Origin
Smyrna, GA
Evening in Smyrna on Friday
Local time
8:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smyrna, GA to Druid Hills, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
65.6 mi
106 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smyrna, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Druid Hills, GA
Enam Sape
Trip Overview
The drive from Smyrna, GA to Druid Hills, GA covers 65.6 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Purple Heart Highway, Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, Madison Bypass for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 46.9 miles on Purple Heart Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.26 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 65.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 18m drive with frequent turns across 65.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 46.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.6 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 62.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 62.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
7
62.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward US 23: Moreland Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 60
Toward US 23: Moreland Avenue
10
62.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Carter Center, Emory
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 60
Toward Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Carte...
5
62.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
US 23; GA 42 / Moreland Avenue Southeast
Merge onto US 23; GA 42 / Moreland Avenue Southeast
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
65.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
The By Way Northeast
Turn right onto The By Way Northeast
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 46.9 mi | 50m |
| Ralph David Abernathy Freeway | 7.4 mi | 8m |
| Madison Bypass | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Greensboro Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Moreland Avenue Northeast | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Eatonton Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Oakdale Road Northeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Moreland Avenue Southeast | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 46.9 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, GA and Druid Hills, GA.
1
Start on Buckhead Road
103 ft
·
6 sec
·
Buckhead Road
2
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Greensboro Road
3
Turn left onto US 129 Bypass; US 441 Bypass; GA 24 Bypass
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Madison Bypass
4
Continue on US 129; US 441; GA 24
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Eatonton Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 20 West: Atlanta
6
Continue on I 20
47 mi
·
50 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 20
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 60
Toward US 23: Moreland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
191 ft
·
4 sec
Exit 60
Toward Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Carter Center, Emory
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto US 23; GA 42
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Moreland Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 23; GA 42
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Moreland Avenue Northeast
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn right onto US 23; US 29; US 78; US 278; GA 8; GA 10
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ponce de Leon Avenue Northeast
13
Turn left onto Oakdale Road Northeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Oakdale Road Northeast
14
Turn right onto The By Way Northeast
91 ft
·
3 sec
·
The By Way Northeast
15
Arrive at destination
The By Way Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.8 mi from Smyrna, GA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from Smyrna, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Druid Hills, GA
The final approach into Druid Hills, GA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.26 one way
$20.52 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.22 | $22.43 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.14 | $24.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.48 | $28.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.89 | $3.15 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.18 | $4.20 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Druid Hills, GA
Evening in Druid Hills on Friday
Local time
8:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Oxford, GA
33 mi in
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
6 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 18m 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 Smyrna, GA to Druid Hills, GA covers 65.6 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Highway, Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, Madison Bypass. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.8 miles from Smyrna, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.26 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.6 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 62.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 62.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Smyrna, GA to Druid Hills, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Druid Hills, GA
More trips to Druid Hills, GA
Explore more options from Smyrna, GA or browse trips ending in Druid Hills, GA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse GA road trips.