Origin
Macon, GA
Afternoon in Macon on Saturday
Local time
4:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Macon, GA to Wilmington Island, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 20m
Distance
175.3 mi
282 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 9m
★
6 AM
3h 21m
8 AM
3h 45m
10 AM
3h 29m
12 PM
3h 27m
3 PM
3h 30m
5 PM
3h 43m
8 PM
3h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Macon, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Wilmington Island, GA
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Macon, GA to Wilmington Island, GA covers 175.3 miles and takes about 3h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway, Johnny Mercer Boulevard, East Victory Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 162.4 miles on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.41 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
87.6 miles from Macon, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 36m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway | 162.4 mi | 2h 55m |
| Johnny Mercer Boulevard | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| East Victory Drive | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| GA 204 | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Penn Waller Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Riverside Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Bee Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Olde Towne Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
— 162.4 mi, about 2h 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Macon, GA and Wilmington Island, GA.
1
Start on Mulberry Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mulberry Street
2
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Spring Street
3
Turn right onto US 129; GA 11; GA 87
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto US 80; GA 87
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 16 East: Savannah
6
Merge onto I 16
162 mi
·
2 hr 55 min
·
Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto GA 204
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
GA 204
Exit 165
Toward 37th Street, Abercorn Street
8
Turn right onto Bee Road
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Bee Road
9
Turn left onto US 80; GA 26
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
East Victory Drive
10
Turn right onto Johnny Mercer Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Johnny Mercer Boulevard
11
Keep slight left at fork onto Johnny Mercer Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnny Mercer Boulevard
12
Turn right onto Penn Waller Road
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Penn Waller Road
13
Turn right
289 ft
·
15 sec
14
Turn straight onto Olde Towne Road
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Olde Towne Road
15
Turn left onto Gloucester Road
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Gloucester Road
16
Turn left onto Wigmore Road
336 ft
·
19 sec
·
Wigmore Road
17
Turn left onto Wigmore Court
463 ft
·
20 sec
·
Wigmore Court
18
Arrive at destination
Wigmore Court
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 87.6 miles from Macon, GA, or about 1h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 162.4 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 39 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.6 miles or 1h 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wilmington Island, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Macon, GA 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 Macon, GA
This is one driving day of about 175.3 miles and 3h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Macon, GA.
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 Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway for about 162.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
88 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 87.6 miles from Macon, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 162.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 175 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive
Turn right onto US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 16 East: Savannah
Navigation decision point
Toward I 16 East: Savannah
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
Merge onto I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
163.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 58m in
|
GA 204
Take the exit onto GA 204 toward 37th Street, Abercorn Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 165
Toward 37th Street, Abercorn Street
5
175 mi into trip
|
~3h 19m in
|
Gloucester Road
Turn left onto Gloucester Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.41 one way
$54.83 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
61 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $29.97 | $59.95 |
| premium | $4.70 | $32.44 | $64.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $38.70 | $77.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 52.6 | 0 | $18.41 | $8.41 |
| Efficient EV | 43.8 | 0 | $15.34 | $7.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.1 | 0 | $24.54 | $11.22 |
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% 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
Wilmington Island, GA
Afternoon in Wilmington Island on Saturday
Local time
4:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°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
8 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
3h 20m 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?
175.3 mi in 3h 20m, mostly highway — 162.4 mi of that is on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 162.4 mi on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway and Johnny Mercer Boulevard. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 20m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 20m. Total distance: 175.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 162.4 miles on Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 129; GA 11; GA 87 / Riverside Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 16 / Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Wilmington Island, GA, but most travelers stay overnight.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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