Origin
Rockport, MA
Late night in Rockport on Sunday
Local time
3:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockport, MA to Lowell, 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 8m
Distance
50.3 mi
81 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockport, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Lowell, MA
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
This 50.7-mile journey from Rockport, MA to Lowell, MA is best tackled as a single-day trip, taking approximately 56 minutes. You'll navigate local streets like Broadway, Main Street, and Eastern Avenue, with no highway driving involved, making for a direct, turn-heavy local experience. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop is around $8, so you won't need to budget heavily for gas. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a spontaneous excursion or an easy addition to a larger Massachusetts itinerary within the Northeast region. It offers a straightforward connection between two points without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Yankee Division Highway | 33.2 mi | 45m |
| US 3 | 10.7 mi | 13m |
| Main Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Chelmsford Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Eastern Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| MA 128 | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Broadway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Hale Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Yankee Division Highway
— 33.2 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockport, MA and Lowell, MA.
1
Start on Broadway Avenue
172 ft
·
12 sec
·
Broadway Avenue
2
Continue on MA 127A
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Broadway
3
Continue on MA 127
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
4
Continue on MA 127
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Eastern Avenue
5
Turn right onto MA 128
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
MA 128
6
Enter roundabout onto MA 128
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Yankee Division Highway
7
Continue on MA 128
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Yankee Division Highway
8
Enter roundabout onto MA 128
308 ft
·
4 sec
·
Yankee Division Highway
9
Continue on MA 128
32 mi
·
44 min
·
Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto US 3
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
US 3
Exit 50B-A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 3
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
US 3
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
17
Turn right onto MA 110
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Chelmsford Street
18
Turn right onto Cambridge Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cambridge Street
19
Turn left onto Hale Street
486 ft
·
13 sec
·
Hale Street
20
Arrive at destination
Hale Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 37.1 and 48.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
37.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 3
Take the exit onto US 3 toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire
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 50B-A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Middlesex Turnpike,...
7
37.3 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 3 toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
7
37.5 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
US 3
Keep slight right at fork onto US 3 toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 50A
Toward US 3 North: Lowell, Nashua New Hampshire
8
47.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlboro
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 81B-C
Toward MA 110, I 495 South: Chelmsford, Marlbor...
8
48.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 81C
Toward MA 110: Lowell, Chelmsford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.05 one way
$16.10 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| premium | $4.82 | $9.55 | $19.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.11 | $22.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.04 | $3.22 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Lowell, MA
Late night in Lowell on Sunday
Local time
3:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°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
3 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 8m 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 local drive with a high number of turns on this route, as indicated by its 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile and zero highway share. You won't encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of road; the longest segment isn't specified, suggesting frequent intersections and changes in direction. The drive primarily utilizes main local roads such as Broadway, Main Street, and Eastern Avenue, meaning you'll be passing through communities rather than cruising on open highways. This character ensures a grounded, in-the-moment driving experience where you'll be actively navigating through towns and cities.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.2 mi on Yankee Division Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 37.1 miles in near US 3.
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 50.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 37.1 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.3 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Rockport, MA and Lowell, MA, road signs point toward Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington and Nashua New Hampshire.
Middlesex Turnpike
37.1 mi in
|
~51m
|
via US 3
Burlington
37.1 mi in
|
~51m
|
via US 3
Nashua New Hampshire
37.1 mi in
|
~51m
|
via US 3
About the Cities
Arriving in Lowell, MA
Full guide →Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.
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 8m. Total distance: 50.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.2 miles on Yankee Division 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 Lowell, 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 37.1 miles (US 3): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.3 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lowell, 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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