Origin
McLean, VA
Evening in McLean on Thursday
Local time
6:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McLean, VA to Laurel, VA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
2h 6m
Distance
103.8 mi
167 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 57m
★
6 AM
2h 6m
8 AM
2h 24m
10 AM
2h 13m
12 PM
2h 11m
3 PM
2h 13m
5 PM
2h 23m
8 PM
2h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Laurel, VA
Wyxina Tresse
Trip Overview
The drive from McLean, VA to Laurel, VA covers 103.8 miles and takes about 2h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, Capital Beltway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.8 miles on I 95. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.23 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
51.9 miles from McLean, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 6m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 6m. Total distance: 103.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from McLean, VA to Laurel, VA covers 103.8 miles and takes about 2h 6m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 50.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Beverly Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 103.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Beverly Road
Turn left onto Beverly Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
12.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Richmond
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 57A
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
8
13.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, SR 644 East: Richmond, Franconia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, SR 644 East: Richmond, Franc...
6
49.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
100.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
Take the exit toward VA 73 West: Parham Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 83B
Toward VA 73 West: Parham Road
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 McLean, VA to Laurel, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Franconia along the way.
Franconia
13.1 mi in
|
~20m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 50.8 mi | 55m |
| Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway | 35.7 mi | 42m |
| Capital Beltway | 9.7 mi | 12m |
| East Parham Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 2 mi | 4m |
| Hungary Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Woodman Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 50.8 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and Laurel, VA.
1
Start on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Elm Street
2
Turn left onto Beverly Road
365 ft
·
15 sec
·
Beverly Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto VA 309
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto VA 123
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Dolley Madison Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 495 South
6
Merge onto I 495
9.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 57A
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 95 South, SR 644 East: Richmond, Franconia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
10
Merge onto I 395
36 mi
·
42 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
51 mi
·
55 min
·
I 95
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 83B
Toward VA 73 West: Parham Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto VA 73
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
East Parham Road
14
Turn right onto Woodman Road
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Woodman Road
15
Turn left onto Hungary Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Hungary Road
16
Turn left onto Old Staples Mill Road
91 ft
·
2 sec
·
Old Staples Mill Road
17
Arrive at destination
Old Staples Mill Road
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 51.9 miles from McLean, VA, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.8 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 23 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.9 miles or 1h 6m 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Laurel, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving McLean, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from McLean, VA
This is one driving day of about 103.8 miles and 2h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from McLean, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 50.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 51.9 mi from McLean, VA · 1h 6m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
52 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 51.9 miles from McLean, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Laurel, VA
The final approach into Laurel, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Laurel, VA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.23 one way
$32.46 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
36 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $17.75 | $35.50 |
| premium | $4.70 | $19.21 | $38.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $22.92 | $45.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31.1 | 0 | $10.90 | $4.98 |
| Efficient EV | 26 | 0 | $9.08 | $4.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 41.5 | 0 | $14.53 | $6.64 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Laurel, VA
Evening in Laurel on Thursday
Local time
6:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°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
5 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
2h 6m 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 McLean, VA to Laurel, VA covers 103.8 miles and takes about 2h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 95, Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, Capital Beltway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51.9 miles from McLean, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.23 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 is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 103.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from McLean, VA to Laurel, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Franconia along the way.
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