Origin
Dennis, MA
Late night in Dennis on Sunday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dennis, MA to New Bedford, 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 17m
Distance
54.5 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dennis, MA
Italo Melo
New Bedford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Dennis, MA to New Bedford, MA is 54.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m via Mid Cape Highway and I-195, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Massachusetts, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a mixed driving experience that transitions from more local roads to highway travel. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. It's a straightforward journey that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Cape Highway | 17.5 mi | 24m |
| I 195 | 14.5 mi | 17m |
| MA 25 | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Main Street | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Sandwich Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Route 6A | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| MA 28 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Willow Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Mid Cape Highway
— 17.5 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dennis, MA and New Bedford, MA.
1
Start on this road
193 ft
·
21 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto MA 6A
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Route 6A
3
Continue on MA 6A
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Main Street
4
Turn left onto Willow Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Willow Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward US 6 West: Boston, Providence, RI
6
Merge onto US 6
17 mi
·
23 min
·
Mid Cape Highway
7
Continue on US 6
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
Mid Cape Highway
8
Take the exit onto MA 6A
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
MA 6A
Exit 55
Toward MA 6A: Sagamore
Use the straight lane.
9
At end of road, turn left onto Sandwich Road
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Sandwich Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on Sandwich Road
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Sandwich Road
11
Enter roundabout onto MA 28
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
MA 28
12
Continue on MA 28
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
MA 28
13
Continue on MA 25
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
MA 25
14
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1
Toward I 195 West: New Bedford, Providence Rhode Island
15
Continue on I 195
15 mi
·
17 min
·
I 195
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 26
Toward MA 18 South: Downtown New Bedford
17
Merge onto MA 18
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
John F. Kennedy Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward US 6: Dartmouth, Fairhaven
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward US 6 West: Dartmouth
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn straight onto US 6
186 ft
·
8 sec
·
US 6
21
Turn left onto Sixth Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Sixth Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
22
Turn left onto Market Street
237 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
23
Turn left onto Pleasant Street
172 ft
·
3 sec
·
Pleasant Street
24
Arrive at destination
Pleasant Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 27.3 miles from Dennis, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 23.4 and 54 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
23.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
MA 6A
Take the exit onto MA 6A toward MA 6A: Sagamore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 55
Toward MA 6A: Sagamore
7
23.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
Sandwich Road
At end of road, turn left onto Sandwich Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
37.1 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward I 195 West: New Bedford, Providence Rhode Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1
Toward I 195 West: New Bedford, Providence Rhod...
7
53.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Dartmouth, Fairhaven
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 6: Dartmouth, Fairhaven
8
54 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 6 West: Dartmouth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 6 West: Dartmouth
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.72 one way
$17.44 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.51 | $19.02 |
| premium | $4.82 | $10.35 | $20.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.03 | $24.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 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 | 16.3 | 0 | $5.72 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.63 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
New Bedford, MA
Late night in New Bedford on Sunday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
1h 17m 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 offers a blend of highway and other road types, with 48% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.5 miles on the Mid Cape Highway before transitioning to faster-paced Interstate travel. The character of the drive shifts as you progress, starting on what is likely a more suburban or town-road feel and then moving onto more direct, higher-speed routes. It’s not an all-highway grind, nor is it a purely scenic byway, but rather a practical mix designed for efficient travel between these two Massachusetts locations.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on Mid Cape Highway.
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 23.4 miles in near MA 6A.
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 54.5 miles you will encounter 15 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 23.4 miles (MA 6A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (Sandwich Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Dennis, MA to New Bedford, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Providence Rhode Island along the way.
Providence Rhode Island
37.1 mi in
|
~54m
About the Cities
Starting in Dennis, MA
Full guide →Dennis is in Massachusetts on Cape Cod. It includes the villages of Dennis Port, East Dennis, South Dennis, and West Dennis. Dennis bills itself as the "Cultural Center of Cape Cod", and perhaps rightly so. It boasts the Cape Cod Museum of Art, the Cape Playhouse, and some really excellent art and craft galleries.
Arriving in New Bedford, MA
Full guide →New Bedford is in Massachusetts on the southern coast. New Bedford's excellent harbor made it a natural fishing and whaling center. It was the world's premier whaling port in the 19th century, and, for a time, "the richest city in the world" and "the city that lit the world" because of whale oil production. New Bedford neighbor Acushnet is the birthplace of the Titleist golf ball.
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 17m. Total distance: 54.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on Mid Cape 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 New Bedford, 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 23.4 miles (MA 6A): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (Sandwich Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Bedford, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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