Origin
McLean, VA
Evening in McLean on Sunday
Local time
5:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McLean, VA to Front Royal, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
62.9 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Front Royal, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from McLean, VA to Front Royal, VA covers 62.9 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 66, John Marshall Highway, Capital Beltway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.1 miles on I 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.84 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 51.1 mi | 58m |
| John Marshall Highway | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| Capital Beltway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 2 mi | 4m |
| South Commerce Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Jackson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Apple Mountain Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 51.1 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and Front Royal, VA.
1
Start on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Elm Street
2
Turn left onto Beverly Road
365 ft
·
15 sec
·
Beverly Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto VA 309
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto VA 123
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Dolley Madison Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 495 South
6
Merge onto I 495
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 66
51 mi
·
58 min
·
I 66
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 13
Toward VA 79: Linden, Front Royal
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto VA 79
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Apple Mountain Road
12
Turn right onto VA 55
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
John Marshall Highway
13
Turn slight right
283 ft
·
10 sec
14
Turn straight onto US 522
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Commerce Avenue
15
Turn left onto East Stonewall Drive
506 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Stonewall Drive
16
Turn slight right onto East Jackson Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Jackson Street
17
Turn right onto US 340; VA 55
411 ft
·
20 sec
·
South Royal Avenue
18
Turn left onto West Main Street
260 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Main Street
19
Turn left
30 ft
·
2 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.4 miles from McLean, VA, 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 0.1 and 56.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Beverly Road
Turn left onto Beverly Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive
Turn right onto VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
9
5.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 49
Toward I 66 West: Manassas, Front Royal
8
56.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward VA 79: Linden, Front Royal
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward VA 79: Linden, Front Royal
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.84 one way
$19.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.75 | $21.51 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.64 | $23.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.89 | $27.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.60 | $3.02 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.81 | $4.03 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Front Royal, VA
Evening in Front Royal on Sunday
Local time
5:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
25 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 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?
62.9 mi in 1h 20m, mostly highway — 51.1 mi of that is on I 66.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.1 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and John Marshall Highway. 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 Beverly Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.9 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 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Front Royal, VA
Full guide →Front Royal is a town of 15,000 people (2019) in the US state of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. It is the county seat of Warren County.
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 20m. Total distance: 62.9 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 (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.1 miles on I 66. 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 Front Royal, VA 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 (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (VA 309 / Old Dominion Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Front Royal, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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