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Trip from La Crosse, WI to Whitefish Bay, WI

Drive Time

5h 43m

Distance

264 mi

425 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$40

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

30 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
5h 30m ★
6 AM
5h 43m
8 AM
6h 10m
10 AM
5h 52m
12 PM
5h 50m
3 PM
5h 54m
5 PM
6h 8m
8 PM
5h 35m

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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Downtown La Crosse, WI, WI

La Crosse, WI

Tom Fisk

village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States

Whitefish Bay, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from La Crosse, WI to Whitefish Bay, WI covers 264 miles and takes about 5h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 90, I 41, WI 54 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 62.5 miles on I 90. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.10 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

132 miles from La Crosse, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 54m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 5h 43m highway drive covering 264 miles, with most of the trip on I 90 and I 41. The longest continuous stretch is about 62.5 miles on I 90.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 49 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 90 is the longest continuous segment at about 62.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 41. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 69.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 264 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 69.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.7 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 151.9 miles (I 41; US 41): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
69.6 mi into trip | ~1h 22m in

Take the exit toward WI 82: Mauston, Oxford

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 69 Toward WI 82: Mauston, Oxford
6
151.7 mi into trip | ~3h 26m in

Turn left toward I-41_North: Appleton

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Toward I-41_North: Appleton
6
151.9 mi into trip | ~3h 26m in | I 41; US 41

Merge onto I 41; US 41 toward Appleton

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Appleton
6
205.9 mi into trip | ~4h 25m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 43 South: Milwaukee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 170B Toward I 43 South: Milwaukee
6
212 mi into trip | ~4h 33m in

Keep slight left at fork toward WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, A...

Towns Along This Route

Between La Crosse, WI and Whitefish Bay, WI, road signs point toward Oxford, Appleton, Lmct: Sturgeon Bay and Algoma.

Oxford

69.6 mi in | ~1h 22m

Appleton

151.9 mi in | ~3h 26m | via I 41; US 41

Lmct: Sturgeon Bay

211.8 mi in | ~4h 32m

Algoma

211.8 mi in | ~4h 32m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 90 62.5 mi 1h 7m
I 41 53.8 mi 58m
WI 54 33.4 mi 38m
State Highway 82 28.3 mi 42m
State Highway 23 16 mi 23m
State Highway 44 14.8 mi 21m
State Highway 42/57 10.7 mi 16m
State Highway 23 & 73 9.5 mi 13m
Longest stretch: I 90 — 62.5 mi, about 1h 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between La Crosse, WI and Whitefish Bay, WI.

1

Start on WI 35

0.7 mi · 2 min · West Avenue South
2

Turn right

350 ft · 12 sec
3

Turn straight onto CTH F

0.9 mi · 2 min · Main Street
4

Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North

0.5 mi · 1 min · Losey Boulevard North
5

Continue on WI 16

4.5 mi · 8 min · WI 16
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 53 sec
7

Merge onto I 90

63 mi · 1 hr 7 min · I 90
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 69 Toward WI 82: Mauston, Oxford
9

Turn left onto State Highway 82

130 ft · 5 sec · State Highway 82
10

Continue on State Highway 82

0.2 mi · 17 sec · State Highway 82
11

At end of road, turn left onto State Highway 82

29 ft · 0 sec · State Highway 82
12

Continue on WI 82

25 mi · 36 min · State Highway 82
13

Continue on WI 82

1.1 mi · 1 min · West Ormsby Street
14

Continue on WI 82

3.5 mi · 5 min · State Highway 82
15

Continue on State Highway 23

6.1 mi · 8 min · State Highway 23
16

Continue on WI 23

1.8 mi · 2 min · Underwood Avenue
17

Continue on WI 23; CTH C

0.2 mi · 17 sec · West Montello Street
18

Continue on WI 22; WI 23; CTH C

0.6 mi · 50 sec · East Montello Street
19

Continue on WI 23

9.9 mi · 14 min · State Highway 23
20

Continue on WI 23

0.5 mi · 49 sec · South 2nd Street
21

Turn right onto WI 73; CTH J

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
22

Turn right onto WI 23; WI 73; CTH D

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Fulton Street
23

Continue on WI 23; WI 73

9.5 mi · 13 min · State Highway 23 & 73
Use the straight lane.
24

Continue on WI 23; WI 49

3.4 mi · 4 min · State Highway 23 & 49
25

Continue on WI 23; WI 49

1.4 mi · 2 min · West Fond du Lac Street
26

Turn left onto CTH FF

403 ft · 15 sec · North Union Street
27

Turn straight onto West Oshkosh Street

1.4 mi · 4 min · West Oshkosh Street
28

Keep slight left at fork onto East Oshkosh Street

263 ft · 8 sec · East Oshkosh Street
29

Continue on WI 44

15 mi · 21 min · State Highway 44
30

Continue on WI 44; WI 91

0.8 mi · 1 min · Ripon Rd
31

Continue on WI 44; WI 91

0.2 mi · 21 sec · State Highway 44/91
32

Turn left

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Toward I-41_North: Appleton
33

Merge onto I 41; US 41

54 mi · 58 min · I 41; US 41
Toward Appleton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 43 South, US 141 South: Milwaukee
35

Keep slight left at fork

1.2 mi · 2 min
Exit 170B Toward I 43 South: Milwaukee
36

Continue on I 43

4.7 mi · 5 min · I 43
37

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward WI 54, WI 57, LMCT: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma
38

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Toward WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma
39

Merge onto WI 54; WI 57

33 mi · 38 min · WI 54; WI 57
Toward WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma
40

Continue on WI 42; WI 57

8.2 mi · 12 min · State Highway 42/57
Use the straight lane.
41

Enter roundabout onto WI 42; WI 57

106 ft · 1 sec · State Highway 42/57
42

Continue on WI 42; WI 57

1.3 mi · 2 min · State Highway 42/57
43

Enter roundabout onto WI 42; WI 57

102 ft · 2 sec · State Highway 42/57
44

Continue on WI 42; WI 57

1.2 mi · 1 min · State Highway 42/57
45

Continue on WI 42; WI 57

0.1 mi · 9 sec · Egg Harbor Road
46

Turn slight right onto WI 57

4.9 mi · 7 min · WI 57
47

Turn right onto CTH T

2.4 mi · 6 min · Whitefish Bay Road
48

Turn slight left

15 ft · 1 sec
49

Arrive at 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 132 miles from La Crosse, WI, or about 2h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.5 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 80 miles or 1h 37m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 132 miles or 2h 54m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 38m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving La Crosse, WI 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 La Crosse, WI

This is one driving day of about 264 miles and 5h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from La Crosse, WI.
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.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 62.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 132 mi from La Crosse, WI · 2h 54m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rockford, IL

132 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

Rockford, IL

Fuel and coffee

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

Rockford, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 132 miles from La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 62.5 miles.

Arriving in Whitefish Bay, WI

The final approach into Whitefish Bay, WI 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 Whitefish Bay, WI.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, manage...

14 mi from route ~36 min detour Free near mile 100.1
Caution: Averill–Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment — Dangerous Ford at New Wood River
Caution: Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment — Storm Damage
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$40.10 one way

$80.20 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 92 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $44.20 $88.41
premium $4.80 $49.84 $99.68
diesel $5.64 $58.65 $117.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$40

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$65–$90

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 92.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

EV Charging Along Route

30 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Taphouse Twenty - Tesla Supercharger

Tomah, WI

Tesla

8 DCFC

Meijer - Tesla Supercharger

Appleton, WI

Tesla

8 DCFC

Midwest Prairie Business Center - Tesla Supercharger

Onalaska, WI

Tesla

6 DCFC

Culver's of Mauston - Tesla Supercharger

Mauston, WI

Tesla

6 DCFC

Festival Foods - Tesla Supercharger

Oshkosh, WI

Tesla

6 DCFC

Bergstrom Neenah Ford

Neenah, WI

FORD_CHARGE

6 DCFC

Kwik Trip #762

La Crosse, WI

KWIK_CHARGE

4 DCFC

Dahl Ford

Onalaska, WI

FORD_CHARGE

4 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 10 FORD_CHARGE: 5 Tesla: 5 EV Connect: 2 Blink Network: 2 KWIK_CHARGE: 2 FLO: 1 Electrify America: 1 ZEFNET: 1 eVgo Network: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 79.2 0 $27.72 $12.67
Efficient EV 66 0 $23.10 $10.56
EV Truck/SUV 105.6 1 $36.96 $16.90

Gas CO2

92 kg

EV CO2

31 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 3 days ago

Origin

La Crosse, WI

Afternoon in La Crosse on Monday

Local time

1:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Whitefish Bay, WI

Afternoon in Whitefish Bay on Monday

Local time

1:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

39°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

5h 43m on the road

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from La Crosse, WI to Whitefish Bay, WI covers 264 miles and takes about 5h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 90, I 41, WI 54. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 132 miles from La Crosse, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $40.10 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 264 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 69.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.7 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 151.9 miles (I 41; US 41): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between La Crosse, WI and Whitefish Bay, WI, road signs point toward Oxford, Appleton, Lmct: Sturgeon Bay and Algoma.

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Return Trip

Whitefish Bay, WI to La Crosse, WI

Plan the drive back the other way.

215.7 mi 4h 7m

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