Origin
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MA to Essex, MA
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
30.7 mi
49 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Essex, MA
Italo Melo
Trip Overview
Cambridge, MA to Essex, MA is 30.7 miles and takes about 50 minutes via US 1 and Yankee Division Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within Massachusetts, offering a straightforward journey from the bustling Northeast region to a quieter destination. You'll experience a mixed drive that balances highway speeds with local road navigation. It's an ideal route for a quick getaway or an easy afternoon excursion, perfect for when you want to cover some ground without committing to a full day of travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 1 | 12.2 mi | 16m |
| Yankee Division Highway | 7.1 mi | 10m |
| Essex Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Dodge Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Cambridge Street | 1.6 mi | 5m |
| Western Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Dodges Row | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Martin Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 1
— 12.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Essex, 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
·
27 sec
·
Monsignor O'Brien Highway
5
Turn left onto Charlestown Avenue
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Charlestown Avenue
6
Continue on Austin Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Austin Street
7
Turn right
137 ft
·
5 sec
8
Turn right onto New Rutherford Avenue
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
New Rutherford Avenue
9
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward US 1 North: Tobin Bridge
10
Merge onto US 1
12 mi
·
16 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 95 South, MA 128 North: Waltham, Gloucester
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, MA 128 North: Gloucester, Portsmouth New Hampshire
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 95; MA 128
0.6 mi
·
46 sec
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 128
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Exit 64
Toward MA 128 North: Gloucester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
335 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 45B
Toward MA 1A North: Hamilton, Beverly Regional Airport
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right
247 ft
·
5 sec
Toward MA 1A North: North Beverly, Hamilton, Wenham
17
Merge onto MA 1A
302 ft
·
3 sec
·
Dodge Street
18
Continue on MA 1A
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Dodge Street
19
Turn slight right
167 ft
·
7 sec
20
Continue on Dodge Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Dodge Street
21
Continue on Dodges Row
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Dodges Row
22
Keep slight right at fork onto Dodge Row
118 ft
·
4 sec
·
Dodge Row
23
Turn right onto Larch Row
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
Larch Row
24
Continue on Essex Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Essex Street
25
Continue on MA 22
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Western Avenue
26
Continue on MA 22
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Street
27
Arrive at destination
MA 22
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.3 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 22.9 — 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.
8
15.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North, MA 128 North: Gloucester, Portsmouth New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North, MA 128 North: Gloucester, Po...
8
16.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway toward MA 128 North: Gloucester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 64
Toward MA 128 North: Gloucester
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward MA 1A North: Hamilton, Beverly Regional Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 45B
Toward MA 1A North: Hamilton, Beverly Regional...
6
22.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Turn right toward MA 1A North: North Beverly, Hamilton, Wenham
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MA 1A North: North Beverly, Hamilton, We...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.91 one way
$9.83 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.36 | $10.72 |
| premium | $4.82 | $5.83 | $11.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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, MA
Late night in Essex on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
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
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 drive presents a mixed profile, with about 40% of the route utilizing highways. You'll encounter stretches like the Yankee Division Highway, which offers a more direct, faster pace. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 12.2 miles on US 1, providing a good taste of open-road driving. As you progress, expect a transition from potentially more urban or suburban highway conditions to the local roads that lead into Essex. This blend means you'll get a bit of everything: efficient travel on main arteries and a more local feel as you approach your destination.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.2 mi on US 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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
10/10
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 16 decision points packed into just 30.7 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: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.3 miles (MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cambridge, MA and Essex, MA, road signs point toward Gloucester, Portsmouth New Hampshire, Beverly Regional Airport, Hamilton and Wenham.
Gloucester
15 mi in
|
~24m
Portsmouth New Hampshire
15.1 mi in
|
~25m
Beverly Regional Airport
22.9 mi in
|
~36m
Hamilton
22.9 mi in
|
~36m
Wenham
22.9 mi in
|
~36m
About the Cities
Arriving in Essex, MA
Full guide →Essex is a town in on Cape Ann in the North Shore region of Massachusetts. Settled by direct descendants of the Mayflower passengers in the early 1600s, it was later world-renowned as North America's fishing schooner construction center. Today, history permeates the town, enhanced by its many antique stores. Its population was shy of 4k during the 2020 census.
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: 30.7 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). 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 12.2 miles on US 1. 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 Essex, 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 15.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.3 miles (MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Salem Maritime 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 Essex, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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