Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
57.8 mi
93 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chesapeake Beach, MD
Carly Dernetz
The drive from Essex, MD to Chesapeake Beach, MD covers 57.8 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 Solomons Island Road, I 97, East Chesapeake Beach Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.6 miles on Solomons Island Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.58 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Solomons Island Road | 19.6 mi | 30m |
| I 97 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| East Chesapeake Beach Road | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 4 mi | 5m |
| Harbor Tunnel Throughway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Baltimore Harbor Tunnel | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Lombard Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Eastern Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Essex, MD and Chesapeake Beach, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left
At end of road, turn right onto MD 150
Continue on MD 150
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto MD 151
Turn left onto Kane Street
Turn slight right
Continue on East Lombard Street
Turn left onto MD 150
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 895
Continue on I 895
Continue on I 895
Continue on I 895
Keep slight right at fork onto Harbor Tunnel Throughway
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on I 97
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on MD 665
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 2
Enter roundabout onto MD 2
Continue on MD 2
Enter roundabout onto MD 2
Continue on MD 2
Turn left onto MD 260
At end of road, turn right onto MD 261
Turn left onto 17th Street
Turn right onto C Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Essex, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 11.1 and 32.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto Harbor Tunnel Throughway toward Annapolis, Glen Burnie
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 97 South: Annapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 665: Riva Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward MD 2: Parole, Edgewater
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$9.58 one way
$19.17 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.50 | $20.99 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.21 | $22.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.76 | $25.52 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.28
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.07 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.06 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.09 | $3.70 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Essex on Saturday
Local time
2:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Isolated Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Chesapeake Beach on Saturday
Local time
2:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
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
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
57.8 mi in 1h 28m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.1 miles in near Harbor Tunnel Throughway.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.8 miles you will encounter 20 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 11.1 miles (Harbor Tunnel Throughway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Essex, MD and Chesapeake Beach, MD, road signs point toward Annapolis, Glen Burnie and Edgewater.
Annapolis
Glen Burnie
Edgewater
Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 57.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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