Origin
Essex, MD
Afternoon in Essex on Saturday
Local time
4:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Essex, MD to Chestertown, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 50m
Distance
72.5 mi
117 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 42m
★
6 AM
1h 51m
8 AM
2h 7m
10 AM
1h 56m
12 PM
1h 55m
3 PM
1h 57m
5 PM
2h 6m
8 PM
1h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chestertown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Essex, MD to Chestertown, MD covers 72.5 miles and takes about 1h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Eastern Boulevard, Eastern Avenue, MD 151 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.02 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.
Midpoint
36.3 miles from Essex, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Boulevard | — | — |
| Eastern Avenue | — | — |
| MD 151 North | — | — |
| North Point Boulevard | — | — |
| Kane Street | — | — |
| East Lombard Street | — | — |
| Ponca Street | — | — |
| I 895 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Eastern Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Essex, MD and Chestertown, MD.
1
Start on the route
358 ft
·
32 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left
184 ft
·
16 sec
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Eastern Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
4
Continue on Eastern Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Avenue
5
Turn slight right onto MD 151 North: North Point Boulevard, Baltimore
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
MD 151 North: North Point Boulevard, Baltimore
6
Turn straight onto North Point Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
North Point Boulevard
7
Turn left onto Kane Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Kane Street
8
Turn slight right
184 ft
·
8 sec
9
Continue on East Lombard Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Lombard Street
10
Turn left onto Ponca Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Ponca Street
11
Take the ramp left toward I 895 Toll South
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 895 Toll South
12
Merge slight left onto Harbor Tunnel Thruway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
13
Continue on Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
14
Continue on Harbor Tunnel Thruway
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
15
Continue on Harbor Tunnel Throughway
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
16
Keep slight right to continue on Harbor Tunnel Throughway
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
17
Keep slight left to continue on Harbor Tunnel Throughway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
18
Turn straight onto Ritchie Highway
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Ritchie Highway
19
Turn left onto East Furnace Branch Road
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Furnace Branch Road
20
Take the ramp slight right toward MD 10 South
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
MD 10 South
21
Merge slight left onto Arundel Expressway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Arundel Expressway
22
Keep slight right to continue on Arundel Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Arundel Expressway
23
Turn left onto Ritchie Highway
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Ritchie Highway
24
Continue on Governor Ritchie Highway
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Governor Ritchie Highway
25
Take the exit slight left toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Bay Bridge
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
US 50 East, US 301 North: Bay Bridge
26
Merge slight left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
19 mi
·
27 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
27
Keep slight left to continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
5.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
28
Take the exit slight right toward MD 213 North
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
MD 213 North
29
Turn straight onto Centreville Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Centreville Road
30
Continue on South Commerce Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Commerce Street
31
Continue on Church Hill Road
15 mi
·
22 min
·
Church Hill Road
32
Continue on Chestertown Church Hill Road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Chestertown Church Hill Road
33
Continue on Maple Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Maple Avenue
34
Turn left onto North Cross Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Cross Street
35
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 36.3 miles from Essex, MD, or about 55m 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 16 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36.3 miles or 55m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chestertown, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Essex, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Essex, MD
This is one driving day of about 72.5 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Essex, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.3 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.02 one way
$24.04 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $13.16 | $26.33 |
| premium | $4.93 | $14.06 | $28.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.01 | $32.01 |
Estimated Tolls: $7.00
Bay Bridge
$7.00
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
$12
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.61 | $3.48 |
| Efficient EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29 | 0 | $10.15 | $4.64 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Chestertown, MD
Afternoon in Chestertown on Saturday
Local time
4:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 50m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
72.5 mi in 1h 50m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Eastern Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Essex, MD to Chestertown, MD is easy. At 1h 50m 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 Essex, MD to Chestertown, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Essex, MD
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 72.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Expect about $7.00 in tolls one way, starting with Bay Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Essex, MD to Chestertown, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chestertown, MD before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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