Origin
Shady Side, MD
Evening in Shady Side on Sunday
Local time
7:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
48.5 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Bethesda, MD
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Shady Side Road, Deale Churchton Road, Bay Front Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.03 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
24.3 miles from Shady Side, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 31m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 3m drive with frequent turns across 48.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Shady Side Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD is easy. At 1h 3m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Shady Side Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Deale Churchton Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bay Front Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Southern Maryland Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| MD 4 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Stephanie Roper Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| MD 717 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Water Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Shady Side Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shady Side, MD and North Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on Snug Harbor Road
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Snug Harbor Road
2
Turn left onto Shady Side Road
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Shady Side Road
3
Turn left onto Deale Churchton Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Deale Churchton Road
4
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Bay Front Road
95 ft
·
3 sec
·
Bay Front Road
5
Exit the roundabout onto Bay Front Road
6.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Bay Front Road
6
Turn right onto Southern Maryland Boulevard
512 ft
·
13 sec
·
Southern Maryland Boulevard
7
Take the ramp left toward MD 4 North: Washington
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
MD 4 North: Washington
8
Merge slight left onto Stephanie Roper Highway
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Stephanie Roper Highway
9
Take the exit slight right toward MD 717: Upper Marlboro
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
MD 717: Upper Marlboro
10
Turn right onto Water Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Water Street
11
Turn right onto Main Street
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Main Street
12
Turn left onto Largo Road
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Largo Road
13
Continue on Landover Road
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Landover Road
14
Take the ramp straight toward I 95 North, I 495 North: College Park, Baltimore
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 North, I 495 North: College Park, Baltimore
15
Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway
16
Keep slight left to continue on Capital Beltway
9.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway
17
Take the exit slight right toward MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
MD 355: Bethesda, Rockville
18
Turn straight onto Rockville Pike
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockville Pike
19
Turn left onto Nicholson Lane
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Nicholson Lane
20
Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive
348 ft
·
18 sec
·
Commonwealth Drive
21
Turn right onto Tudor Lane
338 ft
·
16 sec
·
Tudor Lane
22
Continue on Tudor Lane
148 ft
·
7 sec
·
Tudor Lane
23
Arrive at your destination
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 24.3 miles from Shady Side, MD, or about 31m into the drive.
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 48.5 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 24.3 miles or 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Bethesda, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shady Side, MD 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 Shady Side, MD
This is one driving day of about 48.5 miles and 1h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Shady Side, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.3 mi from Shady Side, MD · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 48.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Shady Side, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in North Bethesda, MD
The final approach into North Bethesda, MD 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 North Bethesda, MD.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.03 one way
$16.05 round trip
$4.20/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| premium | $4.92 | $9.40 | $18.80 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $10.78 | $21.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$33–$58
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.10 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
North Bethesda, MD
Evening in North Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
7:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
8 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
1h 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 Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Shady Side Road, Deale Churchton Road, Bay Front Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.3 miles from Shady Side, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.03 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.
The drive from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD is easy. At 1h 3m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Shady Side, MD to North Bethesda, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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