The drive from Stuarts Draft, VA to Virginia Beach, VA covers 209.5 miles and takes about 3h 24m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Draft Avenue, Stuarts Draft Highway, Rosser Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.76 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
104.7 miles from Stuarts Draft, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 42m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 24m. Total distance: 209.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 24m drive with frequent turns across 209.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Draft Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Stuarts Draft, VA to Virginia Beach, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Draft Avenue
—
—
Stuarts Draft Highway
—
—
Rosser Avenue
—
—
I 295 North
—
—
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
—
—
I 64 East
—
—
Hampton Roads Beltway
—
—
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Draft Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stuarts Draft, VA and Virginia Beach, VA.
1
Start on Cambridge Drive
138 ft·7 sec·Cambridge Drive
2
Turn right onto Draft Avenue
0.3 mi·42 sec·Draft Avenue
3
Turn right onto Stuarts Draft Highway
5.0 mi·7 min·Stuarts Draft Highway
4
Continue on Rosser Avenue
0.3 mi·32 sec·Rosser Avenue
5
Take the ramp slight right
0.5 mi·59 sec
6
Merge slight left
82 mi·1 hr 29 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 295 North: Washington, Norfolk
1.2 mi·1 min·I 295 North: Washington, Norfolk
8
Continue on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
23 mi·25 min·Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 64 East: Norfolk, Virginia Beach
1.3 mi·2 min·I 64 East: Norfolk, Virginia Beach
10
Merge slight left
67 mi·1 hr 15 min
11
Keep slight left to continue on Hampton Roads Beltway
341 ft·5 sec·Hampton Roads Beltway
12
Continue on Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
3.5 mi·4 min·Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
13
Continue on Hampton Roads Beltway
12 mi·15 min·Hampton Roads Beltway
14
Take the exit slight right toward I 264 East, I 264 West: Va Beach, Downtown Norfolk, Portsmouth
0.2 mi·14 sec·I 264 East, I 264 West: Va Beach, Downtown Norfolk, Portsmouth
15
Keep slight left to continue on I 264 East: Va Beach
0.6 mi·1 min·I 264 East: Va Beach
16
Merge slight right onto Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway
12 mi·16 min·Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway
17
Continue on 21st Street
0.4 mi·54 sec·21st Street
18
Turn left onto Arctic Avenue
0.3 mi·46 sec·Arctic Avenue
19
Turn right onto 25th Street
456 ft·12 sec·25th Street
20
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 104.7 miles from Stuarts Draft, VA, or about 1h 42m 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 46 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.7 miles or 1h 42m 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 47m
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 Stuarts Draft, 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 Stuarts Draft, VA
This is one driving day of about 209.5 miles and 3h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Stuarts Draft, 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.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 104.7 mi from Stuarts Draft, VA
· 1h 42m into the drive
The midpoint is around 104.7 miles from Stuarts Draft, 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.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Perked Up Coffee Cafe'
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Near the end, right off the route
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
$1 to $10
mile 209.5
Hours: 6:30 am–2 pm
+17574220032
Mama Cucina | Italian Restaurant
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Glen Allen, Virginia
1.3 mi
Market Cafe
4.0
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Glen Allen, Virginia
1.1 mi
Top Coffee Stop
Oley's Cafe
5.0
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Glen Allen, Virginia
Around the midpoint, right off the route
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 89.8
Hours: 8:30 am–2:30 pm
+18044243399
Corner Bakery
4.3
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Glen Allen, Virginia
1.2 mi
Tous les Jours Bakery & Cafe - Newport News
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Newport News, Virginia
1.9 mi
Perked Up Coffee Cafe'
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
$1 to $10
mile 209.5
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Hours: 6:30 am–2 pm
+17574220032
Mama Cucina | Italian Restaurant
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
1.3 mi from route
~3 min detour
$20 to $30
mile 89.8
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 180.6
Park Closure: Road Closure and Fishing Pier Impact
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...
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
~66 min detour
Free
near mile 115.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.76 one way
$65.52 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$35.82
$71.64
premium
$4.70
$38.77
$77.55
diesel
$5.61
$46.25
$92.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.8
0
$22.00
$10.06
Efficient EV
52.4
0
$18.33
$8.38
EV Truck/SUV
83.8
1
$29.33
$13.41
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Stuarts Draft, VA
Late night
in Stuarts Draft on Friday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Virginia Beach, VA
Late night
in Virginia Beach on Friday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
16 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 24m 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 Stuarts Draft, VA to Virginia Beach, VA covers 209.5 miles and takes about 3h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Draft Avenue, Stuarts Draft Highway, Rosser Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 104.7 miles from Stuarts Draft, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $32.76 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Stuarts Draft, VA to Virginia Beach, VA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Stuarts Draft, VA to Virginia Beach, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Monroe National Monument, Colonial National Historical Park and Petersburg National Battlefield.
How this page is built
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.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
