How far is Akron, MI from Grand Rapids, MI?

The driving distance from Akron, MI to Grand Rapids, MI is about 172.7 miles (277.9 km), with a travel time of about 02h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 116.1 miles (186.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 21m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
172.7 mi
02h 40m
Flight
116.14 mi
186.91 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Akron.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
116.14 mi
Kilometers
186.91 km
Flight Time
00h 14m

Driving Distance

Road route
172.7 mi
Kilometers
277.93 km
Drive Time
02h 40m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 02h 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Grand Rapids
Tue, Apr 14, 10:46 PM EDT
Return by in Akron
Wed, Apr 15, 1:27 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Akron
2026-04-14T20:05
Arrive Grand Rapids
Tue, Apr 14, 10:46 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:41 AM to 12:41 PM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:08 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Akron
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Alma
MI

City in Michigan, USA

From Akron
73.7 mi
01h 20m
To Grand Rapids
99 mi
01h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
14 to 18 mph SSW
Destination
72°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 14 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Akron and Grand Rapids.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Akron and Grand Rapids.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    649 ft · 29 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Beach Street

    2519 ft · 43 sec · Beach Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Akron Road

    1.6 km · 1 min · Akron Road

  4. 4

    Turn slight left onto Thomas Road

    2.3 mi · 3 min · Thomas Road

  5. 5

    Continue on North Main Street

    1 km · 58 sec · North Main Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Center Street

    2658 ft · 1 min · Center Street

  7. 7

    Continue on Fairgrove Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Fairgrove Road

  8. 8

    Turn left onto North Vassar Road

    8 mi · 11 min · North Vassar Road

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West Sanilac Road

    5.9 mi · 7 min · West Sanilac Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Holland Avenue

    9.7 mi · 11 min · Holland Avenue

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Holland Avenue

    35 m · 6 sec · East Holland Avenue

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto East Holland Avenue

    1099 ft · 16 sec · East Holland Avenue

  13. 13

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Holland Avenue

    32 m · 6 sec · East Holland Avenue

  14. 14

    Exit the roundabout onto East Holland Avenue

    1.1 mi · 1 min · East Holland Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn slight right onto East Remington Street

    1.1 mi · 1 min · East Remington Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Sheridan Avenue

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Sheridan Avenue

  17. 17

    Continue on Williams Street

    2311 ft · 34 sec · Williams Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Gratiot Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Gratiot Avenue

  19. 19

    Continue on Gratiot Road

    11.4 mi · 13 min · Gratiot Road

  20. 20

    Continue on East Saginaw Street

    3158 ft · 41 sec · East Saginaw Street

  21. 21

    Continue on North Saginaw Street

    715 ft · 9 sec · North Saginaw Street

  22. 22

    Continue on Gratiot Road

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Gratiot Road

  23. 23

    Continue on Saginaw Street

    2661 ft · 1 min · Saginaw Street

  24. 24

    Continue on West Saginaw Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · West Saginaw Street

  25. 25

    Continue on Gratiot Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Gratiot Road

  26. 26

    Continue on East Monroe Road

    5 mi · 7 min · East Monroe Road

  27. 27

    Continue on East Saginaw Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · East Saginaw Street

  28. 28

    Continue on East Monroe Road

    5.4 mi · 7 min · East Monroe Road

  29. 29

    Continue on East Washington Street

    3137 ft · 1 min · East Washington Street

  30. 30

    Continue on West Washington Avenue

    3042 ft · 1 min · West Washington Avenue

  31. 31

    Continue on West Monroe Road

    11 mi · 15 min · West Monroe Road

  32. 32

    Continue on Northwest Monroe Road

    2394 ft · 37 sec · Northwest Monroe Road

  33. 33

    Continue on Howard City Edmore Road

    9.1 mi · 12 min · Howard City Edmore Road

  34. 34

    Continue on East Main Street

    1.3 mi · 3 min · East Main Street

  35. 35

    Continue on Howard City-Edmore Road

    960 ft · 20 sec · Howard City-Edmore Road

  36. 36

    Continue on Howard City Edmore Road Northeast

    21 mi · 29 min · Howard City Edmore Road Northeast

  37. 37

    Continue on West Edgar Road

    2 mi · 3 min · West Edgar Road

  38. 38

    Take the exit left toward US 131 South: Grand Rapids

    34 mi · 35 min

  39. 39

    Take the exit slight left toward I 196 East: Lansing

    1720 ft · 47 sec

  40. 40

    Merge slight right onto Gerald R Ford Freeway

    765 ft · 10 sec · Gerald R Ford Freeway

  41. 41

    Take the exit slight right toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown

    137 m · 11 sec

  42. 42

    Keep slight right to continue on Downtown

    127 m · 10 sec

  43. 43

    Continue on Ottawa Avenue Northwest

    2177 ft · 1 min · Ottawa Avenue Northwest

  44. 44

    Turn left onto Monroe Center Street Northwest

    801 ft · 31 sec · Monroe Center Street Northwest

  45. 45

    Turn right onto Division Avenue North

    56 m · 11 sec · Division Avenue North

  46. 46

    Turn right onto Fulton Street West

    17 m · 2 sec · Fulton Street West

  47. 47

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Fulton Street West

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Akron and Grand Rapids.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
47 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
1 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
27.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 131 South
34 mi · 20%
Howard City Edmore Road Northeast
21 mi · 12%
Gratiot Road
16.7 mi · 10%
West Monroe Road
11 mi · 6%
East Monroe Road
10.4 mi · 6%
Holland Avenue
9.71 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

US 131 South

Take the exit left toward US 131 South: Grand Rapids

34 mi · 00h 35m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 40m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+56.6 mi
116.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Alma
01h 20m from Akron
Leave By
1:08 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Akron and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Grand Rapids.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Akron to Grand Rapids?

The road trip is about 172.7 miles (277.9 km) and usually takes 02h 40m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Alma is a useful midpoint, sitting about 73.7 miles from Akron and 99 miles from Grand Rapids.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 116.1 miles (186.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 56.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:08 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $22.97 one way or $45.93 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Akron and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Grand Rapids.

Stop Ideas Near Alma

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Alma, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Alma.

BUS

Owosso, MI

58 mi away
109 Comstock Street
BUS

Saginaw, MI

59 mi away
511 Johnson Street
BUS

Howard City, Michigan

65 mi away
130 North Ensley St.
BUS

Bay City, MI

67 mi away
1124 Washington Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Akron and Grand Rapids. Straight-line distance: 116.14 mi (186.91 km).

Akron

#1 Akron

Village in Tuscola County, Michigan, United States

Population373
Coordinates43.5680800, -83.5141300
Altitude195
CountryUnited States
Grand Rapids

#2 Grand Rapids

The second most populous city in Michigan.

Population200,031
Coordinates42.9633600, -85.6680900
Altitude195
CountryUnited States
Start: Main Street (-83.5143, 43.56808)
End: West Fulton Street (-85.668091, 42.963218)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 278 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 52m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.09 gal
23.07 L · about $22.97
Round trip
$45.93
12.18 gal · 46.14 L
Estimated CO2
54.1 kg one way
Round trip: 108.2 kg / 239 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $22.97 $45.93
Mid-grade $4.25 $25.90 $51.80
Premium $4.65 $28.34 $56.69
Diesel $5.30 $32.30 $64.60

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Michigan · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Akron and Grand Rapids. The current time is 20:05:24.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.