Bristol, TN Road Trips
Bristol, TN serves as a quiet starting point in the Southeast, connecting drivers to 5 outbound routes across the area. Routes from here tend to cover serious ground — the average trip runs 299 miles, so plan for multi-day adventures. Most routes from Bristol, TN head west, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
9
Longest Drive
488.1 mi
Bartlett, TN
Quickest Drive
4h 9m
Chattanooga, TN
Plan Around Bristol, TN
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Bristol, TN is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Bristol, TN
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Bristol, TN
Driving from Bristol, TN
Expect an average of 299 miles and about 5h 30m behind the wheel when leaving Bristol, TN. This is long-haul territory. Most routes stretch past the 250-mile mark, so pack snacks and plan fuel stops. The longest mapped route runs 337 miles (6h 13m), while the shortest is just 224 miles.
Popular Destinations
Top road trip destinations from Bristol, TN are Clarksville, TN (336.9 mi, 6h 13m), Columbia, TN (333.2 mi, 6h 5m), Franklin, TN (308.2 mi, 5h 39m), Murfreesboro, TN (292.7 mi, 5h 23m), and Chattanooga, TN (223.7 mi, 4h 9m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in TN currently averages around $3.77 per gallon. For the typical 299-mile trip from Bristol, TN, budget about $44 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
Most trips take a half-day, so a morning start gets you there in time for lunch or an afternoon of exploring. Most routes head west — leaving in the morning keeps the sun behind you for a more comfortable drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 5 mapped routes leaving Bristol, TN and 4 routes heading into Bristol, TN, covering 9 total connections. Distances range from 224 to 337 miles.
The longest mapped route from Bristol, TN covers 337 miles and takes approximately 6h 13m. Shorter options start at just 224 miles.
The average route from Bristol, TN runs about 299 miles with a drive time of roughly 5h 30m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $3.77/gallon for regular), the average 299-mile trip from Bristol, TN costs roughly $44 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.
The most popular road trip destinations from Bristol, TN include Clarksville, TN, Columbia, TN, Franklin, TN and Murfreesboro, TN. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Bristol, TN by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
27,490
Median Income
$55,007
Median Home Value
$182,500
Median Age
41.9
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Bristol, TN at a Glance
Founded
1856
Elevation
1,677 ft
Area
32 mi²
Notable People from Bristol, TN
A sampling of people born in Bristol, TN.
Jayma Mays
1979
American actress
Tennessee Ernie Ford
1919–1991
American recording artist and television host (1919–1991)
Clark Middleton
1957–2020
American actor
Justin Grimm
1988
American former professional baseball player
Clarence Ashley
1895–1967
American musician (1895–1967)
Chase Owens
1990
American professional wrestler (born 1990)
City data from Wikidata (Q917821), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Bristol, TN
Bristol is a city in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Tennessee, United States of America.
Bristol is a city bisected by the Virginia-Tennessee border; the north half is in Virginia and the south half in Tennessee. State Street runs along the borderline and the two cities share a downtown. Bristol, Virginia is an independent city in Virginia, bounded by Washington County, Virginia and Sullivan County, Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 17,835. Bristol, Tennessee is in Sullivan County. As of the 2010 census, the city has a total population of 26,702. Originally named Goodson, the city was renamed to Bristol in 1890.
Downtown district including shopping, historic landmarks in the history of Country Music. Cumberland Square Park and War Memorial 1 Birthplace of Country Music Museum. (updated Jul 2018)
1 Bristol Motor Speedway, 151 Speedway Blvd. A NASCAR short track auto racing venue. An enlarged cartoon version of this track appeared as the "Motor Speedway of the South" in Pixar's "Cars" in 2006.
1 Eatz on Moore Street, 17 Moore St, ☏ +1 276 591-4755, [email protected]. (updated Sep 2021) 2 Shanghai Chinese Restaurant, 711 State St, ☏ +1 276 669-9000. (updated Sep 2021) 3 Stateline Bar and Grille, 644 State St, ☏ +1 423 652-0792. (updated Sep 2021)
1 Quality Inn & Suites, 131 Bristol East Road, ☏ +1 276 669-8164, fax: +1 276 669-2805. Courtyard Bristol, 3169 Linden Drive, ☏ +1 276 591-4400, fax: +1 276 591-4402. Delta Hotels by Marriott Bristol, 3135 Linden Dr, ☏ +1 276 466-4100. Motel 6, 21561 Clear Creek Road, ☏ +1 276 466-6060, fax: +1 276 466-0755.
1 Tri-Cities Airport (TRI IATA) (the closest major airport is approximately 20 miles driving distance). Interstate 81 connects Bristol with other cities (Roanoke, VA to the north and Knoxville, TN to the south) along a scenic and well maintained corridor that is a major route for private and commercial traffic. Bristol can be accessed via exits 1, 3, 5, and 7 in Virginia and exit 74 in Tennessee. Exit 3 on I-81 leads to I-381, a short spur freeway that takes traffic into downtown Bristol.
Public transportation is available to a limited portion of the city via a municipal bus system.
Travel tips adapted from Bristol (Tennessee-Virginia) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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