Origin
Annandale, VA
Late night in Annandale on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Annandale, VA to McLean, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
10 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Annandale, VA
Wikimedia Commons
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Annandale to McLean, you are looking at a brief 10-mile journey that typically takes about 17 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it is short enough to handle in under 20 minutes without needing any overnight stops. You can expect to spend roughly $2 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very economical commute within Northern Virginia. Since both locations are situated in the Southeast region, you won't experience any major shifts in landscape or regional culture. Whether you are traveling for business or local errands, this straightforward connection is highly efficient and requires minimal logistical planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Little River Turnpike | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Columbia Pike | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Backlick Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Elm Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 5.7 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Annandale, VA and McLean, VA.
1
Start on VA 236
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Little River Turnpike
2
Turn left onto SR 617
373 ft
·
20 sec
·
Backlick Road
3
Turn left onto VA 244
527 ft
·
20 sec
·
Columbia Pike
4
Turn right onto VA 236
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Little River Turnpike
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 495 North: Tysons Corner
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 495
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 46B
Toward VA 123 North: McLean
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto VA 123
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Dolley Madison Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto VA 309
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the right lane.
10
Turn sharp left onto Elm Street
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
Elm Street
11
Arrive at destination
Elm Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 617 / Backlick Road
Turn left onto SR 617 / Backlick Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VA 244 / Columbia Pike
Turn left onto VA 244 / Columbia Pike
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 495 North: Tysons Corner
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 495 North: Tysons Corner
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge onto I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward VA 123 North: McLean
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46B
Toward VA 123 North: McLean
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.56 one way
$3.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.71 | $3.42 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.85 | $3.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.21 | $4.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.07
Little River Turnpike
(1.1 mi)
$0.07
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.05 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
McLean, VA
Late night in McLean on Sunday
Local time
2:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
1 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
17m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through the area. You will split your time between local streets like Little River Turnpike and Dolley Madison Boulevard, with the Capital Beltway accounting for 12% of your total mileage. The most significant stretch of road you will encounter is a 5.7-mile segment on the Capital Beltway, which offers the only sustained period of highway driving. Transitioning between these different road types creates a dynamic pace, shifting from technical local turns to faster interstate travel. Staying alert is key, as the character of the road changes frequently throughout the 10-mile trek.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near SR 617 / Backlick Road.
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 10 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 0.1 miles (SR 617 / Backlick Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (VA 244 / Columbia Pike): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
445 ft
248 ft
Total Climb
243 ft
Total Descent
317 ft
Highest Point
445 ft
~7.2 mi in
Elevation Range
197 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 10 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on Capital Beltway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.07 in tolls one way, starting with Little River Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at McLean, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (SR 617 / Backlick Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (VA 244 / Columbia Pike): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McLean, VA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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