Origin
Riviera Beach, MD
Evening in Riviera Beach on Friday
Local time
8:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riviera Beach, MD to Bowie, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
23 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riviera Beach, MD
Sarah O'Shea
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Riviera Beach, MD to Bowie, MD is 23 miles and takes about 41 minutes via Robert Crain Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Northeast region, connecting two points in Maryland. Expect a local feel for most of the journey, with frequent turns and transitions. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick commute or a short excursion without needing an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 23 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating a series of local roads rather than a continuous highway. With a highway share of 100%, you're primarily on local streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.9 miles on Robert Crain Highway. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed as you transition between different local roadways like North West Crain Highway and Edwin Raynor Boulevard.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Robert Crain Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Glen Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start (Glen Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Glen Road
Turn left onto Glen Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Main Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
11.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the ramp toward Bowie, Fort Meade
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward Bowie, Fort Meade
5
11.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
MD 3 / Robert Crain Highway
Merge onto MD 3 / Robert Crain Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
22.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
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 Riviera Beach, MD to Bowie, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Meade along the way.
Fort Meade
11.7 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Crain Highway | 6.9 mi | 10m |
| North West Crain Highway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Edwin Raynor Boulevard | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Magothy Bridge Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Benfield Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Fort Smallwood Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Veterans Highway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Jumpers Hole Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Robert Crain Highway
— 6.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riviera Beach, MD and Bowie, MD.
1
Start on Gina Court
212 ft
·
14 sec
·
Gina Court
2
Turn left onto Glen Road
120 ft
·
7 sec
·
Glen Road
3
Continue on Glen Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto Main Avenue
97 ft
·
7 sec
·
Main Avenue
5
Turn left onto Riviera Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Riviera Drive
6
Continue on MD 173
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Smallwood Road
7
Continue on Edwin Raynor Boulevard
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Edwin Raynor Boulevard
8
At end of road, turn right onto Magothy Bridge Road
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Magothy Bridge Road
9
Continue on Earleigh Heights Road West
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Earleigh Heights Road West
10
Continue on Earleigh Heights Connector
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Earleigh Heights Connector
11
Turn left onto Jumpers Hole Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Jumpers Hole Road
12
Turn right onto Benfield Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Benfield Road
13
Turn left onto Laurel Drive
97 ft
·
3 sec
·
Laurel Drive
14
Turn right onto West Benfield Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Benfield Road
15
Turn left onto Veterans Highway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Highway
16
Turn right onto Maryland 3 Service Road
485 ft
·
13 sec
·
Maryland 3 Service Road
17
Turn left onto Jabez Run
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Jabez Run
18
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Toward Bowie, Fort Meade
Use the straight lane.
19
Merge onto MD 3
6.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
North West Crain Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn right onto MD 197
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
23
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
24
Turn left
110 ft
·
8 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.81 one way
$7.63 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.18 | $8.35 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.46 | $8.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.08 | $10.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
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 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $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
Bowie, MD
Evening in Bowie on Friday
Local time
8:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
41m 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 Riviera Beach, MD to Bowie, MD covers 23 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Robert Crain Highway, North West Crain Highway, Edwin Raynor Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.5 miles from Riviera Beach, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.81 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 23 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Glen Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Riviera Beach, MD to Bowie, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Meade along the way.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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