Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
49.6 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Annapolis, MD
Wikimedia Commons
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Annapolis to La Plata is 49.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via Crain Highway, John Hanson Highway, and North West Crain Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a local feel with frequent turns rather than a long, straight highway journey. With a relatively short distance and duration, this trip is best suited for a single-day excursion, offering a straightforward way to travel between these two Maryland locations.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Crain Highway | 27.1 mi | 40m |
| John Hanson Highway | 10.7 mi | 13m |
| North West Crain Highway | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Roscoe Rowe Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| US 301 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Charles Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Bladen Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| College Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Annapolis, MD and La Plata, MD.
Start on School Street
Enter roundabout onto MD 450
Continue on MD 450
Turn left onto MD 70
Continue on MD 70
Take the ramp
Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2
Take the exit onto US 301
Keep slight left at fork onto US 301
Keep slight right at fork onto US 301
Merge onto US 301
Continue on US 301
Turn left onto MD 6
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.8 miles from Annapolis, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto MD 450 / College Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Take the exit onto US 301 toward MD 3, US 301: Crofton, Richmond
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 301 toward US 301 South: Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 301 toward US 301 South: Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto US 301 / North West Crain Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.22 one way
$16.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.01 | $18.01 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.62 | $19.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.34 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.94 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Annapolis on Saturday
Local time
4:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in La Plata on Saturday
Local time
4:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' with only a 2 (or 50%) highway share, suggesting a significant portion involves navigating local roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 27.1 miles on Crain Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you're back to navigating intersections. The profile indicates a drive that requires attention to frequent turns and changes in speed, typical of local byways rather than a high-speed interstate.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MD 450 / College Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.6 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (MD 450 / College Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.8 miles (US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles (US 301): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Annapolis, MD to La Plata, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Richmond along the way.
Richmond
La Plata is a city in Southern Maryland. It is the county seat of Charles County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 49.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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.
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