Origin
Suwanee, GA
Late night in Suwanee on Friday
Local time
2:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Suwanee, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
14m
Distance
7.8 mi
13 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Suwanee, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Sami Laughlin
Trip Overview
The drive from Suwanee, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA covers 7.8 miles and takes about 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Buford Highway, Duluth Highway, Meadow Lark Drive Northwest for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.5 miles on Buford Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 7.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 14m drive with frequent turns across 7.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Buford Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; near the start (US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles (GA 120 / Duluth Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway
Straight onto US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
GA 120 / Duluth Highway
Turn left onto GA 120 / Duluth Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Robin Lane Northwest
At end of road, turn right onto Robin Lane Northwest
Navigation decision point
4
7.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Turn right onto Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Buford Highway | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Duluth Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Meadow Lark Drive Northwest | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Robin Lane Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Buford Highway
— 5.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Suwanee, GA and Cardinal Lake Estates, GA.
1
Start on US 23; GA 13
153 ft
·
2 sec
·
Buford Highway
2
Enter roundabout onto US 23; GA 13
110 ft
·
1 sec
·
Buford Highway
3
Continue on US 23; GA 13
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Buford Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto GA 120
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Duluth Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Meadow Lark Drive Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Meadow Lark Drive Northwest
6
At end of road, turn right onto Robin Lane Northwest
525 ft
·
24 sec
·
Robin Lane Northwest
7
Turn right onto Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
8
Arrive at destination
Cardinal Lake Circle Northwest
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.22 one way
$2.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.33 | $2.67 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.44 | $2.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.72 | $3.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.82 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.68 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Cardinal Lake Estates, GA
Late night in Cardinal Lake Estates on Friday
Local time
2:33 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
5 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
14m 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 Suwanee, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA covers 7.8 miles and takes about 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Buford Highway, Duluth Highway, Meadow Lark Drive Northwest. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.9 miles from Suwanee, GA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.22 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 straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; near the start (US 23; GA 13 / Buford Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles (GA 120 / Duluth Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Suwanee, GA to Cardinal Lake Estates, GA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
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