The drive from Matoaca, VA to Virginia Beach, VA covers 107 miles and takes about 2h 25m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 264, James River Drive, Colonial Trail West for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20 miles on I 264.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.73 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
53.5 miles from Matoaca, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 9m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 25m. Total distance: 107 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 25m drive with frequent turns across 107 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 264 is the longest continuous segment at about 20 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 VA 36 / River Road.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 107 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (VA 36 / River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles (VA 36 / East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 77 miles (VA 164 / Western Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|VA 36 / River Road
Turn right onto VA 36 / River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
5.7 mi into trip|~10m in|VA 36 / East Washington Street
At end of road, turn left onto VA 36 / East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
77 mi into trip|~1h 43m in|VA 164 / Western Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 164 / Western Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
89 mi into trip|~2h in|I 264; VA 337
Keep slight right at fork onto I 264; VA 337
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
106.6 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|Arctic Avenue
Turn left onto Arctic Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 264
20 mi
28m
James River Drive
14.6 mi
19m
Colonial Trail West
13.3 mi
15m
Old Stage Highway
12 mi
15m
Colonial Trail East
9.8 mi
11m
Western Freeway
7.4 mi
9m
Bridge Road
6.2 mi
10m
East Washington Street
3.5 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 264
— 20 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Matoaca, VA and Virginia Beach, VA.
1
Start on Fitzhugh Street
287 ft·17 sec·Fitzhugh Street
2
Turn left onto SR 1304
163 ft·9 sec·Wilcox Street
3
Turn right onto VA 36
2.9 mi·4 min·River Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on VA 36
0.8 mi·1 min·Chesterfield Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Continue on VA 36
0.1 mi·17 sec·Fleet Street
6
Turn left onto VA 36
0.5 mi·56 sec·Grove Avenue
7
Continue on VA 36
0.1 mi·18 sec·West Old Street
8
Turn right onto VA 36
484 ft·18 sec·North Sycamore Street
9
Turn left onto East Bank Street
1.1 mi·2 min·East Bank Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
At end of road, turn left onto VA 36
3.5 mi·4 min·East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on VA 36
2.0 mi·2 min·Oaklawn Boulevard
12
Continue on VA 36
2.2 mi·2 min·Winston Churchill Drive
13
Turn right onto VA 10; VA 156 BUS
1.3 mi·2 min·East Randolph Road
14
Continue on VA 10; VA 156 BUS
15 mi·19 min·James River Drive
15
Continue on VA 10
13 mi·15 min·Colonial Trail West
16
At end of road, turn left onto VA 10; VA 31
1.0 mi·1 min·Rolfe Highway
17
Take the exit
149 ft·6 sec
18
Merge onto VA 10
9.8 mi·11 min·Colonial Trail East
19
Continue on VA 10
12 mi·15 min·Old Stage Highway
Use the left lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 258
2.8 mi·3 min·Brewers Neck Boulevard
21
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
22
Merge onto US 17
2.3 mi·3 min·Carrollton Boulevard
23
Continue on US 17
6.2 mi·10 min·Bridge Road
Use the left lane.
24
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 164
7.4 mi·9 min·Western Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
25
Merge onto US 58; VA 164
0.7 mi·46 sec·Martin Luther King Freeway
26
Continue on VA 164
0.7 mi·41 sec·Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
27
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 264 East: Norfolk
28
Merge onto I 264; US 460 ALT
2.7 mi·4 min·I 264; US 460 ALT
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight right at fork onto I 264; VA 337
17 mi·23 min·I 264; VA 337
Use the slight right lane.
30
Continue on 21st Street
0.4 mi·54 sec·21st Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
31
Turn left onto Arctic Avenue
0.3 mi·46 sec·Arctic Avenue
Use the left lane.
32
Turn right onto 25th Street
454 ft·12 sec·25th Street
33
Arrive at destination
25th Street
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 53.5 miles from Matoaca, VA, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 20 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 24 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.5 miles or 1h 9m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Virginia Beach, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Matoaca, 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 Matoaca, VA
This is one driving day of about 107 miles and 2h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Matoaca, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 264 for about 20 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53.5 mi from Matoaca, VA
· 1h 9m into the drive
The midpoint is around 50.5 miles from Matoaca, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Virginia Beach, VA
The final approach into Virginia Beach, 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 Virginia Beach, VA.
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.
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...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
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...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
$15
near mile 51.7
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...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 81.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.73 one way
$33.46 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$18.30
$36.59
premium
$4.70
$19.80
$39.61
diesel
$5.61
$23.62
$47.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.1
0
$11.24
$5.14
Efficient EV
26.8
0
$9.36
$4.28
EV Truck/SUV
42.8
0
$14.98
$6.85
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (65% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Matoaca, VA
Evening
in Matoaca on Friday
Local time
8:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Virginia Beach, VA
Evening
in Virginia Beach on Friday
Local time
8:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Williamsburg, VA
54 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
16 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 25m 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 Matoaca, VA to Virginia Beach, VA covers 107 miles and takes about 2h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 264, James River Drive, Colonial Trail West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.5 miles from Matoaca, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.73 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 demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 107 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (VA 36 / River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles (VA 36 / East Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 77 miles (VA 164 / Western Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Matoaca, VA to Virginia Beach, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
