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Trip from Cape Charles, VA to East Hampton, VA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 17m

Distance

52.5 mi

84 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 12m ★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in Virginia, United States

Cape Charles, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown East Hampton, VA, VA

East Hampton, VA

Sarah O'Shea

Trip Overview

The drive from Cape Charles, VA to East Hampton, VA covers 52.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel, Lankford Highway, Hampton Roads Beltway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.7 miles on Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.21 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel 17.7 mi 24m
Lankford Highway 10.8 mi 14m
Hampton Roads Beltway 10.6 mi 15m
Northampton Boulevard 5.1 mi 7m
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel 3.5 mi 4m
Stone Road 1.7 mi 2m
East Mercury Boulevard 0.8 mi 1m
Mason Avenue 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel — 17.7 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cape Charles, VA and East Hampton, VA.

1

Start on Park Row

295 ft · 19 sec · Park Row
2

Turn left onto Strawberry Street

0.2 mi · 1 min · Strawberry Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto VA 184

0.4 mi · 1 min · Mason Avenue
4

Turn right onto VA 184

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Randolph Avenue
5

Continue on VA 184

1.7 mi · 2 min · Stone Road
6

Turn right onto US 13

9.7 mi · 13 min · Lankford Highway
7

Merge onto US 13

1.1 mi · 1 min · Lankford Highway
8

Continue on US 13

18 mi · 24 min · Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel
9

Continue on US 13

5.1 mi · 7 min · Northampton Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward I 64 East, I 64 West: Downtown Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Richmond
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 64 West: Hampton, Richmond Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 64

9.8 mi · 14 min · Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 64; US 60

3.5 mi · 4 min · Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
14

Continue on I 64; US 60

0.7 mi · 1 min · Hampton Roads Beltway
15

Take the exit onto US 60

0.2 mi · 37 sec · US 60
Exit 267 Toward US 60, VA 143: Woodland Road, Hampton University Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn right onto VA 143

418 ft · 12 sec · Settlers Landing Road
17

Continue on Woodland Road

0.3 mi · 44 sec · Woodland Road
18

Turn left onto US 258

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Mercury Boulevard
Use the left lane.
19

Turn left onto Southerland Drive

0.2 mi · 49 sec · Southerland Drive
20

Arrive at destination

Southerland Drive

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Virginia Beach, VA, VA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Virginia Beach, VA

26 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.

Popular next leg

Virginia Beach, VA to East Hampton, VA

30.8 mi · 46m

Pacing Suggestions

Virginia Beach, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Virginia Beach, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Cape Charles, VA, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 50.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Strawberry Street

Turn left onto Strawberry Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | VA 184 / Mason Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto VA 184 / Mason Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
36.4 mi into trip | ~52m in

Take the exit toward I 64 East, I 64 West: Downtown Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Richmond

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 64 East, I 64 West: Downtown Norfolk,...
9
36.5 mi into trip | ~52m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 64 West: Hampton, Richmond

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 64 West: Hampton, Richmond
8
50.9 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in | US 60

Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60, VA 143: Woodland Road, Hampton University

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 267 Toward US 60, VA 143: Woodland Road, Hampton Un...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.21 one way

$16.42 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $8.98 $17.95
premium $4.70 $9.72 $19.43
diesel $5.61 $11.59 $23.18

Estimated Tolls: $4.00

Chesapeake Bay Bridge $4.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$4

Total

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 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 15.8 0 $5.51 $2.52
Efficient EV 13.1 0 $4.59 $2.10
EV Truck/SUV 21 0 $7.35 $3.36

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Mar 11, 2022

Origin

Cape Charles, VA

Evening in Cape Charles on Saturday

Local time

5:00 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

East Hampton, VA

Evening in East Hampton on Saturday

Local time

5:00 PM

EDT

Current temp

62°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

12 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 17m 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?

52.5 mi in 1h 17m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.7 mi on Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 0.1 miles in near Strawberry Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (Strawberry Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (VA 184 / Mason Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 36.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Cape Charles, VA and East Hampton, VA, road signs point toward Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton and Richmond.

Chesapeake

36.4 mi in | ~52m

Suffolk

36.4 mi in | ~52m

Hampton

36.4 mi in | ~52m

Richmond

36.4 mi in | ~52m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 52.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17.7 miles on Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $4.00 in tolls one way, starting with Chesapeake Bay Bridge. 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 East Hampton, VA 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 0.1 miles (Strawberry Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (VA 184 / Mason Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 36.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Fort Monroe National Monument and Colonial National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East Hampton, VA 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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