The drive from Portsmouth, VA to Laurel, VA covers 105 miles and takes about 2h 6m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Hampton Roads Beltway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 62.5 miles on I 64.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.42 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
52.5 miles from Portsmouth, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 6m. Total distance: 105 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 6m highway drive covering 105 miles, with most of the trip on I 64 and Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 62.5 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 24 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 62.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.5 miles in.
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 18 significant decision points across 105 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 8.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
8.5 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward VA 135 North: College Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward VA 135 North: College Drive
9
21.4 mi into trip|~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 64 West: Williamsburg, Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 1A
Toward I 64 West: Williamsburg, Richmond
8
84.7 mi into trip|~1h 39m in
Take the exit toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 200
Toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NC
7
85.1 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 295 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 295 North: Washington
7
101.9 mi into trip|~1h 59m in
Take the exit toward Woodman Road South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 45B
Toward Woodman Road South
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Portsmouth, VA and Laurel, VA, road signs point toward Hampton, Richmond and Rocky Mount.
Hampton
9.7 mi in|~14m
Richmond
21.4 mi in|~29m
Rocky Mount
84.7 mi in|~1h 39m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 64
62.5 mi
1h 9m
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
15.5 mi
17m
Hampton Roads Beltway
7 mi
8m
Western Freeway
6 mi
8m
Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel
4.3 mi
5m
Woodman Road
2 mi
4m
London Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
College Drive
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 62.5 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth, VA and Laurel, VA.
1
Start on High Street
0.5 mi·56 sec·High Street
2
Turn right onto VA 141
0.1 mi·11 sec·Effingham Street
3
Turn left onto VA 141
1.1 mi·1 min·London Boulevard
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward US 58, VA 164: Western Freeway, Midtown TunnelUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto US 58; VA 164
0.3 mi·34 sec·Martin Luther King Freeway
6
Continue on VA 164
6.0 mi·8 min·Western Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·14 sec
Toward VA 135: College DriveUse the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·10 sec
Toward VA 135 North: College DriveUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto VA 135
1.1 mi·1 min·College Drive
Use the left lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·57 sec
Toward I 664 North: Newport News, Hampton
11
Merge onto I 664
0.8 mi·1 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
12
Continue on I 664
4.3 mi·5 min·Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel
13
Continue on I 664
6.2 mi·7 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·53 sec
Exit 1AToward I 64 West: Williamsburg, RichmondUse the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto I 64
1.4 mi·1 min·I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
61 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi·32 sec
Exit 200Toward I 295, US 60: Washington, Rocky Mount NCUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
1.3 mi·2 min
Toward I 295 North: WashingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 295
16 mi·17 min·Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Exit 45BToward Woodman Road SouthUse the right lane.
21
Turn straight onto Woodman Road
2.0 mi·4 min·Woodman Road
22
Turn right onto Hungary Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Hungary Road
23
Turn left onto Old Staples Mill Road
91 ft·2 sec·Old Staples Mill Road
24
Arrive at destination
Old Staples Mill Road
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 52.5 miles from Portsmouth, VA, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.5 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 23 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.5 miles or 1h 3m 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Laurel, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Portsmouth, 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 Portsmouth, VA
This is one driving day of about 105 miles and 2h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Portsmouth, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 64 for about 62.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 52.5 mi from Portsmouth, VA
· 1h 3m into the drive
The midpoint is around 52.5 miles from Portsmouth, 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 62.5 miles.
Arriving in Laurel, VA
The final approach into Laurel, 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 Laurel, 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.
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...
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 21.7
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...
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 83.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.42 one way
$32.84 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$17.95
$35.91
premium
$4.70
$19.43
$38.87
diesel
$5.61
$23.18
$46.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.5
0
$11.02
$5.04
Efficient EV
26.3
0
$9.19
$4.20
EV Truck/SUV
42
0
$14.70
$6.72
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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
Portsmouth, VA
Evening
in Portsmouth on Thursday
Local time
7:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Laurel, VA
Evening
in Laurel on Thursday
Local time
7:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Williamsburg, VA
53 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
11 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
2h 6m 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 Portsmouth, VA to Laurel, VA covers 105 miles and takes about 2h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Hampton Roads Beltway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.5 miles from Portsmouth, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.42 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 18 significant decision points across 105 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 8.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Portsmouth, VA and Laurel, VA, road signs point toward Hampton, Richmond and Rocky Mount.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Colonial National Historical Park, Fort Monroe National Monument and Petersburg National Battlefield.
