Bob Evans
Near the start, right off the route
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: 7 am–9 pm
+17242288899
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 57m
Distance
297 mi
478 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$49
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
37 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Washington, PA
Michael Taccetta
Bethlehem, PA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from East Washington, PA to Bethlehem, PA covers 297 miles and takes about 5h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pennsylvania Turnpike, William Penn Highway, Dwight D Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 152 miles on Pennsylvania Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
148.5 miles from East Washington, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 56m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | 152 mi | 2h 47m |
| William Penn Highway | 42.8 mi | 50m |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 38.2 mi | 52m |
| American Legion Memorial Highway | 22.5 mi | 27m |
| I 81 | 12.7 mi | 15m |
| Lehigh Valley Thruway | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| 78th Division Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Bethlehem Spur Route | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between East Washington, PA and Bethlehem, PA.
Start on East Chestnut Street
Turn right onto North Avenue
Turn left onto PA 136
Turn slight right
Turn slight right onto Clare Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 70; I 79
Take the exit onto I 70
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
Merge onto I 70; I 76; PATP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on US 11
Take the exit
Merge onto I 81
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 81
Continue on I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Continue on I 78
Continue on I 78; US 22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on PA 378
Take the exit
Turn right onto 8th Avenue
Turn left onto West Union Boulevard
Turn left onto Center Street
Turn right onto East Goepp Street
Turn right onto Linden Street
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 65 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 148.5 miles or 2h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bethlehem, PA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving East Washington, PA 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 East Washington, PA
This is one driving day of about 297 miles and 5h 57m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
149 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.
A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 148.5 miles from East Washington, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pennsylvania Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 152 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Washington, Pennsylvania
Near the start, right off the route
Hours: 7 am–9 pm
+17242288899
Plaza Azteca Méxican Restaurant | Washington
Washington, Pennsylvania
The Back Porch Restaurant
Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Near the start, right off the route
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: 7 am–9 pm
+17242288899
Visit websiteNear the start, right off the route
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11 am–10 pm
+17245034781
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Hours: 4–8 pm
+17244834500
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm
+17249296899
Visit websiteNear the start, ~9 min detour
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: 11 am–12 pm
+17242012903
Visit websiteNear the start, ~12 min detour
Mt Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Hours: 4–8:30 pm
+17245473529
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Hours: 8 am–2 pm
+17242433187
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18336224743
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Washington, Pennsylvania
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
New Stanton, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18336322778
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
New Stanton, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Washington, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18889982546
Visit websiteNear the start, right off the route
Hunker, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18885577099
Visit websiteNear the start, ~12 min detour
Donora, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 39.4 and 293.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit onto I 70 toward I 70 Toll East, I 76 Toll, PATP: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 81, US 11: Carlisle, Harrisburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 11 North: Harrisburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 22 / Lehigh Valley Thruway toward US 22 East: Pennsylvania Turnpike, LVI Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward PA 378 South: Bethlehem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$49.24 one way
$98.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $53.93 | $107.86 |
| premium | $4.93 | $57.60 | $115.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $65.57 | $131.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $20.48
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Tolls
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$95–$120
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 103.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
37 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Travelers' Oasis - Tesla Supercharger
BREEZEWOOD, PA
12 DCFC
Washington Giant Eagle - Tesla Supercharger
Washington, PA
8 DCFC
GetGo - Tesla Supercharger
New Stanton, PA
8 DCFC
South Somerset Service Plaza - Tesla Supercharger
Somerset, PA
8 DCFC
North Somerset Travel Plaza - Tesla Supercharger
Somerset, PA
8 DCFC
Sheetz - Tesla Supercharger
Breezewood, PA
8 DCFC
Sunoco - Tesla Supercharger
Fort Littleton, PA
8 DCFC
McKinney Station Ice Cream and Farm Market - Tesla Supercharger
Newburg, PA
8 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 89.1 | 1 | $31.18 | $14.26 |
| Efficient EV | 74.3 | 0 | $25.99 | $11.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 118.8 | 1 | $41.58 | $19.01 |
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in East Washington on Saturday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Bethlehem on Saturday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
54°F
Hancock, MD
149 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
National Monument
More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...
National Memorial
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their live...
National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together...
National Battlefield
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
297 mi in 5h 57m — 56% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Pennsylvania Turnpike.
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 39.4 miles in near I 70.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 297 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 39.4 miles (I 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 192.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 193.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between East Washington, PA and Bethlehem, PA, road signs point toward Patp: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Marysville.
Patp: Harrisburg
Pittsburgh
Harrisburg
Marysville
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 57m. Total distance: 297 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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