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Trip from Menomonee Falls, WI to Appleton, WI

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

1h 39m

Distance

88.6 mi

143 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 32m ★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 54m
10 AM
1h 45m
12 PM
1h 43m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 54m
8 PM
1h 35m

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

village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

Menomonee Falls, WI

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States

Appleton, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Menomonee Falls, WI to Appleton, WI covers 88.6 miles and takes about 1h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 41, South Memorial Drive, Tri-County Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 81.6 miles on I 41. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.85 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

44.3 miles from Menomonee Falls, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 1h 39m highway drive covering 88.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 41 and South Memorial Drive. The longest continuous stretch is about 81.6 miles on I 41.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 41 is the longest continuous segment at about 81.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 41 and South Memorial Drive. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.6 miles in near I 41; US 41.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 88.6 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 8.6 miles (I 41; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 83 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 83.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

8
8.6 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 41; US 41

Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton
8
83 mi into trip | ~1h 31m in

Take the exit toward US 10, WI 441 North: Stevens Point

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 134A Toward US 10, WI 441 North: Stevens Point
7
83.3 mi into trip | ~1h 31m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 10 East, WI 441 North

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

Exit 134A Toward US 10 East, WI 441 North
6
86 mi into trip | ~1h 34m in

Take the exit toward WI 47

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward WI 47
6
86.4 mi into trip | ~1h 35m in | WI 47 / Appleton Road

Enter roundabout onto WI 47 / Appleton Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 41 81.6 mi 1h 27m
South Memorial Drive 1.9 mi 2m
Tri-County Expressway 1.8 mi 2m
Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
Roland Kampo Memorial Bridge 0.5 mi <1m
Appleton Road 0.3 mi <1m
Pilgrim Road 0.3 mi <1m
West College Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 41 — 81.6 mi, about 1h 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Menomonee Falls, WI and Appleton, WI.

1

Start on WI 175

21 ft · 4 sec · Appleton Avenue
2

Turn left onto Main Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Main Street
3

Turn left onto Pilgrim Road

0.3 mi · 44 sec · Pilgrim Road
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 41 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Appleton, West Bend
5

Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45

7.2 mi · 7 min · I 41; US 41; US 45
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41

74 mi · 1 hr 19 min · I 41; US 41
Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton Use the slight left lane.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 19 sec
Exit 134A Toward US 10, WI 441 North: Stevens Point Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 45 sec
Exit 134A Toward US 10 East, WI 441 North
9

Merge onto US 10; WI 441

0.5 mi · 34 sec · Roland Kampo Memorial Bridge
10

Continue on US 10; WI 441

1.8 mi · 2 min · Tri-County Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward WI 47 Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

450 ft · 11 sec
13

Enter roundabout onto Appleton Road

256 ft · 4 sec · Appleton Road
14

Continue on Appleton Road

350 ft · 6 sec · Appleton Road
15

Enter roundabout onto WI 47

119 ft · 1 sec · Appleton Road
16

Continue on WI 47

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Appleton Road
17

Continue on WI 47

1.9 mi · 2 min · South Memorial Drive
Use the straight lane.
18

Turn straight

269 ft · 9 sec
19

Turn straight onto West College Avenue

204 ft · 34 sec · West College Avenue
20

Continue on West College Avenue

260 ft · 8 sec · West College Avenue
21

Arrive at destination

West College Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 44.3 miles from Menomonee Falls, WI, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 81.6 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 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 44.3 miles or 49m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 22m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Menomonee Falls, 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 Menomonee Falls, WI

This is one driving day of about 88.6 miles and 1h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Menomonee Falls, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 41 for about 81.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 44.3 mi from Menomonee Falls, WI · 49m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waukegan, IL

44 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

Waukegan, IL

Fuel and coffee

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

Waukegan, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.3 miles from Menomonee Falls, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Appleton, WI

The final approach into Appleton, 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 Appleton, WI.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.85 one way

$27.70 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $15.21 $30.42
premium $4.89 $17.05 $34.10
diesel $5.61 $19.56 $39.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 31 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.6 0 $9.30 $4.25
Efficient EV 22.2 0 $7.75 $3.54
EV Truck/SUV 35.4 0 $12.40 $5.67

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Menomonee Falls, WI

Evening in Menomonee Falls on Tuesday

Local time

8:31 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Appleton, WI

Evening in Appleton on Tuesday

Local time

8:31 PM

CDT

Current temp

45°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

4 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

1h 39m 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 Menomonee Falls, WI to Appleton, WI covers 88.6 miles and takes about 1h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 41, South Memorial Drive, Tri-County 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 44.3 miles from Menomonee Falls, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.85 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 demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 88.6 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 8.6 miles (I 41; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 83 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 83.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Menomonee Falls, WI to Appleton, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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