This 60.6-mile drive from Annapolis to Manchester, Maryland, will take you about 1 hour and 24 minutes to complete. With no highway driving, expect a more local and turn-heavy experience. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, so you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. Your estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $10. The drive remains within the Northeast region, staying entirely within Maryland. It's a straightforward trip ideal for a quick excursion.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 97
17.4 mi
20m
Baltimore Beltway
13.6 mi
18m
Hanover Pike
9.1 mi
15m
Northwest Expressway
8.3 mi
10m
Hampstead Bypass
4.4 mi
6m
John Hanson Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Roscoe Rowe Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
Butler Road
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 97
— 17.4 mi, about 20m
Traffic on I-695
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 35 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,105 veh/hr typical
· worst 6,479
Quietest
2 AM
~325 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Annapolis, MD and Manchester, MD.
1
Start on School Street
137 ft·6 sec·School Street
2
Enter roundabout onto MD 450
77 ft·1 sec·College Avenue
3
Continue on MD 450
343 ft·7 sec·College Avenue
4
Turn left onto MD 70
0.3 mi·40 sec·Bladen Street
5
Continue on MD 70
1.4 mi·2 min·Roscoe Rowe Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
7
Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2
1.8 mi·2 min·John Hanson Highway
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 21Toward I 97 North: BaltimoreUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·51 sec
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
10
Continue on I 97
6.0 mi·6 min·I 97
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
10 mi·11 min·I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto I 97
1.1 mi·1 min·I 97
Exit 17AToward I 695 West: Baltimore, TowsonUse the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 695
14 mi·18 min·Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 19Toward I 795 North: Owings Mills, ReisterstownUse the slight right lane.
15
Continue on I 795
8.3 mi·10 min·Northwest Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·41 sec
Exit 9AToward MD 30 North: Hanover
17
Continue on Butler Road
0.5 mi·41 sec·Butler Road
18
Turn left onto MD 30
7.4 mi·12 min·Hanover Pike
Use the left lane.
19
Enter roundabout onto MD 30
177 ft·2 sec·Hampstead Bypass
20
Continue on MD 30
2.6 mi·3 min·Hampstead Bypass
21
Enter roundabout onto MD 30
154 ft·5 sec·Hampstead Bypass
22
Continue on MD 30
1.8 mi·2 min·Hampstead Bypass
23
Enter roundabout onto MD 30
152 ft·5 sec·Hanover Pike
24
Continue on MD 30
1.7 mi·3 min·Hanover Pike
25
Continue on MD 30
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
26
Turn left onto Westminster Street
65 ft·1 sec·Westminster Street
27
Arrive at destination
Westminster Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Annapolis, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 36.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|MD 450 / College Avenue
Enter roundabout onto MD 450 / College Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
4 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the exit toward I 97 North: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
6
11.5 mi into trip|~15m in|I 97
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
21.9 mi into trip|~27m in|I 97
Take the exit onto I 97 toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
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 17A
Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
8
36.6 mi into trip|~47m in
Take the exit toward I 795 North: Owings Mills, Reisterstown
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 19
Toward I 795 North: Owings Mills, Reisterstown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.66 one way
$19.33 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$10.69
$21.39
premium
$4.81
$11.47
$22.94
diesel
$4.80
$11.44
$22.88
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
18.2
0
$6.36
$2.91
Efficient EV
15.2
0
$5.30
$2.42
EV Truck/SUV
24.2
0
$8.48
$3.88
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Forecast as of Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Annapolis, MD
Late night
in Annapolis on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
102°F
Sunny
W 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Manchester, MD
Late night
in Manchester on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
97°F
Sunny
W 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
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
5 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
1h 24m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The profile for this drive is 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating numerous turns and local roads rather than settling into a steady highway pace. With a 0% highway share, you can anticipate a continuous engagement with the road, no matter how long or short a stretch you're covering. There isn't a 'longest stretch' noted, suggesting a consistent pattern of turns and changes in direction throughout the 60.6 miles. This road personality means you'll be actively steering and making decisions more frequently than on a typical interstate journey.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.4 mi on I 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MD 450 / College Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.6 miles you will encounter 14 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 (MD 450 / College Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.5 miles (I 97): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
988 ft46 ft
Total Climb
1,082 ft
Total Descent
140 ft
Highest Point
988 ft
~60.6 mi in
Elevation Range
942 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Annapolis, MD and Manchester, MD, road signs point toward Towson and Reisterstown.
Annapolis is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland. Annapolis was a thriving, wealthy town in the 1600s and 1700s. Many of the houses and other buildings from the 1800s remain, leaving a thriving, vibrant historic district with shops and restaurants along the waterfront. Brick-lined streets and quaint shops add to the feel. You could easily spend a day walking around the town's downtown harbor area shopping and eating. There is also a lively nighttime scene.
Top landmarks
•United States Naval Academy — U.S. Navy federal service academy in the Annapolis, Maryland area
•Maryland State House — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Maryland
•United States Naval Academy Cemetery — cemetery at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 60.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.4 miles on I 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Manchester, MD 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: near the start (MD 450 / College Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.5 miles (I 97): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Manchester, MD before heading back.
