Origin
College Park, MD
Morning in College Park on Saturday
Local time
9:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from College Park, MD to Chesapeake Beach, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
34.7 mi
56 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
College Park, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Chesapeake Beach, MD
Carly Dernetz
Trip Overview
The drive from College Park, MD to Chesapeake Beach, MD covers 34.7 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MD 260, Largo Road, Landover Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9 miles on MD 260. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 34.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (26%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 59m drive with frequent turns across 34.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MD 260 is the longest continuous segment at about 9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 18.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.7 miles you will encounter 8 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 18.5 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 18.7 miles (MD 4 / Stephanie Roper Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles (MD 260): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the ramp toward MD 4 South
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward MD 4 South
5
18.7 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
MD 4 / Stephanie Roper Highway
Merge onto MD 4 / Stephanie Roper Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
25 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
MD 260
Take the exit onto MD 260 toward Maryland 260, Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Recreation Areas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward Maryland 260, Chesapeake Beach, North Be...
6
34 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
MD 261 / Bayside Road
At end of road, turn right onto MD 261 / Bayside Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
34.7 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
C Street
Turn right onto C Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between College Park, MD and Chesapeake Beach, MD, road signs point toward Maryland 260, Beach and Recreation Areas.
Maryland 260
25 mi in
|
~42m
|
via MD 260
Beach
25 mi in
|
~42m
|
via MD 260
Recreation Areas
25 mi in
|
~42m
|
via MD 260
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MD 260 | 9 mi | 15m |
| Largo Road | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Landover Road | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| Stephanie Roper Highway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 2.8 mi | 7m |
| Southern Maryland Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Annapolis Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Bayside Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
MD 260
— 9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between College Park, MD and Chesapeake Beach, MD.
1
Start on Knox Road
272 ft
·
14 sec
·
Knox Road
2
Turn left onto US 1
1.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
3
Continue on US 1 ALT
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
4
Turn slight left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
5
Turn straight onto MD 450
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Annapolis Road
6
Continue on MD 450
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Landover Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on MD 202
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Largo Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto MD 725
161 ft
·
3 sec
·
Marlboro Pike
9
Continue on MD 725
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
Main Street
10
Turn left onto MD 717
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Water Street
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward MD 4 South
12
Merge onto MD 4
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Stephanie Roper Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on MD 4
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Southern Maryland Boulevard
14
Take the exit onto MD 260
9.0 mi
·
15 min
·
MD 260
Toward Maryland 260, Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Recreation Areas
Use the straight lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto MD 261
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bayside Road
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto 17th Street
480 ft
·
31 sec
·
17th Street
17
Turn right onto C Street
56 ft
·
3 sec
·
C Street
18
Arrive at destination
C Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.4 mi from College Park, MD · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from College Park, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Chesapeake Beach, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Chesapeake Beach, MD if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.75 one way
$11.51 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.30 | $12.60 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.73 | $13.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.66 | $15.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.67 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Chesapeake Beach, MD
Morning in Chesapeake Beach on Saturday
Local time
9:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
1 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
59m 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 College Park, MD to Chesapeake Beach, MD covers 34.7 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MD 260, Largo Road, Landover Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.4 miles from College Park, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.75 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 34.7 miles you will encounter 8 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 18.5 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 18.7 miles (MD 4 / Stephanie Roper Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles (MD 260): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between College Park, MD and Chesapeake Beach, MD, road signs point toward Maryland 260, Beach and Recreation Areas.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park.
How this page is built
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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