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Trip from Fort Lee, VA to Norfolk, VA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 47m

Distance

86.9 mi

140 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 40m ★
6 AM
1h 48m
8 AM
2h 3m
10 AM
1h 53m
12 PM
1h 52m
3 PM
1h 54m
5 PM
2h 3m
8 PM
1h 43m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fort Lee, VA, VA

Fort Lee, VA

Phil Evenden

Downtown Norfolk, VA, VA

Norfolk, VA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Fort Lee, VA to Norfolk, VA covers 86.9 miles and takes about 1h 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 64, Hampton Roads Beltway, Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 70.4 miles on I 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.59 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

43.5 miles from Fort Lee, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 86.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 47m highway drive covering 86.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 64 and Hampton Roads Beltway. The longest continuous stretch is about 70.4 miles on I 64.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 64 is the longest continuous segment at about 70.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and Hampton Roads Beltway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near SR 7581 / South Airport Drive.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 86.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (SR 7581 / South Airport Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 81.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | SR 7581 / South Airport Drive

Turn right onto SR 7581 / South Airport Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
3 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 64

Merge onto I 64

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
81.4 mi into trip | ~1h 35m in

Take the exit toward I 564, US 460: Naval Base, Granby Street

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 276 Toward I 564, US 460: Naval Base, Granby Street
9
81.6 mi into trip | ~1h 35m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 460, VA 165: Granby Street, Little Creek Road

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

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward US 460, VA 165: Granby Street, Little Cr...
5
85 mi into trip | ~1h 43m in | US 460 / Monticello Avenue

Turn right onto US 460 / Monticello Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 64 70.4 mi 1h 19m
Hampton Roads Beltway 4.5 mi 6m
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel 3.5 mi 4m
Granby Street 3.1 mi 7m
South Airport Drive 2.2 mi 3m
Monticello Avenue 1.2 mi 2m
Saint Pauls Boulevard 0.7 mi 1m
Charles City Road 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 64 — 70.4 mi, about 1h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Lee, VA and Norfolk, VA.

1

Start on Charles City Road

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Charles City Road
2

Turn right onto SR 7581

2.2 mi · 3 min · South Airport Drive
Use the right lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 64 East: Norfolk, Rocky Mount NC
4

Merge onto I 64

70 mi · 1 hr 19 min · I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight left at fork onto I 64; US 60

342 ft · 5 sec · Hampton Roads Beltway
6

Continue on I 64; US 60

3.5 mi · 4 min · Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
7

Continue on I 64; US 60

4.4 mi · 5 min · Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 276 Toward I 564, US 460: Naval Base, Granby Street Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 18 sec
Toward US 460, VA 165: Granby Street, Little Creek Road Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10

Turn straight onto US 460

3.1 mi · 7 min · Granby Street
Use the left lane.
11

Continue on US 460

446 ft · 9 sec · Church Street
12

Turn right onto US 460

1.2 mi · 2 min · Monticello Avenue
Use the right lane.
13

Continue on US 460

0.7 mi · 1 min · Saint Pauls Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14

Turn left onto East City Hall Avenue

158 ft · 9 sec · East City Hall Avenue
Use the left lane.
15

Arrive at destination

East City Hall Avenue

Trip Plan

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.5 miles from Fort Lee, VA, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.4 miles.

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 19 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 43.5 miles or 50m 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 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Norfolk, VA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fort Lee, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Fort Lee, VA

This is one driving day of about 86.9 miles and 1h 47m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Fort Lee, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 70.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 43.5 mi from Fort Lee, VA · 50m into the drive

independent city in Virginia, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Newport News, VA

43 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

Newport News, VA to Norfolk, VA

24.9 mi · 33m

Pacing Suggestions

Williamsburg, VA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gloucester Point, VA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.5 miles from Fort Lee, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 64 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.4 miles.

Arriving in Norfolk, VA

The final approach into Norfolk, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Colonial National Historical Park

Colonial National Historical Park

National Historical Park

On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...

1 mi from route ~3 min detour $15 near mile 51
View on nps.gov
Fort Monroe National Monument

Fort Monroe National Monument

National Monument

Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...

2 mi from route ~4 min detour Free near mile 74.9
View on nps.gov
Petersburg National Battlefield

Petersburg National Battlefield

National Battlefield

Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...

22 mi from route ~56 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.59 one way

$27.18 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $14.86 $29.72
premium $4.70 $16.08 $32.17
diesel $5.61 $19.19 $38.37

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.1 0 $9.12 $4.17
Efficient EV 21.7 0 $7.60 $3.48
EV Truck/SUV 34.8 0 $12.17 $5.56

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Fort Lee, VA

Evening in Fort Lee on Thursday

Local time

6:46 PM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Norfolk, VA

Evening in Norfolk on Thursday

Local time

6:46 PM

EDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

26 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 47m 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 Fort Lee, VA to Norfolk, VA covers 86.9 miles and takes about 1h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, Hampton Roads Beltway, Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.5 miles from Fort Lee, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.59 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 86.9 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (SR 7581 / South Airport Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 81.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Fort Lee, VA to Norfolk, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Colonial National Historical Park, Fort Monroe National Monument and Petersburg National Battlefield.

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