Origin
Idylwood, VA
Afternoon in Idylwood on Saturday
Local time
2:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Idylwood, VA to South Suffolk, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 27m
Distance
194.8 mi
314 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 15m
★
6 AM
3h 27m
8 AM
3h 52m
10 AM
3h 36m
12 PM
3h 34m
3 PM
3h 37m
5 PM
3h 51m
8 PM
3h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Idylwood, VA
Yaroslav Shuraev
South Suffolk, VA
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
The drive from Idylwood, VA to South Suffolk, VA covers 194.8 miles and takes about 3h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Leesburg Pike, I 66, I 66 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.46 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
97.4 miles from Idylwood, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 43m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Leesburg Pike | — | — |
| I 66 | — | — |
| I 66 West | — | — |
| Custis Memorial Parkway | — | — |
| I 495 South | — | — |
| Capital Beltway | — | — |
| I 95 South | — | — |
| Henry G | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Leesburg Pike
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Idylwood, VA and South Suffolk, VA.
1
Start on Idylwood Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Idylwood Road
2
Turn right onto Leesburg Pike
112 ft
·
3 sec
·
Leesburg Pike
3
Take the ramp slight right toward I 66: Metro, Washington, Front Royal
427 ft
·
10 sec
·
I 66: Metro, Washington, Front Royal
4
Keep slight right to continue on I 66 West: Front Royal
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 66 West: Front Royal
5
Merge slight left onto Custis Memorial Parkway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Custis Memorial Parkway
6
Take the exit slight right toward I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
7
Keep slight right to continue on I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
8
Merge slight left onto Capital Beltway
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Capital Beltway
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Richmond
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 South: Richmond
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 South, SR 644 East: Richmond, Franconia
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 95 South, SR 644 East: Richmond, Franconia
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 South: Richmond
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 95 South: Richmond
12
Merge slight left onto Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
36 mi
·
42 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
13
Keep slight left
49 mi
·
53 min
14
Take the exit slight left toward I 295 South: Williamsburg, Norfolk, Va Beach
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 295 South: Williamsburg, Norfolk, Va Beach
15
Merge slight right onto Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
27 mi
·
29 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
16
Take the exit slight right toward VA 10 East: Hopewell
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
VA 10 East: Hopewell
17
Merge slight left onto East Hundred Road
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
East Hundred Road
18
Continue on West Randolph Road
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West Randolph Road
19
Continue on James River Drive
15 mi
·
19 min
·
James River Drive
20
Continue on Colonial Trail West
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Colonial Trail West
21
At the end of the road, turn left onto Rolfe Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Rolfe Highway
22
Take the exit right
148 ft
·
6 sec
23
Merge slight left onto Colonial Trail East
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Colonial Trail East
24
Continue on Old Stage Highway
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Old Stage Highway
25
Keep slight right to continue on Benns Church Boulevard
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Benns Church Boulevard
26
Continue on Godwin Boulevard
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Godwin Boulevard
27
Continue on Godwin Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Godwin Boulevard
28
Turn left onto Pruden Boulevard
367 ft
·
6 sec
·
Pruden Boulevard
29
Continue on North Main Street
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Main Street
30
Continue on Carolina Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Carolina Road
31
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 97.4 miles from Idylwood, VA, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
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 43 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.4 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Suffolk, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Idylwood, 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 Idylwood, VA
This is one driving day of about 194.8 miles and 3h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Idylwood, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
97 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 97.4 miles from Idylwood, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.46 one way
$60.92 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
68 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $33.31 | $66.62 |
| premium | $4.70 | $36.05 | $72.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.01 | $86.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.4 | 0 | $20.45 | $9.35 |
| Efficient EV | 48.7 | 0 | $17.04 | $7.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 77.9 | 0 | $27.27 | $12.47 |
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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
South Suffolk, VA
Afternoon in South Suffolk on Saturday
Local time
2:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
86°F
Colonial Heights, VA
97 mi in
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
29 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
3h 27m 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?
194.8 mi in 3h 27m 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.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Leesburg Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Idylwood, VA to South Suffolk, VA is easy. At 3h 27m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Idylwood, VA to South Suffolk, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 27m. Total distance: 194.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Idylwood, VA to South Suffolk, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.9 hours — manageable with a long break at South Suffolk, VA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From South Suffolk, VA
More trips to South Suffolk, VA
Explore more options from Idylwood, VA or browse trips ending in South Suffolk, VA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.