Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Bethesda, MD to Bennsville, MD

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 2m

Distance

34.3 mi

55 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Bethesda, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Bennsville, MD, MD

Bennsville, MD

Jonathan Borba

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Bethesda to Bennsville, you are looking at a straightforward 34.3-mile journey across Maryland. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 2 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. Because the route relies entirely on local roads rather than interstates, it is best suited for those who prefer surface streets over highway speeds. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $6, this is a budget-friendly trip that fits easily into a morning or afternoon. Both locations sit within the Northeast region, providing a consistent driving environment throughout the transit. You won't need an overnight stay, as the duration is short enough to complete in a single, relaxed session.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Indian Head Highway 9.6 mi 13m
Anacostia Freeway 5.7 mi 8m
Massachusetts Avenue Northwest 3.9 mi 11m
Bensville Road 3.6 mi 6m
Southeast Freeway 2.4 mi 4m
Berry Road 1.5 mi 2m
Little Falls Parkway 1.4 mi 2m
Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Indian Head Highway — 9.6 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Bennsville, MD.

1

Start on this road

44 ft · 5 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue

510 ft · 21 sec · Bethesda Avenue
3

Turn right onto Arlington Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Arlington Road
4

At end of road, turn left onto Little Falls Parkway

1.4 mi · 2 min · Little Falls Parkway
Use the straight / left lanes.
5

At end of road, turn left onto MD 396

0.7 mi · 1 min · Massachusetts Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
6

Enter roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

340 ft · 5 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
7

Continue on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

1.1 mi · 2 min · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
8

Enter roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

225 ft · 5 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
9

Continue on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

2.6 mi · 7 min · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
Use the straight lane.
10

Enter roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

272 ft · 4 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
11

Continue on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

486 ft · 19 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
12

Turn right onto 22nd Street Northwest

0.1 mi · 16 sec · 22nd Street Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Continue on 23rd Street Northwest

0.5 mi · 50 sec · 23rd Street Northwest
14

Enter roundabout onto Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
15

Continue on Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

0.6 mi · 1 min · Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Use the right lane.
16

Turn right onto 17th Street Northwest

0.5 mi · 51 sec · 17th Street Northwest
17

Continue on 17th Street Southwest

0.3 mi · 40 sec · 17th Street Southwest
18

Turn straight onto Independence Avenue Southwest

293 ft · 9 sec · Independence Avenue Southwest
19

Continue on Independence Avenue Southwest

0.3 mi · 45 sec · Independence Avenue Southwest
Use the left / straight lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Maine Avenue Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Maine Avenue Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
22

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 395 North
23

Merge onto I 395

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Southwest Freeway
24

Keep slight left at fork onto I 695

1.9 mi · 3 min · Southeast Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Continue on I 695

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Southeast Freeway
Exit 2A Toward I 295 South
26

Merge onto I 295

5.7 mi · 8 min · Anacostia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Keep slight right at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min
Toward Indian Head Use the straight / slight left lanes.
28

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward MD 210 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Merge onto MD 210

9.6 mi · 13 min · Indian Head Highway
Use the left lane.
30

Continue on MD 228

1.5 mi · 2 min · Berry Road
31

Turn right onto MD 229

3.6 mi · 6 min · Bensville Road
32

Turn left onto Billingsley Road

175 ft · 4 sec · Billingsley Road
33

Arrive at destination

Billingsley Road

Where to Stop

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

capital city of the United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washington, DC

17 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

Bryans Road, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alexandria, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Bethesda, 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 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 19.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
2 mi into trip | ~4m in | MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes.
7
9.1 mi into trip | ~22m in | Maine Avenue Southwest

Keep slight right at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
9.4 mi into trip | ~22m in | Maine Avenue Southwest

Keep slight left at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
18.3 mi into trip | ~37m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Indian Head

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward Indian Head
7
19.2 mi into trip | ~39m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 210 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 210 South

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.69 one way

$11.37 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.23 $12.46
premium $4.93 $6.65 $13.30
diesel $5.61 $7.57 $15.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12 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 10.3 0 $3.60 $1.65
Efficient EV 8.6 0 $3.00 $1.37
EV Truck/SUV 13.7 0 $4.80 $2.20

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 20, 2026

Origin

Bethesda, MD

Late night in Bethesda on Tuesday

Local time

5:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bennsville, MD

Late night in Bennsville on Tuesday

Local time

5:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

65°F

Washington, DC

17 mi in

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

17 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 2m 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?

Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through the area. You will primarily traverse Bethesda Avenue, Arlington Road, and Little Falls Parkway, which means you won't encounter any interstate stretches on this 0% highway route. Since the drive consists entirely of local roads, you should anticipate frequent stops and changing traffic patterns rather than a monotonous, high-speed cruise. The character of the road is technical and requires constant navigation through turns, so keep your focus sharp. Because there are no long, uninterrupted stretches, the pace remains steady and varied throughout the entire 34.3-mile distance.

Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.6 mi on Indian Head Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 around 2 miles in near MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.3 miles you will encounter 24 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 2 miles (MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Bethesda, MD to Bennsville, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Indian Head along the way.

Indian Head

18.3 mi in | ~37m

About the Cities

Starting in Bethesda, MD

Full guide →

Bethesda is in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1½ miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Wealthy and well-educated, Bethesda is best known for its numerous restaurants and as the headquarters of the National Institutes of Health.

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 1h 2m. Total distance: 34.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.6 miles on Indian Head 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 Bennsville, 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: at 2 miles (MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): 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 Bennsville, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Bennsville, MD

North Bel Air, MD 86.7 mi · 2h 5m Olney, MD 50.7 mi · 1h 19m

More from Bethesda, MD

Frostburg, MD 134.6 mi · 2h 43m Pittsville, MD 127.7 mi · 3h Delmar, MD 117.4 mi · 2h 43m Boonsboro, MD 77.4 mi · 1h 47m Riverside, MD 64.9 mi · 1h 26m Edgewood, MD 61.5 mi · 1h 23m

More trips to Bennsville, MD

Frederick, MD 76.6 mi Annapolis, MD 47.8 mi Bowie, MD 34.1 mi
Escape planner: Bethesda, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from Bethesda, MD or browse trips ending in Bennsville, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.