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Trip from Annapolis, MD to Wheaton, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

50m

Distance

35.7 mi

57 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m

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

city in and county seat of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and Maryland federated state capital city

Annapolis, MD

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Wheaton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling from Annapolis to Wheaton covers a compact 36.2-mile stretch entirely within Maryland. You can expect to spend about 44 minutes on the road, making this a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stops. Because the route relies on local roads like Church Circle, College Avenue, and Bladen Street rather than major interstates, your fuel costs will remain low at approximately $6. This drive is best viewed as a practical connection between these two Northeastern locales. It offers a direct way to navigate the region without the complexity of long-haul travel, providing a simple, efficient transition for your day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John Hanson Highway 18.4 mi 22m
Capital Beltway 10.2 mi 12m
University Boulevard West 3.1 mi 7m
Roscoe Rowe Boulevard 1.4 mi 2m
University Boulevard East 0.5 mi 1m
Bladen Street 0.3 mi <1m
College Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Veirs Mill Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John Hanson Highway — 18.4 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Annapolis, MD and Wheaton, 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

18 mi · 22 min · John Hanson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec
Exit 7B Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 7B Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 95; I 495

6.9 mi · 8 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495

3.4 mi · 3 min · Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 29 Toward MD 193: Wheaton, Langley Park Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

267 ft · 9 sec
Toward MD 193 West: University Boulevard, Wheaton Use the right lane.
14

Turn right onto MD 193

0.5 mi · 1 min · University Boulevard East
Use the right lane.
15

Continue on MD 193

3.1 mi · 7 min · University Boulevard West
16

Turn left onto MD 586

162 ft · 16 sec · Veirs Mill Road
17

Arrive at destination

MD 586

Where to Stop

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

city in Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New Carrollton, MD

18 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

Kemp Mill, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New Carrollton, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.9 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32 — 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

6
20.6 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 7B Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silv...
9
21 mi into trip | ~27m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 7B Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
8
31.9 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward MD 193: Wheaton, Langley Park

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 29 Toward MD 193: Wheaton, Langley Park
9
32 mi into trip | ~41m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 193 West: University Boulevard, Wheaton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward MD 193 West: University Boulevard, Wheat...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.92 one way

$11.84 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.48 $12.96
premium $4.93 $6.92 $13.85
diesel $5.61 $7.88 $15.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.7 0 $3.75 $1.71
Efficient EV 8.9 0 $3.12 $1.43
EV Truck/SUV 14.3 0 $5.00 $2.28

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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 Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Annapolis, MD

Night in Annapolis on Saturday

Local time

10:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Wheaton, MD

Night in Wheaton on Saturday

Local time

10:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

50m 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?

This trip is defined as a turn-heavy local drive, lacking any high-speed highway stretches. Because you are avoiding major highways entirely, the character of the road remains consistent and focused on local navigation. You will find yourself maneuvering through city streets rather than settling into a monotonous interstate cruise. The lack of long, uninterrupted stretches means you should stay alert for frequent turns as you make your way through the local grid. Expect a steady, hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention throughout the 44-minute journey.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on John Hanson Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 35.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

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 20.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Wheaton, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Langley Park.

Silver Spring

20.6 mi in | ~26m

Langley Park

31.9 mi in | ~41m

About the Cities

Starting in Annapolis, MD

Full guide →

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.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 35.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

50m 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 18.4 miles on John Hanson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Wheaton, 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 20.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Wheaton, MD 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Wheaton, MD to Annapolis, MD

Plan the drive back the other way.

36.4 mi 49m

Explore more options from Annapolis, MD or browse trips ending in Wheaton, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.