Origin
Charlottesville, VA
Morning in Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
6:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 28m
Distance
102.5 mi
165 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlottesville, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Broadlands, VA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Charlottesville, VA to Broadlands, VA covers 102.5 miles and takes about 2h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on James Madison Highway, Seminole Trail, James Monroe Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 34.4 miles on James Madison Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.2 miles from Charlottesville, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 102.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (13%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 2h 28m drive with frequent turns across 102.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 250 BUS / East Market Street.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 102.5 miles you will encounter 16 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: near the start (US 250 BUS / East Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (SR 743 / Hydraulic Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto US 250 BUS / East Market Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto SR 743 / Hydraulic Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto US 29 / Seminole Trail
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto US 15; US 29 toward US 15 North, US 29 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| James Madison Highway | 34.4 mi | 46m |
| Seminole Trail | 33.9 mi | 48m |
| James Monroe Highway | 10 mi | 12m |
| US 15 | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| Northstar Boulevard | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Little River Turnpike | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Eastern Bypass | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Belmont Ridge Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Charlottesville, VA and Broadlands, VA.
Start on this road
Turn left onto US 250 BUS
Turn right onto 7th Street Northeast
Turn left onto US 250 BUS
Turn right onto Park Street
Turn left
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 250
Turn right onto SR 743
Enter roundabout onto SR 743
Continue on SR 743
Turn right onto US 29
Continue on US 29
Continue on US 15; US 29
Continue on US 15; US 17; US 29
Keep slight left at fork onto US 15; US 29
Turn left onto US 15
Continue on US 15
Enter roundabout onto SR 884
Continue on SR 884
Enter roundabout onto US 50
Continue on US 50
Enter roundabout onto US 50
Continue on US 50
Turn left onto SR 3171
Continue on SR 659
Turn right onto SR 2119
Turn left onto Chickacoan Trail Drive
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 23 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.2 miles or 1h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Broadlands, VA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Charlottesville, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Charlottesville, VA
This is one driving day of about 102.5 miles and 2h 28m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 51.2 mi from Charlottesville, VA · 1h 14m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
51 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.
A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 51.2 miles from Charlottesville, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Broadlands, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Broadlands, VA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$16.03 one way
$32.06 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $17.53 | $35.05 |
| premium | $4.70 | $18.97 | $37.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $22.63 | $45.26 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.76 | $4.92 |
| Efficient EV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.97 | $4.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 41 | 0 | $14.35 | $6.56 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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 Charlottesville on Friday
Local time
6:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Broadlands on Friday
Local time
6:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
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.
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. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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