Origin
Arlington, VA
Morning in Arlington on Friday
Local time
9:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, VA to Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
60 mi
97 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
David Guerrero
Trip Overview
The drive from Arlington, VA to Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA covers 60 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, Courthouse Road, I 95 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.2 miles on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 60 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 23m drive with frequent turns across 60 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 42.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 3.3 miles in.
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 60 miles you will encounter 17 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 3.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.7 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
8
3.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395 South: Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
6
45.7 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
49.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward VA 3 West: Culpeper
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 130B
Toward VA 3 West: Culpeper
6
59.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
VA 208 BUS / Courthouse Road
At end of road, turn left onto VA 208 BUS / Courthouse Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway | 42.2 mi | 50m |
| Courthouse Road | 5.2 mi | 9m |
| I 95 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| North Glebe Road | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| Leavells Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Salem Church Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Plank Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Oakland Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
— 42.2 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA.
1
Start on Wilson Boulevard
90 ft
·
8 sec
·
Wilson Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Oakland Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Oakland Street
3
Turn right onto North Pershing Drive
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Pershing Drive
4
Turn left onto VA 120
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
North Glebe Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
6
Keep slight left at fork
315 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto I 395
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 395
36 mi
·
43 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Exit 1A
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 130B
Toward VA 3 West: Culpeper
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
13
Merge onto VA 3
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Plank Road
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto SR 639
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Salem Church Road
15
Continue on SR 639
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Leavells Road
16
Turn right onto VA 208
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Courthouse Road
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto VA 208 BUS
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Courthouse Road
18
At end of road, turn left onto VA 208 BUS
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Courthouse Road
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right
290 ft
·
21 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30 mi from Arlington, VA · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30 miles from Arlington, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
The final approach into Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.38 one way
$18.77 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.26 | $20.52 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.10 | $22.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.25 | $26.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18 | 0 | $6.30 | $2.88 |
| Efficient EV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24 | 0 | $8.40 | $3.84 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
Morning in Spotsylvania Courthouse on Friday
Local time
9:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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 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 23m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arlington, VA to Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA covers 60 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, Courthouse Road, I 95. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30 miles from Arlington, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.38 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.7 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Arlington, VA to Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Return Trip
Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA to Arlington, VAPlan the drive back the other way.
62.3 mi
1h 22m
Continue From Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
More trips to Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA
Explore more options from Arlington, VA or browse trips ending in Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.