Origin
McLean, VA
Afternoon in McLean on Friday
Local time
12:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McLean, VA to South Riding, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
22.9 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
South Riding, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from McLean, VA to South Riding, VA covers 22.9 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dulles Toll Road, Sully Road, Little River Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.5 miles on Dulles Toll Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.58 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 22.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m 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 36m drive with frequent turns across 22.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dulles Toll Road is the longest continuous segment at about 10.5 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 21 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 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.
8
12.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward VA 657: Herndon, Chantilly
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10
Toward VA 657: Herndon, Chantilly
7
18.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward US 50: Winchester, Fairfax
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 50: Winchester, Fairfax
8
18.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 West: Winchester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 50 West: Winchester
8
18.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 West: Winchester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 50 West: Winchester
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 South Riding, VA, road signs point toward Dulles Airport, Chantilly and Fairfax.
Dulles Airport
1.5 mi in
|
~3m
Chantilly
12.7 mi in
|
~18m
Fairfax
18.4 mi in
|
~28m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dulles Toll Road | 10.5 mi | 14m |
| Sully Road | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Little River Turnpike | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Route 50 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| Centreville Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| River Birch Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dulles Toll Road
— 10.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and South Riding, 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
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 10
Toward VA 657: Herndon, Chantilly
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
126 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Chantilly
11
Turn left onto SR 657
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Centreville Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn right onto SR 665
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Coppermine Road
13
Turn left onto SR 8161
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
River Birch Road
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto SR 608
455 ft
·
8 sec
·
Frying Pan Road
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward VA 28 South: Centreville
16
Merge onto VA 28
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Sully Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward US 50: Winchester, Fairfax
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward US 50 West: Winchester
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward US 50 West: Winchester
Use the slight right lane.
20
Merge onto US 50
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Route 50
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on US 50
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Little River Turnpike
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto SR 2201
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Riding Boulevard
Use the left lane.
23
Continue on SR 2201
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Riding Boulevard
24
Turn left onto Defender Drive
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Defender Drive
25
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.58 one way
$7.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.92 | $7.83 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.24 | $8.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.06 | $10.11 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.24
Dulles Toll Road
(10.5 mi)
$2.11
Little River Turnpike
(1.9 mi)
$0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$2
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.40 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.00 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
South Riding, VA
Afternoon in South Riding on Friday
Local time
12:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
26 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
36m 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 South Riding, VA covers 22.9 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dulles Toll Road, Sully Road, Little River Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.4 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 $3.58 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 21 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between McLean, VA and South Riding, VA, road signs point toward Dulles Airport, Chantilly and Fairfax.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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