Origin
Great Falls, VA
Late night in Great Falls on Sunday
Local time
3:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
7.8 mi
13 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Great Falls, VA
Wilson Rodriguez
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 7.8-mile drive from Great Falls, VA, to McLean, VA, will take you about 16 minutes to complete, making it a perfect, quick local excursion. With no highway driving and a very low estimated fuel cost of just $1, this trip is all about navigating local roads. The entire journey is contained within the Southeast region, staying within Virginia. Since it's such a brief trip, it's ideal for a single day, offering flexibility in your schedule without needing an overnight stay. You'll primarily be on Old Dominion Drive, Georgetown Pike, and Elm Street.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion Drive | 5.8 mi | 11m |
| Georgetown Pike | 2 mi | 4m |
| Elm Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Dominion Drive
— 5.8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Great Falls, VA and McLean, VA.
1
Start on VA 193
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Georgetown Pike
2
Turn right onto SR 738
5.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the left lane.
3
Turn sharp left onto Elm Street
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
Elm Street
4
Arrive at destination
Elm Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 7.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive
Turn right onto SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
7.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Elm Street
Turn sharp left onto Elm Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.22 one way
$2.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.33 | $2.67 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.44 | $2.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.72 | $3.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.82 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.68 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
McLean, VA
Late night in McLean on Sunday
Local time
3:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
16m 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 for this entire 7.8-mile journey, as indicated by the 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.8 miles along Old Dominion Drive. This route is characterized by its frequent turns and local road feel, rather than any high-speed cruising. You'll be navigating a more intimate driving experience, typical of getting around within a suburban or semi-rural area.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
4 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.8 mi on Old Dominion Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Great Falls, VA to McLean, VA is easy. At 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (Elm Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 7.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.8 miles on Old Dominion Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 2 miles (SR 738 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (Elm Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 McLean, VA 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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