Origin
Saint Paul, MN
Night in Saint Paul on Thursday
Local time
10:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Paul, MN to Wayzata, MN
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
32m
Distance
22.5 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Wayzata, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Paul, MN to Wayzata, MN covers 22.5 miles and takes about 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Purple Heart Memorial Highway, I 394, US 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.9 miles on Purple Heart Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 22.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Saint Paul, MN to Wayzata, MN covers 22.5 miles and takes about 32m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 22.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35E South, I 94 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35E South, I 94 West
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 94 West
8
10.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 394 West, US 12 West
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 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
US 12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 12
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward CR 101 South: Wayzata Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 155A
Toward CR 101 South: Wayzata Boulevard
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Memorial Highway | 9.9 mi | 13m |
| I 394 | 8 mi | 10m |
| US 12 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Wayzata Boulevard West | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Wabasha Street North | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Chicago Avenue North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Gleason Lake Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Memorial Highway
— 9.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Paul, MN and Wayzata, MN.
1
Start on Wabasha Street North
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Wabasha Street North
2
Take the ramp
347 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 94 West
3
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 94 West
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 94
9.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Purple Heart Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 394
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 12
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 155A
Toward CR 101 South: Wayzata Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto Gleason Lake Road
212 ft
·
6 sec
·
Gleason Lake Road
10
Turn right onto CR 101
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Wayzata Boulevard West
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Chicago Avenue North
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Chicago Avenue North
12
Arrive at destination
Chicago Avenue North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.35 one way
$6.70 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.61 | $7.22 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.01 | $8.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.97 | $9.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.36 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Wayzata, MN
Night in Wayzata on Thursday
Local time
10:48 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
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
32m 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 Saint Paul, MN to Wayzata, MN covers 22.5 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Memorial Highway, I 394, US 12. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.3 miles from Saint Paul, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.35 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 short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 22.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Saint Paul, MN to Wayzata, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Wayzata, MN
Explore more options from Saint Paul, MN or browse trips ending in Wayzata, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.