Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
24.7 mi
40 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kensington, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, MD
Robert So
If you are looking to travel from Kensington to Oakland, this 27.7-mile connection is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 37 minutes. Because the distance is so short, it is perfectly suited for a quick day trip rather than an overnight stay. You will navigate entirely through the Northeast region of Maryland, keeping your travel expenses low with an estimated fuel cost of just $5. Since there are no required stops along the way, you have the flexibility to complete the drive in one efficient push. It is a practical route for those needing to move between these two Maryland locations without the complexity of long-distance planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Muddy Creek Road | 8.1 mi | 12m |
| Governor Ritchie Highway | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Solomons Island Road | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Central Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Benfield Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Robinson Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| John Hanson Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kensington, MD and Oakland, MD.
Start on Banyon Avenue
Turn left onto Brentwood Avenue
Turn right onto Kensington Avenue East
Turn left onto Benfield Road
Continue on Robinson Road
Turn right onto MD 2
Take the exit
Continue on MD 2
Merge onto US 50; US 301; MD 2
Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 2
Turn left onto MD 2
Turn left onto MD 214
Turn right onto MD 468
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Brentwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto MD 2 / Governor Ritchie Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 2 South, US 301 South, US 50 West: Annapolis, Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 2 South: Parole, Prince Frederick, Jennifer Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 2 toward MD 2 South, MD 450: Parole, Prince Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.09 one way
$8.19 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.48 | $8.97 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.79 | $9.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.45 | $10.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.19 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.46 | $1.58 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
6:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 4:18AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Destination
Morning in Oakland on Sunday
Local time
6:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 4:18AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish. You will spend your entire journey on local roads like Brentwood Avenue, Kensington Avenue East, and Benfield Road, as the highway share for this route is 0%. Because this is a localized trip, there are no long, monotonous interstate stretches to contend with. Instead, the road requires your full attention as you navigate through the turns that define the character of this 27.7-mile path. It is a technical, low-speed drive that feels quite different from the typical highway commute.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Brentwood Avenue.
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 24.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 (Brentwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (MD 2 / Governor Ritchie Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
181 ft
Total Descent
241 ft
Highest Point
104 ft
~17.7 mi in
Elevation Range
95 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kensington, MD and Oakland, MD, road signs point toward Washington and Prince Frederick.
Washington
Prince Frederick
Founded 1894
Kensington is a suburb of Washington, D.C. in the Capital Region of Maryland with a population of about 2,100 people in 2020. The main reasons to visit are antique shopping at Antique Row, to see the enormous Mormon Temple, and one great pizza place. Aside from that, it's just a quiet suburban town with some odd quirks. Sections of the "Town of Kensington" are really beautiful, with big old Victorian homes set in a nice community by parks and Antique Row—looking much as it did when Kensington was a summer getaway from the big city.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 24.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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