Blue Salt Restaurant
Early in the drive, short detour
West Newton, Massachusetts
Hours: 11 am–10 pm
+16174663174
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 42m
Distance
78.3 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
32 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Ocean Grove, MA
David Kanigan
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 .
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.
Expect a 1h 42m drive with frequent turns across 78.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
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.
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.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South: Providence Rhode Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward MA 24 South: Fall River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
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
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
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
| 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 |
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Ocean Grove, MA.
Start on Hale Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Turn left onto MA 110
Turn left onto Plain Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto Lowell Connector
Continue on Lowell Connector
Merge onto US 3
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
Take the exit onto US 1
Take the exit
Continue on MA 24
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 79
Take the exit
Merge onto US 6; MA 138
Take the exit onto MA 138
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto MA 138
Enter roundabout onto MA 103
Continue on MA 103
Turn left onto Coleman Street
Turn left onto Puffer Avenue
Turn right onto Clancy Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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.
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.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.2 mi from Lowell, MA · 52m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Lowell, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
West Newton, Massachusetts
Early in the drive, short detour
Hours: 11 am–10 pm
+16174663174
Early in the drive, short detour
West Newton, Massachusetts
Hours: 11 am–10 pm
+16174663174
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Lowell, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the end, ~9 min detour
Bristol, Rhode Island
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Lowell, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Lowell, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
+33172676914
Early in the drive, short detour
Lexington, Massachusetts
Hours: Open 24 hours
+17812748300
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Lexington, Massachusetts
Hours: 9:30 am–3:30 pm
+17818621450
Visit websiteEarly in the drive, short detour
Lincoln, Massachusetts
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
Dedham, Massachusetts
Hours: 7 am–6 pm
+16176981802
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
National Historical Park
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...
National Historical Park
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...
National Historical Park
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.
National Recreation Area
. . . 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...
National Historical Park
"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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Regular Gas
$12.53 one way
$25.06 round trip
| 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.
EV Charging Along Route
32 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
ChargePoint Charging Station
Bristol, Rhode Island
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Lowell, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Carlisle, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
Nissan Charging Station
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Lowell, Massachusetts
1 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Lowell on Friday
Local time
4:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Ocean Grove on Friday
Local time
4:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
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
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
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.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. EV charging comes from the NREL Alternative Fuels dataset. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Lowell, MA or browse trips ending in Ocean Grove, MA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.