Origin
California, MD
Afternoon in California on Wednesday
Local time
2:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from California, MD to Bethesda, MD
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
1h 39m
Distance
77 mi
124 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 32m
★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 55m
10 AM
1h 45m
12 PM
1h 43m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 54m
8 PM
1h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
California, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from California, MD to Bethesda, MD covers 77 miles and takes about 1h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Three Notch Road, Leonardtown Road, Mattawoman Beantown Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.77 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
38.5 miles from California, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 39m drive with frequent turns across 77 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 44 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Three Notch Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from California, MD to Bethesda, MD is easy. At 1h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from California, MD to Bethesda, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Three Notch Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Leonardtown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Mattawoman Beantown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Crain Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Branch Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Naylor Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Naylor Road Southeast | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Marion Barry Avenue Southeast | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Three Notch Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between California, MD and Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on Shady Mile Drive
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Shady Mile Drive
2
Turn right onto Three Notch Road
22 mi
·
30 min
·
Three Notch Road
3
Continue on Leonardtown Road
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Leonardtown Road
4
Turn right onto Mattawoman Beantown Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Mattawoman Beantown Road
5
Merge slight left onto Crain Highway
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Crain Highway
6
Keep slight left to continue on Branch Avenue
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Branch Avenue
7
Keep slight right to continue on Branch Avenue
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Branch Avenue
8
Take the exit left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
9
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Naylor Road
128 ft
·
3 sec
·
Naylor Road
10
Exit the roundabout onto Naylor Road
381 ft
·
13 sec
·
Naylor Road
11
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Naylor Road
49 ft
·
1 sec
·
Naylor Road
12
Exit the roundabout onto Naylor Road
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Naylor Road
13
Turn straight
295 ft
·
10 sec
14
Turn slight right onto Naylor Road Southeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Naylor Road Southeast
15
Turn left onto Marion Barry Avenue Southeast
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Marion Barry Avenue Southeast
16
Turn right onto Martin Luther King Junior Avenue Southeast
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Martin Luther King Junior Avenue Southeast
17
Continue on 11th Street Southeast
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
11th Street Southeast
18
Take the ramp left toward I 695 West
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 695 West
19
Merge slight left onto Southeast Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Freeway
20
Continue on Southwest Freeway
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Southwest Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward Maine Avenue Southwest, 12th Street Northwest, Downtown
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Maine Avenue Southwest, 12th Street Northwest, Downtown
22
Keep slight right to continue on 12th Street Northwest, Downtown
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
12th Street Northwest, Downtown
23
Keep slight left to continue on D Street
512 ft
·
16 sec
·
D Street
24
Turn right onto 12th Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
12th Street Southwest
25
Turn left onto Independence Avenue Southwest
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Independence Avenue Southwest
26
Keep slight right to continue on 17th Street Southwest
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
17th Street Southwest
27
Continue on 17th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
17th Street Northwest
28
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
29
Turn right onto 22nd Street Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
22nd Street Northwest
30
Turn left onto P Street Northwest
210 ft
·
8 sec
·
P Street Northwest
31
Turn right
522 ft
·
19 sec
32
Turn straight onto Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Northwest
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Northwest
33
Turn slight right onto Massachusetts Avenue
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
34
Continue on Waterside Drive Northwest
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Waterside Drive Northwest
35
Turn left onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
2.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
36
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
213 ft
·
6 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
37
Exit the roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
38
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Westmoreland Circle
200 ft
·
3 sec
·
Westmoreland Circle
39
Exit the rotary onto Massachusetts Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Massachusetts Avenue
40
Turn right onto Little Falls Parkway
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Little Falls Parkway
41
Turn right onto Arlington Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Arlington Road
42
Turn left onto Bethesda Avenue
512 ft
·
22 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
43
Turn left
46 ft
·
3 sec
44
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.5 miles from California, MD, or about 49m into the drive.
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 77 miles or 1h 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.5 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bethesda, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving California, MD 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 California, MD
This is one driving day of about 77 miles and 1h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from California, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 38.5 mi from California, MD · 49m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 77 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.5 miles from California, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bethesda, MD
The final approach into Bethesda, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Bethesda, MD.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.77 one way
$25.53 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $13.98 | $27.96 |
| premium | $4.93 | $14.93 | $29.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.00 | $34.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.08 | $3.70 |
| Efficient EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.74 | $3.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.78 | $4.93 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Bethesda, MD
Afternoon in Bethesda on Wednesday
Local time
2:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
1h 39m 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 California, MD to Bethesda, MD covers 77 miles and takes about 1h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Three Notch Road, Leonardtown Road, Mattawoman Beantown Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 38.5 miles from California, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.77 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.
The drive from California, MD to Bethesda, MD is easy. At 1h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from California, MD to Bethesda, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from California, MD to Bethesda, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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