Origin
Gwynn Oak, MD
Morning in Gwynn Oak on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gwynn Oak, MD to Brandywine, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
54.3 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gwynn Oak, MD
Iqbal farooz
Brandywine, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
Gwynn Oak to Brandywine is 54.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via MD 3 and I-97, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, traveling from the Northeast region down towards its southern part. It's a fairly straightforward drive, mostly on highways but with some surface road cruising mixed in. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you ample time to reach your destination without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MD 3 | 18.2 mi | 26m |
| Crain Highway | 12.7 mi | 17m |
| I 97 | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 7.6 mi | 10m |
| Ingleside Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| West Forest Park Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Brandywine Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Hillsdale Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
MD 3
— 18.2 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gwynn Oak, MD and Brandywine, MD.
1
Start on this road
60 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Haddon Avenue
178 ft
·
11 sec
·
Haddon Avenue
3
Turn left onto Hillsdale Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Hillsdale Road
4
Turn slight right onto West Forest Park Avenue
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West Forest Park Avenue
5
Continue on Ingleside Avenue
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Ingleside Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn right onto US 40
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Baltimore National Pike
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 695
7.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 4
Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
Use the slight left lane.
10
Continue on I 97
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
I 97
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto MD 3
18 mi
·
26 min
·
MD 3
Toward MD 32 West, MD 3 South: Bowie, Crofton
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on US 301
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Crain Highway
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto MD 381
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Brandywine Road
14
Arrive at destination
MD 381
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 27.2 miles from Gwynn Oak, MD, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Haddon Avenue
Turn right onto Haddon Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 40 / Baltimore National Pike
Turn right onto US 40 / Baltimore National Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie
8
12.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 4
Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
8
22.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
MD 3
Keep slight right at fork onto MD 3 toward MD 32 West, MD 3 South: Bowie, Crofton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward MD 32 West, MD 3 South: Bowie, Crofton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.00 one way
$18.00 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.86 | $19.72 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.53 | $21.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.99 | $23.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 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 | $5.70 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.60 | $3.48 |
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
Brandywine, MD
Morning in Brandywine on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Crofton, MD
27 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
4 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 20m 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 about 50% highway time, meaning you'll experience both faster travel and slower surface roads. You'll encounter an 18.2-mile stretch on MD 3, which will likely feel like a significant portion of your surface road driving. Expect to transition between the efficiency of the interstate and the more stop-and-go nature of surface streets as you navigate through various towns. The mix suggests you'll notice changes in traffic patterns and speed limits as you move between these road types.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on MD 3.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Haddon Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.3 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (Haddon Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (US 40 / Baltimore National Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: 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.
On the drive from Gwynn Oak, MD to Brandywine, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Crofton along the way.
Crofton
22.1 mi in
|
~33m
|
via MD 3
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 54.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on MD 3. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Brandywine, MD 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: near the start (Haddon Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (US 40 / Baltimore National Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brandywine, MD 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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