Origin
Great Falls, VA
Late night in Great Falls on Saturday
Local time
1:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
7.8 mi
13 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Great Falls, VA
Wilson Rodriguez
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 7.8-mile drive from Great Falls, VA, to McLean, VA, will take you about 16 minutes to complete, making it a perfect, quick local excursion. With no highway driving and a very low estimated fuel cost of just $1, this trip is all about navigating local roads. The entire journey is contained within the Southeast region, staying within Virginia. Since it's such a brief trip, it's ideal for a single day, offering flexibility in your schedule without needing an overnight stay. You'll primarily be on Old Dominion Drive, Georgetown Pike, and Elm Street.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 7.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this entire 7.8-mile journey, as indicated by the 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.8 miles along Old Dominion Drive. This route is characterized by its frequent turns and local road feel, rather than any high-speed cruising. You'll be navigating a more intimate driving experience, typical of getting around within a suburban or semi-rural area.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 4 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Old Dominion Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 5.8 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA is easy. At 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (Elm Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Critical Maneuvers
2 of 2 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive
Turn right onto SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
7.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Elm Street
Turn sharp left onto Elm Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion Drive | 5.8 mi | 11m |
| Georgetown Pike | 2 mi | 4m |
| Elm Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Dominion Drive
— 5.8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Great Falls, VA and McLean, VA.
1
Start on VA 193
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Georgetown Pike
2
Turn right onto SR 738
5.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the left lane.
3
Turn sharp left onto Elm Street
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
Elm Street
4
Arrive at destination
Elm Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.22 one way
$2.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.33 | $2.67 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.44 | $2.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.72 | $3.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.82 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.68 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
McLean, VA
Late night in McLean on Saturday
Local time
1:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
16m 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 Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA covers 7.8 miles and takes about 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Old Dominion Drive, Georgetown Pike, Elm Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.9 miles from Great Falls, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.22 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 Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA is easy. At 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (Elm Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
The route from Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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