This 88-mile journey from Bennington, VT to Middlebury, VT takes approximately 2 hours and 19 minutes of driving time. Primarily utilizing U.S. Route 7 and U.S. Route 7 North, this route is heavily focused on highway driving, with 80% of the path being on highways. It's easily manageable as a single-day trip, with an estimated fuel cost of $14. You'll be traveling within the Northeast region throughout this drive, experiencing a straightforward and efficient route through Vermont.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
44 miles from Bennington, VT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
U.S. Route 7
51.6 mi
1h 16m
U.S. Route 7 North
15.1 mi
25m
Grove Street
10.9 mi
16m
U.S. Route 7 South
4 mi
5m
South Main Street
2.8 mi
5m
Court Street
1.2 mi
3m
Depot Street
0.4 mi
1m
Seymour Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
U.S. Route 7
— 51.6 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bennington, VT and Middlebury (village), VT.
1
Start on VT 9
0.1 mi·26 sec·Main Street
2
Turn right onto Depot Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Depot Street
3
Merge onto US 7
0.3 mi·47 sec·North Street
4
Continue on US 7
1.0 mi·1 min·U.S. Route 7 North
5
Merge onto US 7; VT 279
0.2 mi·15 sec·Bennington Bypass
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7
52 mi·1 hr 16 min·U.S. Route 7
7
Continue on US 4; US 7
2.8 mi·5 min·South Main Street
8
Continue on US 7
14 mi·23 min·U.S. Route 7 North
9
Continue on US 7; VT 73
0.2 mi·42 sec·Center Street
10
Continue on US 7; VT 73
0.2 mi·39 sec·Conant Square
11
Continue on US 7
11 mi·16 min·Grove Street
12
Continue on US 7
4.0 mi·5 min·U.S. Route 7 South
13
Continue on US 7; VT 125
1.2 mi·3 min·Court Street
14
Enter roundabout onto US 7
375 ft·14 sec·North Pleasant Street
15
Continue on US 7
199 ft·7 sec·North Pleasant Street
16
Turn left onto Seymour Street
0.3 mi·55 sec·Seymour Street
Use the left lane.
17
At end of road, turn left onto Seymour Street
353 ft·16 sec·Seymour Street
18
Turn left onto Middle Seymour Street
519 ft·22 sec·Middle Seymour Street
19
Continue on Maple Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Maple Street
20
Continue on Maple Street
517 ft·26 sec·Maple Street
21
Turn right
94 ft·6 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a driving duration of under 2.5 hours, this trip offers plenty of flexibility. You can depart Bennington anytime, but an earlier start will give you more daylight for exploring Middlebury. Given the relatively short distance, you likely won't need formal stops, but keep an eye on your fuel gauge as the longest stretch without a clear break is over 50 miles. The estimated $14 fuel cost is minimal, so topping up before you leave Bennington should be sufficient. Pay attention to U.S. Route 7 North as it's a key part of your navigation.
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 miles from Bennington, VT, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.6 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 19 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44 miles or 1h 6m 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 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Middlebury (village), VT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bennington, VT 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 Bennington, VT
This is one driving day of about 88 miles and 2h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Bennington, VT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on U.S. Route 7 for about 51.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 88 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|US 7 / North Street
Merge onto US 7 / North Street
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|US 7 / U.S. Route 7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 7 / U.S. Route 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
87.3 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|Seymour Street
Turn left onto Seymour Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
87.6 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|Seymour Street
At end of road, turn left onto Seymour Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
88 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.17 one way
$28.33 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$15.59
$31.17
premium
$4.86
$16.85
$33.70
diesel
$5.61
$19.43
$38.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.8 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
26.4
0
$9.24
$4.22
Efficient EV
22
0
$7.70
$3.52
EV Truck/SUV
35.2
0
$12.32
$5.63
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 18, 2026
Origin
Bennington, VT
Afternoon
in Bennington on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Clear
SE 2 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Middlebury (village), VT
Afternoon
in Middlebury (village) on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
SE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
36°F
Wallingford, VT
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
6 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 19m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont's most beautiful landscapes under the shade of the Mount Tom Forest, the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the United States. This is a landscape of loss, re...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 54.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 88-mile trip. The route is built around U.S. Route 7, which accounts for 80% of the travel on highway segments. You'll encounter one long stretch of 51.6 miles solely on U.S. Route 7, offering a consistent driving experience. While primarily highway, the inclusion of Grove Street suggests a brief transition as you approach your destination. The overall feel is one of steady progress rather than winding scenic byways.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.6 mi on U.S. Route 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Route 7 and U.S. Route 7 North. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near US 7 / North Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 19m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (US 7 / North Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.1 miles (US 7 / U.S. Route 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 87.3 miles (Seymour Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 19m. Total distance: 88 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 51.6 miles on U.S. Route 7. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through VT can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (US 7 / North Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.1 miles (US 7 / U.S. Route 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 87.3 miles (Seymour Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park. 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 Middlebury (village), VT before heading back.
