Origin
Cambridge, MA
Late night in Cambridge on Sunday
Local time
3:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MA to Spencer, MA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
52.4 mi
84 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Spencer, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Cambridge, MA to Spencer, MA is 52.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 18 minutes via Massachusetts Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region and covers ground entirely within Massachusetts. Given its relatively short length and focus on highway travel, this route is best suited for a quick, straightforward journey. You'll be spending most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical option if you're looking to get from point A to point B efficiently. Plan for a single day of travel, as the duration is well within a comfortable driving window.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Turnpike | 34 mi | 40m |
| Main Street | 5.4 mi | 11m |
| South Main Street | 5.4 mi | 10m |
| Grafton Street | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Grafton Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Memorial Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ellery Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Harvard Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Massachusetts Turnpike
— 34 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MA and Spencer, MA.
1
Start on Leonard Avenue
267 ft
·
13 sec
·
Leonard Avenue
2
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Cambridge Street
3
Turn left onto Ellery Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Ellery Street
4
Turn right onto Harvard Street
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Harvard Street
5
Turn left onto Bow Street
475 ft
·
20 sec
·
Bow Street
6
Continue on DeWolfe Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
DeWolfe Street
Use the straight lane.
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 3; MA 2
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Memorial Drive
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto Western Avenue
478 ft
·
18 sec
·
Western Avenue
Toward I 90: Western Avenue, Mass Pike
9
Turn left onto Soldiers Field Road
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Soldiers Field Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 90: Mass Pike
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 90 West: Worcester
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 90
34 mi
·
40 min
·
Massachusetts Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 96
Toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
14
Keep slight left at fork
173 ft
·
10 sec
15
Turn left onto MA 122
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Grafton Road
16
Continue on MA 122
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Grafton Street
17
Enter roundabout onto MA 122
123 ft
·
1 sec
·
Grafton Street
18
Continue on MA 122
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
Grafton Street
19
Continue on Grafton Street
245 ft
·
5 sec
·
Grafton Street
20
Continue on Winter Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Winter Street
21
At end of road, turn right onto Green Street
519 ft
·
12 sec
·
Green Street
22
Turn sharp left onto McGrath Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
McGrath Boulevard
23
Turn right onto Myrtle Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Myrtle Street
24
Turn left onto Main Street
5.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Main Street
25
Continue on MA 9
5.4 mi
·
10 min
·
South Main Street
26
Turn left onto MA 31
45 ft
·
1 sec
·
Maple Street
27
Arrive at destination
MA 31
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.2 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 36.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cambridge Street
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
Navigation decision point
6
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 3; MA 2 / Memorial Drive
At end of road, turn left onto US 3; MA 2 / Memorial Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Western Avenue
Turn right onto Western Avenue toward I 90: Western Avenue, Mass Pike
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90: Western Avenue, Mass Pike
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 90 West: Worcester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 90 West: Worcester
6
36.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 96
Toward MA 122: Millbury, Worcester
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.39 one way
$16.77 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.15 | $18.29 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.95 | $19.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.57 | $23.14 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.04
Massachusetts Turnpike
(34 mi)
$2.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.34 | $3.35 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Spencer, MA
Late night in Spencer on Sunday
Local time
3:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°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
23 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 18m 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 is primarily highway-focused, with 65% of the route utilizing major roadways like the Massachusetts Turnpike. Expect a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey, including a longest stretch of 34 miles on the Massachusetts Turnpike where you can maintain steady speed. As you transition off the Turnpike and onto Main Street and South Main Street, the character will shift to more local road driving, though the overall mileage on these is less. The road profile suggests a majority of faster-paced driving, interspersed with more typical town center navigation as you near your destination.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34 mi on Massachusetts Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Massachusetts Turnpike and Main Street. 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
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.4 miles you will encounter 20 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): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 3; MA 2 / Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (Western Avenue): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
On the drive from Cambridge, MA to Spencer, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Worcester along the way.
Worcester
36.3 mi in
|
~47m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 52.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34 miles on Massachusetts Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.04 in tolls one way, starting with Massachusetts Turnpike. 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 Spencer, 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): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 3; MA 2 / Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (Western Avenue): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Boston National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park and Adams National Historical Park (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 Spencer, 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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