Origin
Buena Vista, VA
Afternoon in Buena Vista on Friday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buena Vista, VA to Harrisonburg, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
63 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buena Vista, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Harrisonburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buena Vista, VA to Harrisonburg, VA covers 63 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, East Midland Trail, South Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56.8 miles on I 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 63 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 13m highway drive covering 63 miles, with most of the trip on I 81 and East Midland Trail. The longest continuous stretch is about 56.8 miles on I 81.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 56.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and East Midland Trail. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 501 / Sycamore Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 13m drive. You will face about 8 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 (US 501 / Sycamore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 60 / West 29th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 501 / Sycamore Avenue
Turn right onto US 501 / Sycamore Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 60 / West 29th Street
Turn left onto US 60 / West 29th Street
Navigation decision point
3
4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
36.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
61.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward VA 253: Harrisonburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward VA 253: Harrisonburg
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 56.8 mi | 1h 1m |
| East Midland Trail | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| South Main Street | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| West 29th Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Port Republic Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Beech Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Sycamore Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 21st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 56.8 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buena Vista, VA and Harrisonburg, VA.
1
Start on East 21st Street
444 ft
·
23 sec
·
East 21st Street
2
Turn right onto US 501
483 ft
·
6 sec
·
Sycamore Avenue
3
Turn straight onto US 501
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Beech Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
West 29th Street
5
Continue on US 60
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East Midland Trail
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
7
Merge onto I 81
32 mi
·
34 min
·
I 81
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
24 mi
·
26 min
·
I 81
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward VA 253: Harrisonburg
10
Turn left onto VA 253
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Port Republic Road
11
Turn right onto US 11
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
US 11; US 33
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.5 mi from Buena Vista, VA · 35m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from Buena Vista, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Harrisonburg, VA
The final approach into Harrisonburg, 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
$9.85 one way
$19.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.77 | $21.54 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.66 | $23.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.91 | $27.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.82 | $4.03 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Harrisonburg, VA
Afternoon in Harrisonburg on Friday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°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
24 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 13m 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 Buena Vista, VA to Harrisonburg, VA covers 63 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, East Midland Trail, South Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.5 miles from Buena Vista, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.85 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 is a straightforward 1h 13m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 501 / Sycamore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 60 / West 29th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Buena Vista, VA to Harrisonburg, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Shenandoah National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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