Origin
Bowie, MD
Evening in Bowie on Thursday
Local time
6:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Hampton, MD
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
43.6 mi
70 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Hampton, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
The drive from Bowie, MD to Hampton, MD covers 43.6 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 97, Robert Crain Highway, Harbor Tunnel Thruway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.4 miles on I 97. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m 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 3m drive with frequent turns across 43.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 97 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 around 11.4 miles in near I 97.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 97
Merge onto I 97
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
34 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward I 695 West, I 695 East: Towson, Essex
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 64
Toward I 695 West, I 695 East: Towson, Essex
7
42.1 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward MD 146 North: Dulaney Valley Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 27B
Toward MD 146 North: Dulaney Valley Road
8
42.4 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 146 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward MD 146 North
6
42.4 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
MD 146 / Dulaney Valley Road
Turn right onto MD 146 / Dulaney Valley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bowie, MD to Hampton, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Essex along the way.
Essex
34 mi in
|
~48m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 97 | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| Robert Crain Highway | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 7 mi | 10m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| North East Crain Highway | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Harbor Tunnel Throughway | 2 mi | 2m |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Baltimore Harbor Tunnel | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 97
— 10.4 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Hampton, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
Turn right onto MD 197
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
5
Turn left onto US 301
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North East Crain Highway
6
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
7
Merge onto I 97
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto Harbor Tunnel Throughway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
9
Continue on I 895
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 895
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
11
Continue on I 895
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 895
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
13
Merge onto I 95
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 64
Toward I 695 West, I 695 East: Towson, Essex
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 695 West: Towson
16
Merge onto I 695
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 27B
Toward MD 146 North: Dulaney Valley Road
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
174 ft
·
5 sec
Toward MD 146 North
Use the left / right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto Hampton Lane
213 ft
·
10 sec
·
Hampton Lane
20
Turn right onto MD 146
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Dulaney Valley Road
Use the right lane.
21
Turn right onto Saint Francis Road
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Saint Francis Road
22
Keep slight right at fork onto Saint Francis Road
93 ft
·
3 sec
·
Saint Francis Road
23
Arrive at destination
Saint Francis Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.8 mi from Bowie, MD · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Bowie, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Hampton, MD
The final approach into Hampton, MD 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
$7.23 one way
$14.46 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.92 | $15.83 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.63 | $19.25 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.48
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
(7 mi)
$0.48
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Hampton, MD
Evening in Hampton on Thursday
Local time
6:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°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
4 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 3m 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 Bowie, MD to Hampton, MD covers 43.6 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 97, Robert Crain Highway, Harbor Tunnel Thruway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.8 miles from Bowie, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.23 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 43.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Bowie, MD to Hampton, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Essex along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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