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Trip from Cambridge, MA to Buzzards Bay, MA

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

Drive Time

1h 26m

Distance

61.6 mi

99 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 19m ★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m

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

city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America

Cambridge, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Buzzards Bay, MA, MA

Buzzards Bay, MA

Derek Keats

Trip Overview

Traveling from Cambridge to Buzzards Bay is a straightforward 61.6-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 26 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, eliminating the need to search for overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend approximately $10 on fuel for the one-way trip, making it a budget-friendly way to reach the coast. The route takes you through the Northeast, transitioning from the urban environment of Cambridge toward the gateway of Cape Cod. It is a practical drive that balances efficiency with ease, serving as a reliable connector for those looking to leave the city behind for the day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 495 19 mi 21m
Amvets Highway 17.7 mi 20m
Southeast Expressway 8 mi 10m
Cranberry Highway 3.6 mi 7m
I 93 3.4 mi 4m
MA 25 2.9 mi 3m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway 2.7 mi 4m
Cambridge Street 1.6 mi 5m
Longest stretch: I 495 — 19 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Buzzards Bay, MA.

1

Start on Leonard Avenue

267 ft · 16 sec · Leonard Avenue
2

Turn left onto Cambridge Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Continue on Cambridge Street

1.3 mi · 4 min · Cambridge Street
Use the straight lane.
4

Merge onto MA 28

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Monsignor O'Brien Highway
5

Continue on MA 28

0.3 mi · 1 min · Charles River Dam Road
Use the straight lane.
6

Take the exit onto MA 3

0.5 mi · 1 min · MA 3
Toward I 93 South: Quincy, Logan Airport
7

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3

2.7 mi · 4 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3

8.0 mi · 10 min · Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 93; US 1

3.4 mi · 4 min · I 93; US 1
Toward I 93 South, US 1 South: Providence Rhode Island
10

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 4 Toward MA 24 South: Fall River Use the slight left / straight lanes.
11

Continue on MA 24

18 mi · 20 min · Amvets Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 22A Toward I 495 South: Cape Cod Use the right lane.
13

Merge onto I 495

19 mi · 21 min · I 495
Use the straight lane.
14

Continue on MA 25

2.9 mi · 3 min · MA 25
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 38 sec
Exit 3 Toward US 6, MA 28: Onset, Wareham
16

Keep slight right at fork

414 ft · 15 sec
Toward US 6, MA 28: Onset, Wareham
17

Turn straight onto Maple Springs Road

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Maple Springs Road
18

Continue on Cranberry Highway

3.6 mi · 7 min · Cranberry Highway
19

Enter roundabout onto US 6; MA 28

195 ft · 3 sec · West End Rotary
20

Arrive at destination

US 6; MA 28

Where to Stop

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

town in Massachusetts, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Canton, MA

31 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

Quincy, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bridgewater, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Cambridge, MA, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 57.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Cambridge Street

Turn left onto Cambridge Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
13.2 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 93; US 1

Keep slight right at fork onto I 93; US 1 toward I 93 South, US 1 South: Providence Rhode Island

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 93 South, US 1 South: Providence Rhode...
7
16.6 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward MA 24 South: Fall River

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Exit 4 Toward MA 24 South: Fall River
7
35 mi into trip | ~50m in

Take the exit toward I 495 South: Cape Cod

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 22A Toward I 495 South: Cape Cod
7
57.8 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 6, MA 28: Onset, Wareham

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 6, MA 28: Onset, Wareham

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.86 one way

$19.72 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $10.75 $21.50
premium $4.82 $11.70 $23.39
diesel $5.61 $13.60 $27.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.5 0 $6.47 $2.96
Efficient EV 15.4 0 $5.39 $2.46
EV Truck/SUV 24.6 0 $8.62 $3.94

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 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 13, 2026

Origin

Cambridge, MA

Late night in Cambridge on Tuesday

Local time

4:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

45°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers

S 12 mph 20% chance Live forecast

Destination

Buzzards Bay, MA

Late night in Buzzards Bay on Tuesday

Local time

4:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

58°F

Canton, MA

31 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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 26m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This trip features a mixed drive profile that transitions between high-speed infrastructure and regional connectors. You will spend roughly 59% of your time on highways, utilizing a combination of the Southeast Expressway, I-495, and the Amvets Highway. Prepare for a varied experience behind the wheel, as the road shifts from busy metropolitan arteries to more open stretches. The longest uninterrupted segment you will encounter is a 19-mile stretch on I-495, which offers a period of steady cruising before you reach the final leg of your journey. Expect the character of the road to change as you move away from the dense traffic patterns near Cambridge and settle into the flow of the regional highways.

59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19 mi on I 495.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

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 0.1 miles in near Cambridge Street.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles (I 93; US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

227 ft 11 ft

Total Climb

286 ft

Total Descent

280 ft

Highest Point

227 ft

~22 mi in

Elevation Range

216 ft

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 Cambridge, MA to Buzzards Bay, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Wareham along the way.

Wareham

57.6 mi in | ~1h 16m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19 miles on I 495. 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 Buzzards Bay, MA 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 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles (I 93; US 1): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Adams National Historical Park, Boston National Historical Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). 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 Buzzards Bay, MA 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Buzzards Bay, MA to Cambridge, MA

Plan the drive back the other way.

61.4 mi 1h 25m

Explore more options from Cambridge, MA or browse trips ending in Buzzards Bay, MA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MA road trips.