Origin
Sanford, ME
Night in Sanford on Saturday
Local time
10:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sanford, ME to York Beach, ME
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
28.8 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sanford, ME
Wikimedia Commons
York Beach, ME
Sarah O'Shea
Trip Overview
If you are looking to trade the inland setting of Sanford, ME for the coastal atmosphere of York Beach, this 28.8-mile journey is an ideal choice for a quick escape. The drive typically takes about 46 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will navigate a mix of local roads and the Maine Turnpike, keeping your transit costs low with an estimated fuel budget of just $5. Since both locations are situated within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent New England environment throughout the transition. This route is straightforward and efficient, allowing you to spend more time at your destination rather than behind the wheel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 11.8 mi | 12m |
| Main Street | 6.8 mi | 13m |
| Sanford Road | 5.4 mi | 9m |
| US Route 1 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Short Sands Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Spur Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ridge Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 11.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sanford, ME and York Beach, ME.
1
Start on this road
89 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Washington Street
291 ft
·
15 sec
·
Washington Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto ME 109; ME 4A
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Main Street
4
Enter roundabout onto ME 109
128 ft
·
3 sec
·
Main Street
5
Continue on ME 109
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Main Street
6
Continue on ME 109
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Sanford Road
7
Turn left
305 ft
·
9 sec
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
9
Merge onto I 95
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Maine Turnpike
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 7
Toward York, York Beach
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
12
Turn left onto Spur Road
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Spur Road
13
Turn left onto US 1
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US Route 1
14
Turn right onto Short Sands Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Short Sands Road
15
Turn left onto Ridge Road
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Ridge Road
16
At end of road, turn right onto Church Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Church Street
17
Turn right onto US 1A
5 ft
·
0 sec
·
Long Beach Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
US 1A
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28.6 — 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
|
Washington Street
Turn left onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
ME 109; ME 4A / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto ME 109; ME 4A / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
24.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward York, York Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 7
Toward York, York Beach
5
24.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
28.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Church Street
At end of road, turn right onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.27 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.52 | $11.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.36 | $12.72 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.71
Maine Turnpike
(11.8 mi)
$0.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
York Beach, ME
Night in York Beach on Saturday
Local time
10:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
9 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
46m 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 varied experience on this drive, as it is classified as a mixed-profile route. You will spend roughly 49% of your time on the highway, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 11.8 miles on the Maine Turnpike. Outside of that turnpike segment, you will transition onto local corridors like Main Street and Sanford Road. This shift from high-speed travel to slower, local roads provides a balanced driving experience. You won't face a monotonous interstate grind, as the route requires you to stay engaged as you move through these different road types.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on Maine Turnpike.
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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.
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 28.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (ME 109; ME 4A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
306 ft
31 ft
Total Climb
100 ft
Total Descent
375 ft
Highest Point
306 ft
Elevation Range
275 ft
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 Sanford, ME to York Beach, ME, road signs begin pointing toward York along the way.
York
24.4 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Starting in Sanford, ME
Full guide →Sanford is a small town is southern Maine. It includes the village of Springvale.
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 46m. Total distance: 28.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.71 in tolls one way, starting with Maine Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 York Beach, ME 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ME can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (ME 109; ME 4A / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at York Beach, ME 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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