Trip from Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD

Drive Time

1h 28m

Distance

73.6 mi

118 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 21m ★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m

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

Downtown Chestertown, MD, MD

Chestertown, MD

Carly Dernetz

Trip Overview

The drive from Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD covers 73.6 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Maple Avenue, Chestertown Church Hill Road, Church Hill Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.18 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

36.8 miles from Chestertown, MD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 28m drive with frequent turns across 73.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maple Avenue 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 Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD is easy. At 1h 28m 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 Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Maple Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
Chestertown Church Hill Road Unavailable Refreshing
Church Hill Road Unavailable Refreshing
North Liberty Street Unavailable Refreshing
Centreville Road Unavailable Refreshing
US 301 South Unavailable Refreshing
Blue Star Memorial Highway Unavailable Refreshing
MD 2 North Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Maple Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chestertown, MD and Essex, MD.

1

Start on South Cross Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · South Cross Street
2

Turn right onto Maple Avenue

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Maple Avenue
3

Continue on Chestertown Church Hill Road

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Chestertown Church Hill Road
4

Continue on Church Hill Road

15 mi · 22 min · Church Hill Road
5

Continue on North Liberty Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Liberty Street
6

Continue on Centreville Road

1.8 mi · 2 min · Centreville Road
7

Take the ramp right toward US 301 South

0.3 mi · 38 sec · US 301 South
8

Merge slight left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway

25 mi · 34 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
9

Take the exit slight right toward MD 2 North: Ritchie Highway, Severna Park

0.4 mi · 50 sec · MD 2 North: Ritchie Highway, Severna Park
10

Merge slight left onto Governor Ritchie Highway

8.0 mi · 12 min · Governor Ritchie Highway
11

Take the exit slight right toward MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore

0.1 mi · 18 sec · MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore
12

Merge slight left onto Arundel Expressway

1.2 mi · 1 min · Arundel Expressway
13

Keep slight right to continue on Arundel Expressway

3.4 mi · 4 min · Arundel Expressway
14

Take the exit slight right toward MD 270

0.2 mi · 32 sec · MD 270
15

Turn left onto East Furnace Branch Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Furnace Branch Road
16

Turn right onto Ritchie Highway

1.2 mi · 2 min · Ritchie Highway
17

Turn slight right onto I 895

0.3 mi · 21 sec · I 895
18

Continue on Harbor Tunnel Throughway

3.1 mi · 4 min · Harbor Tunnel Throughway
19

Continue on Harbor Tunnel Thruway

2.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
20

Continue on Baltimore Harbor Tunnel

1.4 mi · 2 min · Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
21

Continue on Harbor Tunnel Thruway

1.2 mi · 1 min · Harbor Tunnel Thruway
22

Take the exit slight right toward Boston Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Boston Street
23

Turn straight onto O'Donnell Street Cutoff

522 ft · 15 sec · O'Donnell Street Cutoff
24

Turn left onto Interstate Avenue

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Interstate Avenue
25

Take the ramp straight toward I 95 North: New York

0.3 mi · 35 sec · I 95 North: New York
26

Merge slight left

0.6 mi · 51 sec
27

Take the exit slight right toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue

0.3 mi · 30 sec · MD 150: Eastern Avenue
28

Keep slight right to continue on MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex

256 ft · 8 sec · MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
29

Turn right onto Eastern Avenue

2.3 mi · 4 min · Eastern Avenue
30

Continue on Eastern Boulevard

1.0 mi · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard
31

Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue

210 ft · 13 sec · North Taylor Avenue
32

Turn right

522 ft · 38 sec
33

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 36.8 miles from Chestertown, MD, or about 44m 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 73.6 miles or 1h 28m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 36.8 miles or 44m 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 14m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Chestertown, 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 Chestertown, MD

This is one driving day of about 73.6 miles and 1h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Chestertown, 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 36.8 mi from Chestertown, MD · 44m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

37 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

Staten Island, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 73.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36.8 miles from Chestertown, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Essex, MD

The final approach into Essex, 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 Essex, 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

$12.18 one way

$24.36 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $13.33 $26.65
premium $4.92 $14.26 $28.52
diesel $5.64 $16.35 $32.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22.1 0 $7.73 $3.53
Efficient EV 18.4 0 $6.44 $2.94
EV Truck/SUV 29.4 0 $10.30 $4.71

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Chestertown, MD

Morning in Chestertown on Monday

Local time

9:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Essex, MD

Morning in Essex on Monday

Local time

9:38 AM

EDT

Current temp

81°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

3 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 28m 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 Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD covers 73.6 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maple Avenue, Chestertown Church Hill Road, Church Hill Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.8 miles from Chestertown, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.18 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 Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD is easy. At 1h 28m 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 Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chestertown, MD to Essex, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Chestertown, MD or browse trips ending in Essex, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.

Explore maps for Chestertown, MD or Essex, MD on MapSof.net.