 min
·
North Expressway
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on US 19; US 41; GA 3
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
US 19; US 41; GA 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 19; US 41; GA 3
13 mi
·
19 min
·
US 19; US 41; GA 3
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto Tara Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tara Boulevard
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 75 North
Use the straight lane.
13
Merge onto I 75
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 85
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Expressway
Exit 251B
Toward I 85 North: Greenville
15
Keep slight right at fork onto GA 400
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
T Harvey Mathis Parkway
Exit 87
Toward GA 400 North: Buckhead, Cumming
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 285 East: Greenville, Augusta, Glenridge Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 4A-B
Toward I 285: Chattanooga, Greenville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 4
Toward I 285 West, I 285 East: Chattanooga, Birmingham, Greenville, Augusta
19
Keep slight left at fork
1.5 mi
·
3 min
Toward I 285 West: Chattanooga, Birmingham
Use the slight left lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 19
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 19
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn right onto GA 9
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Roswell Road
Use the right lane.
22
Turn right onto Mount Vernon Highway
180 ft
·
3 sec
·
Mount Vernon Highway
23
Arrive at destination
Mount Vernon Highway
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.5 mi from Griffin, GA · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.5 miles from Griffin, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Sandy Springs, GA
The final approach into Sandy Springs, GA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.29 one way
$16.58 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.06 | $18.12 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.81 | $19.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.70 | $23.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.56 | $2.54 |
| Efficient EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.64 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.42 | $3.39 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Sandy Springs, GA
Afternoon in Sandy Springs on Thursday
Local time
2:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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 18m 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 Griffin, GA to Sandy Springs, GA covers 53 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 19, I 75, North Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.5 miles from Griffin, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.29 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 53 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 43.5 miles (GA 400 / T Harvey Mathis Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Griffin, GA and Sandy Springs, GA, road signs point toward Cumming, Augusta and Greenville.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
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