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Trip from Sanford, ME to Boothbay, ME

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 3m

Distance

88.9 mi

143 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 55m ★
6 AM
2h 4m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 10m
12 PM
2h 8m
3 PM
2h 11m
5 PM
2h 21m
8 PM
1h 59m

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

Downtown Sanford, ME, ME

Sanford, ME

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Boothbay, ME, ME

Boothbay, ME

Phil Evenden

Trip Overview

The drive from Sanford, ME to Boothbay, ME covers 88.9 miles and takes about 2h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 295, Maine Turnpike, Mill Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.2 miles on I 295. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.31 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

44.4 miles from Sanford, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 3m. Total distance: 88.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from Sanford, ME to Boothbay, ME covers 88.9 miles and takes about 2h 3m, 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 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 295 is the longest continuous segment at about 28.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 88.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Washington Street

Turn right onto Washington Street

Navigation decision point

7
15.5 mi into trip | ~22m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
8
28 mi into trip | ~35m in | I 295

Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 toward Downtown Portland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 44 Toward Downtown Portland
8
56.2 mi into trip | ~1h 10m in

Take the exit toward US 1: Brunswick, Bath, Coastal Route

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 28 Toward US 1: Brunswick, Bath, Coastal Route
5
58.7 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in | Mill Street

Turn left onto Mill Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Sanford, ME and Boothbay, ME, road signs point toward Augusta, Portland, Bath and Coastal Route.

Augusta

15.5 mi in | ~22m

Portland

28 mi in | ~35m | via I 295

Bath

56.2 mi in | ~1h 10m

Coastal Route

56.2 mi in | ~1h 10m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 295 28.2 mi 34m
Maine Turnpike 12.2 mi 13m
Mill Street 9.2 mi 13m
Alfred Road 8.2 mi 9m
Route 1 6 mi 8m
Wiscasset Road 4.8 mi 8m
Boothbay Road 4.7 mi 7m
Bath Road 4 mi 7m
Longest stretch: I 295 — 28.2 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sanford, ME and Boothbay, ME.

1

Start on this road

89 ft · 8 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Washington Street

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Washington Street
3

Continue on River Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · River Street
4

Turn right onto US 202; ME 4A

1.2 mi · 3 min · Cottage Street
5

Continue on US 202; ME 4A

2.4 mi · 3 min · Sanford Road
6

Continue on ME 111

1.8 mi · 2 min · Biddeford Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7

Continue on ME 111

8.2 mi · 9 min · Alfred Road
8

Continue on ME 111

1.4 mi · 1 min · Alfred Street
9

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 1 min
Use the straight / left lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
11

Merge onto I 95

12 mi · 13 min · Maine Turnpike
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 295

28 mi · 34 min · I 295
Exit 44 Toward Downtown Portland Use the slight right lane.
13

Take the exit

1.3 mi · 2 min
Exit 28 Toward US 1: Brunswick, Bath, Coastal Route Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on US 1

1.2 mi · 2 min · Pleasant Street
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto Mill Street

9.2 mi · 13 min · Mill Street
Use the left lane.
16

Continue on US 1

1.0 mi · 2 min · Main Street
17

Continue on US 1

4.9 mi · 6 min · Route 1
18

Continue on US 1

4.0 mi · 7 min · Bath Road
19

Continue on US 1; ME 27

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
20

Continue on US 1; ME 27

1.1 mi · 1 min · Route 1
21

Turn slight right onto ME 27

4.7 mi · 7 min · Boothbay Road
22

Continue on ME 27

4.8 mi · 8 min · Wiscasset Road
23

Arrive at destination

ME 27

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 44.4 miles from Sanford, ME, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.2 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 20 miles or 27m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 44.4 miles or 55m 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 41m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Boothbay, ME than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sanford, ME 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 Sanford, ME

This is one driving day of about 88.9 miles and 2h 3m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Sanford, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 28.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 44.4 mi from Sanford, ME · 55m into the drive

Downtown Freeport, ME, ME

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Freeport, ME

44 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

Biddeford, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Yarmouth, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.4 miles from Sanford, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Boothbay, ME

The final approach into Boothbay, ME 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 Boothbay, ME.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.31 one way

$28.62 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $15.75 $31.49
premium $4.86 $17.02 $34.05
diesel $5.61 $19.63 $39.26

Estimated Tolls: $0.73

Maine Turnpike (12.2 mi) $0.73

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.7 0 $9.33 $4.27
Efficient EV 22.2 0 $7.78 $3.56
EV Truck/SUV 35.6 0 $12.45 $5.69

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Sanford, ME

Afternoon in Sanford on Friday

Local time

2:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Boothbay, ME

Afternoon in Boothbay on Friday

Local time

2:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

37°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

52°F

Freeport, ME

44 mi in

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

14 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

2h 3m 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 Sanford, ME to Boothbay, ME covers 88.9 miles and takes about 2h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 295, Maine Turnpike, Mill Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 44.4 miles from Sanford, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.31 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 88.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Between Sanford, ME and Boothbay, ME, road signs point toward Augusta, Portland, Bath and Coastal Route.

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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