Origin
La Plata, MD
Morning in La Plata on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from La Plata, MD to North Bethesda, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
54 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
North Bethesda, MD
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from La Plata, MD to North Bethesda, MD covers 54 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Crain Highway, Branch Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.5 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.95 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in La Plata, MD
Full guide →La Plata is a city in Southern Maryland. It is the county seat of Charles County.
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 18m. Total distance: 54 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 18m drive with frequent turns across 54 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 27.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 14.4 miles in near MD 5 / Branch Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54 miles you will encounter 11 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 14.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
14.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
MD 5 / Branch Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 5 North: Washington
7
23.3 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
8
42.1 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
51.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville
6
53.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
Nicholson Lane
Turn left onto Nicholson Lane
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between La Plata, MD and North Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Silver Spring.
College Park
23.3 mi in
|
~34m
Silver Spring
42.1 mi in
|
~1h
|
via I 495
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 27.5 mi | 36m |
| Crain Highway | 14 mi | 22m |
| Branch Avenue | 9 mi | 11m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Charles Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Nicholson Lane | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Tudor Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Commonwealth Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 27.5 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Plata, MD and North Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on this road
9 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
55 ft
·
3 sec
·
Kent Avenue
3
Turn right onto MD 6
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles Street
4
Turn right onto US 301
14 mi
·
22 min
·
Crain Highway
Use the right lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Branch Avenue
Toward MD 5 North: Washington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 95; I 495
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
9.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 34
Toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto MD 355
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockville Pike
11
Turn left onto Nicholson Lane
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Nicholson Lane
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive
347 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commonwealth Drive
13
Turn right onto Tudor Lane
338 ft
·
15 sec
·
Tudor Lane
14
Continue on Tudor Lane
146 ft
·
6 sec
·
Tudor Lane
15
Arrive at destination
Tudor Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27 mi from La Plata, MD · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27 miles from La Plata, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in North Bethesda, MD
The final approach into North Bethesda, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.95 one way
$17.91 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.81 | $19.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.47 | $20.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.92 | $23.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
North Bethesda, MD
Morning in North Bethesda on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
1h 18m 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 La Plata, MD to North Bethesda, MD covers 54 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Crain Highway, Branch Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27 miles from La Plata, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.95 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 54 miles you will encounter 11 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 14.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between La Plata, MD and North Bethesda, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Silver Spring.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
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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