Origin
McLean, VA
Late night in McLean on Friday
Local time
3:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McLean, VA to Lowes Island, VA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
26m
Distance
15.7 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Lowes Island, VA
Thomas Dudek
Trip Overview
The drive from McLean, VA to Lowes Island, VA covers 15.7 miles and takes about 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Leesburg Pike, Algonkian Parkway, Dulles Toll Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.9 miles on Leesburg Pike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 15.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m 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 26m drive with frequent turns across 15.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Leesburg Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 7.9 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 0.1 miles in near Beverly Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 15.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 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.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive
Turn right onto VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward VA 7: Tysons Corner, Leesburg, Leesburg Pike
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 16
Toward VA 7: Tysons Corner, Leesburg, Leesburg...
9
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward VA 7 West: Leesburg Pike, Leesburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward VA 7 West: Leesburg Pike, Leesburg
6
12.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward VA 6220 North: Algonkian Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward VA 6220 North: Algonkian Parkway
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between McLean, VA and Lowes Island, VA, road signs point toward Dulles Airport and Leesburg.
Dulles Airport
1.5 mi in
|
~3m
Leesburg
3.8 mi in
|
~6m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Leesburg Pike | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Algonkian Parkway | 2 mi | 3m |
| Dulles Toll Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lowes Island Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Potomac Landing Terrace | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Elm Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Leesburg Pike
— 7.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and Lowes Island, 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
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Dolley Madison Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward Dulles Airport
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto VA 267
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
22 sec
8
Merge onto VA 267
263 ft
·
4 sec
·
Dulles Toll Road
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 16
Toward VA 7: Tysons Corner, Leesburg, Leesburg Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward VA 7 West: Leesburg Pike, Leesburg
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto VA 7
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Leesburg Pike
Use the left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward VA 6220 North: Algonkian Parkway
14
Turn straight onto SR 6220
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Algonkian Parkway
15
Turn right onto SR 1652
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Lowes Island Boulevard
16
Turn left onto Dunkirk Square
471 ft
·
16 sec
·
Dunkirk Square
17
Continue on Potomac Landing Terrace
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Potomac Landing Terrace
18
At end of road, turn right onto Center Brook Square
478 ft
·
17 sec
·
Center Brook Square
19
Continue on Center Brook Square
111 ft
·
4 sec
·
Center Brook Square
20
Arrive at destination
Center Brook Square
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.46 one way
$4.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.68 | $5.37 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.91 | $5.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.47 | $6.93 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.33
Dulles Toll Road
(1.7 mi)
$0.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Lowes Island, VA
Late night in Lowes Island on Friday
Local time
3:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
26m 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 Lowes Island, VA covers 15.7 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Leesburg Pike, Algonkian Parkway, Dulles Toll Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.9 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 $2.46 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 short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 15.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between McLean, VA and Lowes Island, VA, road signs point toward Dulles Airport and Leesburg.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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