Trip from Cambridge, MA to Cotuit, MA

Data updated 2 minutes ago

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

70 mi

113 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min

4 AM

1h 37m ★

6 AM

1h 45m

8 AM

2h 0m

10 AM

1h 50m

12 PM

1h 49m

3 PM

1h 51m

5 PM

1h 59m

8 PM

1h 40m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America

Cambridge, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Cotuit, MA

Italo Melo

Trip Overview

This 70-mile drive from Cambridge, MA, to Cotuit, MA, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 44 minutes. The route primarily utilizes MA 3 and Pilgrims Highway, with a significant portion on the Southeast Expressway, making about 60% of the journey highway driving. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this trip is quite economical for a single day's excursion. Both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region, offering a familiar travel environment. This drive is straightforward, ideal for a quick getaway without needing an overnight stay.

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

35 miles from Cambridge, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a mixed drive experience on this route, blending efficient highway travel with some potentially less direct road segments. Roughly 60% of the drive will be on highways, including MA 3 and Pilgrims Highway, which generally allow for steady progress. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 31.4 miles on MA 3, providing a good opportunity to settle in. As you move from the urban outskirts of Cambridge towards the Cape Cod region, the character of the drive may subtly shift, though the main roads keep the pace relatively consistent.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

MA 3 is the longest continuous segment at about 31.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cambridge Street.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 70 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 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (MA 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles (I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Cambridge Street

Turn left onto Cambridge Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

2.1 mi into trip | ~7m in | MA 3

Take the exit onto MA 3 toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport

2.6 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3 / John F. Fitzgerald Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

13.2 mi into trip | ~23m in | MA 3

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3 toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 7 Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod

60.5 mi into trip | ~1h 23m in

Take the exit toward MA 130: Sandwich, Mashpee

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 59 Toward MA 130: Sandwich, Mashpee

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 Cambridge, MA to Cotuit, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Mashpee along the way.

Mashpee

60.5 mi in | ~1h 23m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
MA 3	31.4 mi	40m
Pilgrims Highway	12 mi	15m
Southeast Expressway	8 mi	10m
Cotuit Road	4.7 mi	11m
Mid Cape Highway	3.7 mi	5m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway	2.7 mi	4m
Main Street	2.5 mi	4m
Cambridge Street	1.6 mi	5m

Longest stretch: MA 3 — 31.4 mi, about 40m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Cotuit, MA.

Start on Leonard Avenue

267 ft · 16 sec · Leonard Avenue

Turn left onto Cambridge Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Cambridge Street

Use the straight lane.

Continue on Cambridge Street

1.3 mi · 4 min · Cambridge Street

Use the straight lane.

Merge onto MA 28

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Monsignor O'Brien Highway

Continue on MA 28

0.3 mi · 1 min · Charles River Dam Road

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit onto MA 3

0.5 mi · 1 min · MA 3

Toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3

2.7 mi · 4 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3

8.0 mi · 10 min · Southeast Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3

31 mi · 39 min · MA 3

Exit 7 Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod Use the slight left lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto MA 3

12 mi · 15 min · Pilgrims Highway

Continue on MA 3

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Pilgrim Highway

Continue on US 6

0.4 mi · 45 sec · Sagamore Bridge

Continue on US 6

3.7 mi · 5 min · Mid Cape Highway

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec

Exit 59 Toward MA 130: Sandwich, Mashpee

Keep slight right at fork

153 ft · 4 sec

Turn straight onto MA 130

1.6 mi · 3 min · Forestdale Road

Turn left onto Cotuit Road

2.2 mi · 5 min · Cotuit Road

Continue on Sandwich Cotuit Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Sandwich Cotuit Road

Continue on Cotuit Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Cotuit Road

Enter roundabout onto Cotuit Road

76 ft · 4 sec · Cotuit Road

Continue on Cotuit Road

1.5 mi · 3 min · Cotuit Road

At end of road, turn left onto MA 130

0.8 mi · 1 min · Main Street

Continue on MA 130

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Cotuit Road

Turn left onto MA 28

360 ft · 10 sec · Falmouth Road

Turn right onto Main Street

1.7 mi · 3 min · Main Street

Turn right onto School Street

416 ft · 13 sec · School Street

Turn left

208 ft · 15 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Given the modest 1 hour and 44-minute duration, this trip is perfectly suited for a single day. You can depart Cambridge at your convenience, perhaps aiming to miss the worst of peak traffic by leaving mid-morning or early afternoon. There are no specific stops recommended in the data, so you have the flexibility to make spontaneous breaks or push through to Cotuit directly. Keep an eye on fuel levels, as the $11 estimated cost suggests a relatively efficient journey. A practical tip for this route is to be aware of potential traffic on the Southeast Expressway, especially during traditional commuting hours, which could extend your travel time beyond the estimated 1 hour and 44 minutes.

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 35 miles from Cambridge, MA, or about 51m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 31.4 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 70 miles or 1h 44m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 35 miles or 51m 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 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cotuit, MA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Cambridge, MA 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 Cambridge, MA

This is one driving day of about 70 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cambridge, MA.

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.

The longest stretch is on MA 3 for about 31.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 35 mi from Cambridge, MA · 51m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brookhaven, NY

35 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

Boston, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Boston, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35 miles from Cambridge, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cotuit, MA

The final approach into Cotuit, MA 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 Cotuit, MA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.20 one way

$22.41 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.43	$12.22	$24.43
premium	$4.82	$13.29	$26.58
diesel	$5.61	$15.46	$30.91

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	21	$7.35	$3.36
Efficient EV	17.5	$6.13	$2.80
EV Truck/SUV	28	$9.80	$4.48

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

Cambridge, MA

Evening in Cambridge on Tuesday

Local time

8:49 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cotuit, MA

Evening in Cotuit on Tuesday

Local time

8:49 PM

EDT

Current temp

Unavailable

49°F

Brookhaven, NY

35 mi in

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.

Road read

1h 44m 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 Cambridge, MA to Cotuit, MA covers 70 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are MA 3, Pilgrims Highway, Southeast Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 35 miles from Cambridge, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.20 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.

On the drive from Cambridge, MA to Cotuit, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Mashpee along the way.

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