Trip from McLean, VA to Oakton, VA

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are I 66, Capital Beltway, Dolley Madison Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 5.6 miles from McLean, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.74 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: Are there national parks near the route from McLean, VA to Oakton, VA?

Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

18m

Distance

11.1 mi

18 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM

0h 17m ★

6 AM

0h 19m

8 AM

0h 22m

10 AM

0h 20m

12 PM

0h 20m

3 PM

0h 20m

5 PM

0h 22m

8 PM

0h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from McLean, VA to Oakton, VA covers 11.1 miles and takes about 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 66, Capital Beltway, Dolley Madison Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4.4 miles on I 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.74 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 11.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from McLean, VA to Oakton, VA covers 11.1 miles and takes about 18m, 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 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 66 is the longest continuous segment at about 4.4 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

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 10 decision points packed into just 11.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These 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.

8

4.9 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal

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 49 Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal

9

5.3 mi into trip | ~10m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 49 Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal

8

10 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna

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 60 Toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna

8

10.2 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight right at fork toward VA 123 North: Vienna

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward VA 123 North: Vienna

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 Oakton, VA, road signs point toward Front Royal and Vienna.

Front Royal

4.9 mi in | ~9m

Vienna

10 mi in | ~16m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 66	4.4 mi	5m
Capital Beltway	2.1 mi	2m
Dolley Madison Boulevard	2 mi	4m
Chain Bridge Road	0.7 mi	1m
Old Dominion Drive	0.3 mi	<1m
Elm Street	0.1 mi	<1m
Beverly Road	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: I 66 — 4.4 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and Oakton, 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

2.1 mi · 2 min · Capital Beltway

7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec

Exit 49 Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal Use the straight / slight right lanes.

8

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Exit 49 Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal Use the straight / slight left lanes.

9

Merge onto I 66

4.4 mi · 5 min · I 66

10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Exit 60 Toward VA 123: Fairfax, Vienna Use the straight / slight right lanes.

11

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Toward VA 123 North: Vienna Use the straight / slight right lanes.

12

Turn straight onto VA 123

0.7 mi · 1 min · Chain Bridge Road

13

Arrive at destination

VA 123

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.74 one way

$3.47 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.34	$1.90	$3.80
premium	$4.70	$2.05	$4.11
diesel	$5.61	$2.45	$4.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	3.3	$1.17	$0.53
Efficient EV	2.8	$0.97	$0.44
EV Truck/SUV	4.4	$1.55	$0.71

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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

McLean, VA

Night in McLean on Thursday

Local time

11:05 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Oakton, VA

Night in Oakton on Thursday

Local time

11:05 PM

EDT

Current temp

69°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

6 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

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 McLean, VA to Oakton, VA covers 11.1 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 66, Capital Beltway, Dolley Madison Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 5.6 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 $1.74 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 10 decision points packed into just 11.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between McLean, VA and Oakton, VA, road signs point toward Front Royal and Vienna.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

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