Origin
Seat Pleasant, MD
Afternoon in Seat Pleasant on Sunday
Local time
4:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Seat Pleasant, MD to Essex, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
42.9 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seat Pleasant, MD
Waldemar Brandt
Trip Overview
Traveling between Seat Pleasant and Essex covers 43.7 miles of Maryland terrain, making for a straightforward trek that typically takes about 56 minutes. Since this is a short journey, it is perfectly suited for a single day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel, keeping the trip budget-friendly. The route navigates through the Northeast region of Maryland, moving you from the outskirts of the capital area toward the Baltimore vicinity. Because the drive is brief, it offers great flexibility for your schedule, allowing you to easily complete the trip in under an hour if traffic conditions remain steady.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 29.8 mi | 41m |
| I 95 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Eastern Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Eastern Avenue Northeast | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Eastern Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Highway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Kenilworth Avenue Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kenilworth Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
— 29.8 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seat Pleasant, MD and Essex, MD.
1
Start on MD 704
525 ft
·
14 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr. Highway
2
Continue on MD 704
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr. Highway
3
Turn slight right onto Eastern Avenue Northeast
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Eastern Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto Kenilworth Avenue
355 ft
·
12 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MD 295 North, MD 201 North
6
Merge onto MD 201
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Baltimore
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
30 mi
·
41 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North: New York
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 95
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 59
Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
256 ft
·
8 sec
Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto MD 150
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastern Avenue
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on MD 150
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
16
Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue
211 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Taylor Avenue
17
Turn right
521 ft
·
38 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Seat Pleasant, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 39.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Merge onto MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Baltimore
6
32.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: New York
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North: New York
7
39.2 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 59
Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
9
39.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.11 one way
$14.22 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.79 | $15.58 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.32 | $16.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.47 | $18.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 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 | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.01 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Essex, MD
Afternoon in Essex on Sunday
Local time
4:23 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
1 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 4m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero percent highway share. You will navigate primarily via Martin Luther King Jr. Highway, Eastern Avenue Northeast, and Kenilworth Avenue. Because the path relies entirely on local roads, you should remain alert for frequent intersections and changing traffic patterns throughout the 43.7-mile distance. There is no single long, uninterrupted stretch, so you will need to stay focused on navigating the various turns that define the character of this urban transit. It is a practical, functional drive that requires your full attention on local road navigation.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.8 mi on Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Baltimore-Washington Parkway and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 2.4 miles (MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Seat Pleasant, MD to Essex, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
2.6 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Arriving in Essex, MD
Full guide →Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.
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 4m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.8 miles on Baltimore-Washington Parkway. 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 Essex, 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: at 2.4 miles (MD 201 / Kenilworth Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Essex, 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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