The drive from Valley, AL to Florence, AL covers 248.7 miles and takes about 5h 6m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 280, University of North Alabama Highway, I 65 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 104.5 miles on US 280.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
124.4 miles from Valley, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 6m. Total distance: 248.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 6m highway drive covering 248.7 miles, with most of the trip on US 280 and University of North Alabama Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 104.5 miles on US 280.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 280 is the longest continuous segment at about 104.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 280 and University of North Alabama Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Fob James Drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 248.7 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 0.4 miles (Fob James Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 21.1 miles (US 280): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Fob James Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Fob James Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
2.9 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I-85 South: Montgomery
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I-85 South: Montgomery
8
21.1 mi into trip|~26m in|US 280
Keep slight right at fork onto US 280 toward US 280 West: Opelika, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 280 West: Opelika, Birmingham
6
182.5 mi into trip|~3h 43m in
Take the exit toward AL 157: Cullman, Moulton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 310
Toward AL 157: Cullman, Moulton
6
248.4 mi into trip|~5h 5m in|West Doctor Hicks Boulevard
Turn left onto West Doctor Hicks Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Valley, AL and Florence, AL, road signs point toward Birmingham and Moulton.
Birmingham
20.7 mi in|~25m|via US 280
Moulton
182.5 mi in|~3h 43m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 280
104.5 mi
2h 10m
University of North Alabama Highway
55.4 mi
1h 6m
I 65
47.6 mi
51m
I 85
17.6 mi
18m
Woodward Avenue
4.2 mi
7m
Wheeler Highway
4.2 mi
5m
Birmingham Highway
3 mi
3m
Red Mountain Expressway
2.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 280
— 104.5 mi, about 2h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valley, AL and Florence, AL.
1
Start on 55th Street West
0.2 mi·52 sec·55th Street West
2
Turn right onto 23rd Boulevard West
0.2 mi·39 sec·23rd Boulevard West
3
At end of road, turn right onto Fob James Drive
2.4 mi·4 min·Fob James Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on CR 208
0.1 mi·20 sec·South Phillips Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward I-85 South: MontgomeryUse the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 85
18 mi·18 min·I 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 280
0.4 mi·44 sec·US 280
Toward US 280 West: Opelika, Birmingham
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 280
285 ft·6 sec·US 280
Toward US 280 West: Opelika, BirminghamUse the right lane.
9
Merge onto US 280
1.5 mi·2 min·Gateway Drive
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 280
3.0 mi·3 min·Birmingham Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 280
104 mi·2 hr 9 min·US 280
Use the right lane.
12
Take the exit onto US 280
0.4 mi·29 sec·US 280
Toward US 31 North, US 280 West: Birmingham
13
Merge onto US 31; US 280
2.9 mi·3 min·Red Mountain Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on US 31
1.5 mi·3 min·Carraway Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn left onto AL 378
0.6 mi·1 min·Finley Boulevard
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto 19th Street North
49 ft·1 sec·19th Street North
17
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 65 North
18
Merge onto I 65
48 mi·51 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 310Toward AL 157: Cullman, Moulton
20
Turn left onto AL 157
200 ft·3 sec·Section Line Road
21
Continue on AL 157
55 mi·1 hr 6 min·University of North Alabama Highway
Use the straight lane.
22
Merge onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20; AL 157
4.2 mi·5 min·Wheeler Highway
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn right onto US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17
4.2 mi·7 min·Woodward Avenue
Use the straight lane.
24
Take the exit onto US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20
1.8 mi·3 min·US 43; US 72; AL 13; AL 17; AL 20
Use the slight right lane.
25
Turn left onto West Doctor Hicks Boulevard
437 ft·15 sec·West Doctor Hicks Boulevard
Use the left lane.
26
Turn right onto South Pine Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·South Pine Street
27
Arrive at destination
North Pine Street
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 124.4 miles from Valley, AL, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.5 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 55 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.4 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florence, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Valley, AL 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 Valley, AL
This is one driving day of about 248.7 miles and 5h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Valley, AL.
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 US 280 for about 104.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 124.4 mi from Valley, AL
· 2h 35m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Free
near mile 129.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.56 one way
$75.12 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg87 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$41.23
$82.46
premium
$4.56
$44.64
$89.28
diesel
$5.61
$54.91
$109.82
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
74.6
0
$26.11
$11.94
Efficient EV
62.2
0
$21.76
$9.95
EV Truck/SUV
99.5
1
$34.82
$15.92
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Valley, AL
Morning
in Valley on Friday
Local time
11:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Florence, AL
Morning
in Florence on Friday
Local time
11:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 6m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Valley, AL to Florence, AL covers 248.7 miles and takes about 5h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 280, University of North Alabama Highway, I 65. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 124.4 miles from Valley, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.56 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 248.7 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 0.4 miles (Fob James Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 21.1 miles (US 280): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Valley, AL and Florence, AL, road signs point toward Birmingham and Moulton.
