Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
7.3 mi
12 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Somerset, MD
RDNE Stock project
Kensington, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Somerset, MD to Kensington, MD is 7.3 miles and takes about 14m via Veterans Highway, Crain Highway South, and Benfield Road, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its brief duration and local road nature, this trip is best suited for a quick transit rather than a leisurely exploration. You won't be on any major highways, so expect a more community-focused experience as you navigate through familiar towns and neighborhoods. It's the kind of drive you might do for a local errand or to visit friends nearby.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Highway | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Crain Highway South | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Benfield Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Benfield Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| Heather Stone Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Crain Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Banyon Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kensington Avenue East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Somerset, MD and Kensington, MD.
Start on Heather Stone Way
Turn left onto MD 3 Business
Continue on MD 3 Business
Turn left onto Veterans Highway
Turn left onto Benfield Boulevard
Continue on Benfield Road
Turn left onto Kensington Avenue East
Turn left onto Brentwood Avenue
Turn right onto Banyon Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MD 3 Business / Crain Highway South
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Veterans Highway
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Kensington Avenue East
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Brentwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Banyon Avenue
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.21 one way
$2.42 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.33 | $2.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $1.42 | $2.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.61 | $3.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| Efficient EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.64 | $0.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.02 | $0.47 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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 Somerset on Sunday
Local time
8:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
93°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
8:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
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.
This is a turn-heavy local drive with zero highway share, meaning you'll be on surface streets for the entire 7.3 miles. The longest stretch without a turn is 2.5 miles on Veterans Highway. You'll experience a consistent pace throughout, with frequent intersections and changes in direction as you navigate through residential and commercial areas. The road doesn't offer long, uninterrupted stretches of high-speed driving; instead, it's a more engaged experience requiring attention to traffic signals and local road conditions.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MD 3 Business / Crain Highway South.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 3 Business / Crain Highway South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (Veterans Highway): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (Kensington Avenue East): Navigation decision point.
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 14m. Total distance: 7.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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