The drive from Lowell, MA to Ocean Grove, MA covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 42m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Amvets Highway, Yankee Division Highway, US 3 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.7 miles on Amvets Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.53 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
39.2 miles from Lowell, MA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 42m. Total distance: 78.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 42m drive with frequent turns across 78.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Amvets Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 32.7 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 12.3 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.3 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 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.7 miles (US 1): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
12.3 mi into trip|~15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South: Providence Rhode Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 72B
Toward I 95 South: Providence Rhode Island
8
35.7 mi into trip|~47m in|US 1
Take the exit onto US 1 toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston
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 26
Toward I 93 North, US 1 North: Boston
7
38.8 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward MA 24 South: Fall River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4
Toward MA 24 South: Fall River
7
72.1 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|MA 79 / Western Fall River Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 79 / Western Fall River Expressway toward MA 79 South: North Fall River, Somerset
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 7
Toward MA 79 South: North Fall River, Somerset
6
74.7 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|MA 138
Take the exit onto MA 138 toward MA 103 West, MA 138 North: Somerset, Warren Rhode Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 103 West, MA 138 North: Somerset, War...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lowell, MA to Ocean Grove, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Somerset along the way.
Somerset
72.1 mi in|~1h 30m|via MA 79
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Amvets Highway
32.7 mi
37m
Yankee Division Highway
22.7 mi
30m
US 3
9.1 mi
10m
US 1
3.1 mi
4m
Wilbur Avenue
2.8 mi
4m
Lowell Connector
2.1 mi
2m
Western Fall River Expressway
2 mi
2m
Chelmsford Street
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Amvets Highway
— 32.7 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Ocean Grove, MA.
1
Start on Hale Street
486 ft·14 sec·Hale Street
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft·16 sec·Cambridge Street
3
Turn left onto MA 110
0.6 mi·56 sec·Chelmsford Street
4
Turn left onto Plain Street
0.1 mi·11 sec·Plain Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
6
Merge onto Lowell Connector
1.0 mi·1 min·Lowell Connector
7
Continue on Lowell Connector
1.1 mi·1 min·Lowell Connector
Exit 1AToward US 3 South: Boston
8
Merge onto US 3
9.1 mi·10 min·US 3
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·54 sec
Exit 72BToward I 95 South: Providence Rhode IslandUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
23 mi·30 min·Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto US 1
3.1 mi·4 min·US 1
Exit 26Toward I 93 North, US 1 North: BostonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 4Toward MA 24 South: Fall RiverUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on MA 24
33 mi·37 min·Amvets Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 79
2.0 mi·2 min·Western Fall River Expressway
Exit 7Toward MA 79 South: North Fall River, Somerset
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
16
Merge onto US 6; MA 138
0.1 mi·1 min·Veterans Memorial Bridge
17
Take the exit onto MA 138
0.2 mi·20 sec·MA 138
Toward MA 103 West, MA 138 North: Somerset, Warren Rhode Island
18
Keep slight left at fork
228 ft·11 sec
Toward MA 103 West: Warren Rhode Island
19
Turn left onto MA 138
0.4 mi·41 sec·Riverside Avenue
20
Enter roundabout onto MA 103
11 ft·0 sec·Wilbur Avenue
21
Continue on MA 103
2.8 mi·4 min·Wilbur Avenue
22
Turn left onto Coleman Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·Coleman Street
23
Turn left onto Puffer Avenue
84 ft·5 sec·Puffer Avenue
24
Turn right onto Clancy Street
244 ft·10 sec·Clancy Street
25
Arrive at destination
Clancy Street
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 39.2 miles from Lowell, MA, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.7 miles.
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 17 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.2 miles or 52m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ocean Grove, MA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lowell, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lowell, MA
This is one driving day of about 78.3 miles and 1h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Lowell, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Amvets Highway for about 32.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.2 mi from Lowell, MA
· 52m into the drive
The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Lowell, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ocean Grove, MA
The final approach into Ocean Grove, MA 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Lowell National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Lowell’s water-powered textile mills catapulted the nation – including immigrant families and early female factory workers – into an uncertain new industrial era. Nearly 200 years later, the changes t...
At Minute Man National Historical Park the opening battle of the Revolution is brought to life as visitors explore the battlefields and structures associated with April 19, 1775, and witness the Ameri...
From the sweet little farm at the foot of Penn’s Hill to the gentleman’s country estate at Peace field, Adams National Historical Park is the story of “heroes, statesmen, philosophers…and learned wome...
Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all.
. . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, view historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking, or swimming—all within reach o...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 37.8
"The town itself is perhaps the dearest place to live in, in all New England..nowhere in all America will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent, than in New Bedford…all t...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 72.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.53 one way
$25.06 round trip
$4.07/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.43
$13.67
$27.33
premium
$4.82
$14.87
$29.74
diesel
$5.61
$17.29
$34.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.5
0
$8.22
$3.76
Efficient EV
19.6
0
$6.85
$3.13
EV Truck/SUV
31.3
0
$10.96
$5.01
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Lowell, MA
Late night
in Lowell on Friday
Local time
2:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ocean Grove, MA
Late night
in Ocean Grove on Friday
Local time
2:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°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
9 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 42m 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 Lowell, MA to Ocean Grove, MA covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Amvets Highway, Yankee Division Highway, US 3. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.2 miles from Lowell, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.53 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 78.3 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.7 miles (US 1): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Lowell, MA to Ocean Grove, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Somerset along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Lowell National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Adams National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
