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Trip from Livonia, MI to L'Anse, MI

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

Drive Time

9h 49m

Distance

517.9 mi

833 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$81

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
9h 41m ★
6 AM
9h 50m
8 AM
10h 8m
10 AM
9h 56m
12 PM
9h 54m
3 PM
9h 57m
5 PM
10h 7m
8 PM
9h 45m

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

city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States

Livonia, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown L'Anse, MI, MI

L'Anse, MI

HONG SON

Trip Overview

The drive from Livonia, MI to L'Anse, MI covers 517.9 miles and takes about 9h 49m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Plymouth Road, Merriman Road, Schoolcraft Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $80.97 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

258.9 miles from Livonia, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 54m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

9h 49m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-distance drive route profile.

Drive Character

At 517.9 miles and 9h 49m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Plymouth Road and Merriman Road.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Plymouth Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 9h 49m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 49m, 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 Livonia, MI to L'Anse, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Plymouth Road
Merriman Road
Schoolcraft Road
I 96 West
Jeffries Freeway
Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
US 23 South
US 23 North

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Plymouth Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Livonia, MI and L'Anse, MI.

1

Start on the route

75 ft · 6 sec · the route
2

Turn right

89 ft · 9 sec
3

Turn right onto Plymouth Road

151 ft · 11 sec · Plymouth Road
4

Turn left onto Merriman Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Merriman Road
5

Turn right onto Schoolcraft Road

335 ft · 13 sec · Schoolcraft Road
6

Continue on Schoolcraft Road

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Schoolcraft Road
7

Take the ramp straight toward I 96 West

0.4 mi · 46 sec · I 96 West
8

Merge slight left onto Jeffries Freeway

3.3 mi · 3 min · Jeffries Freeway
9

Take the exit slight right toward I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, Lansing

0.9 mi · 1 min · I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, Lansing
10

Merge slight left onto Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway

23 mi · 24 min · Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
11

Take the exit slight right toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint

0.2 mi · 12 sec · US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint
12

Keep slight right to continue on US 23 North: Flint

0.7 mi · 55 sec · US 23 North: Flint
13

Merge slight left

79 mi · 1 hr 25 min
14

Keep slight left

63 mi · 1 hr 3 min
15

Keep slight left

118 mi · 2 hr 1 min
16

Take the exit slight right toward US 2: Manistique, Escanaba

0.4 mi · 1 min · US 2: Manistique, Escanaba
17

Merge slight left onto US-2 West

0.7 mi · 1 min · US-2 West
18

Continue on US 2

3.2 mi · 3 min · US 2
19

Continue on US-2 West

61 mi · 1 hr 11 min · US-2 West
20

Turn right

17 mi · 20 min
21

Turn sharp left onto M-28

35 mi · 41 min · M-28
22

Continue on Cedar Street

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Cedar Street
23

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Munising

194 ft · 11 sec · East Munising
24

Exit the roundabout onto East Munising

2.2 mi · 4 min · East Munising
25

Continue on M-28

36 mi · 42 min · M-28
26

Continue on Cherry Creek Road

1.8 mi · 2 min · Cherry Creek Road
27

Turn right onto County Road 480

13 mi · 18 min · County Road 480
28

Continue on Rail Street

0.4 mi · 36 sec · Rail Street
29

Turn right onto Division Street

502 ft · 11 sec · Division Street
30

Turn right onto West Main Street

440 ft · 13 sec · West Main Street
31

Turn left onto North Teal Lake Avenue

0.5 mi · 53 sec · North Teal Lake Avenue
32

Turn left onto US Highway 41

2.7 mi · 4 min · US Highway 41
33

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

82 ft · 5 sec · the route
34

Exit the roundabout

0.9 mi · 1 min
35

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

89 ft · 5 sec · the route
36

Exit the roundabout

52 mi · 1 hr 8 min
37

Turn right onto Broad Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Broad Street
38

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 258.9 miles from Livonia, MI, or about 4h 54m into the drive.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 114 miles or 2h 9m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 258.9 miles or 4h 54m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 258.9 miles or 4h 54m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 8h 41m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near L'Anse, MI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Livonia, MI 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Livonia, MI

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into L'Anse, MI

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 114 miles from Livonia, MI.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 258.9 mi from Livonia, MI · 4h 54m into the drive

city in Charlevoix County, Michigan, United States of America

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Boyne City, MI

171 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Downtown Laketon, MI, MI

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Laketon, MI

342 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Laketon, MI

Overnight Options

Night 1

Dafter, MI

259 mi · about 4.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near Dafter, MI after about 259 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Skidway Lake, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 114 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dafter, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 258.9 miles from Livonia, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 259 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.

Arriving in L'Anse, MI

The final approach into L'Anse, MI 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 L'Anse, MI.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach L'Anse, MI with some flexibility left in the schedule.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$80.97 one way

$161.94 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 181 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $88.90 $177.80
premium $4.89 $99.67 $199.33
diesel $5.61 $114.35 $228.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$81

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$211–$321

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 181.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 155.4 1 $54.38 $24.86
Efficient EV 129.5 1 $45.32 $20.72
EV Truck/SUV 207.2 2 $72.51 $33.15

Gas CO2

181 kg

EV CO2

61 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Livonia, MI

Late night in Livonia on Saturday

Local time

1:56 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

L'Anse, MI

Late night in L'Anse on Saturday

Local time

1:56 AM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

33°F

Laketon, MI

342 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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

7 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

9h 49m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Livonia, MI to L'Anse, MI covers 517.9 miles and takes about 9h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Plymouth Road, Merriman Road, Schoolcraft Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 259 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 258.9 miles from Livonia, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $80.97 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 2 meaningful breaks 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 9h 49m, 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 Livonia, MI to L'Anse, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Livonia, MI to L'Anse, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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