Origin
Bowie, MD
Late night in Bowie on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Essex, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
33.8 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Bowie to Essex, this 38.1-mile journey is a straightforward trek across Maryland’s Northeast region. You can expect to spend about 46 minutes behind the wheel, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $6 for fuel covers the trip comfortably. Since this route avoids major highways entirely, you will navigate through local roads rather than high-speed interstates. It is a practical, efficient connection between these two points, perfect for a quick transit without the need for complex planning or multi-day scheduling.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 97 | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| Robert Crain Highway | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| North East Crain Highway | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Eastern Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Harbor Tunnel Throughway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Baltimore Harbor Tunnel | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Eastern Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 97
— 10.4 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Essex, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
Turn right onto MD 197
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
5
Turn left onto US 301
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North East Crain Highway
6
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
7
Merge onto I 97
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto Harbor Tunnel Throughway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
9
Continue on I 895
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 895
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
11
Continue on I 895
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 11A
Toward Boston Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto O'Donnell Street Cutoff
520 ft
·
14 sec
·
O'Donnell Street Cutoff
14
Turn left onto Interstate Avenue
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Interstate Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 95 North: New York
16
Merge onto I 95
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 59
Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
256 ft
·
8 sec
Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto MD 150
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastern Avenue
Use the straight lane.
20
Continue on MD 150
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
21
Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue
211 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Taylor Avenue
22
Turn right
521 ft
·
38 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 33.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.9 miles from Bowie, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 11.4 and 30.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 97
Merge onto I 97
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Boston Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11A
Toward Boston Street
5
29 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
Interstate Avenue
Turn left onto Interstate Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
30 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 59
Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
9
30.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.60 one way
$11.21 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.14 | $12.27 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.46 | $14.93 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.23
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
(3.4 mi)
$0.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$0
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 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 | 10.1 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.96 | $1.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
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.
Destination
Essex, MD
Late night in Essex on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
52m 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 keeps your focus engaged throughout the 38.1-mile distance. Because this route features 0% highway driving, you won't encounter the monotony of long, straight interstate stretches. Instead, you will navigate via Evergreen Parkway, Collington Road, and North East Crain Highway, which define the character of the journey. The experience is defined by local road transitions rather than high-speed cruising, requiring you to stay alert through various turns. It is a departure from typical long-haul highway travel, offering a more hands-on experience behind the wheel.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.4 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 around 11.4 miles in near I 97.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 33.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles (Interstate Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Founded 1882
Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Top landmarks
- • Belair Mansion — mansion located in Collington, Maryland, United States of America
- • Bowie Railroad Buildings — railway building and museum in Bowie, Maryland, USA
Arriving in Essex, MD
Full guide →Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.
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 52m. Total distance: 33.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.4 miles on I 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.23 in tolls one way, starting with Harbor Tunnel Thruway. 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 Essex, 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 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles (Interstate Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Essex, 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.
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