Bristol, VA Road Trips
Drivers starting from Bristol, VA have 5 mapped routes to choose from, making it a small but connected base in the Southeast. Routes from here tend to cover serious ground — the average trip runs 367 miles, so plan for multi-day adventures. Most routes from Bristol, VA head east, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
9
Longest Drive
430.8 mi
Virginia Beach, VA
Quickest Drive
3h 58m
Lynchburg, VA
Plan Around Bristol, VA
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Bristol, VA is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Bristol, VA
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Bristol, VA
Driving from Bristol, VA
On average, trips departing from Bristol, VA run 367 miles with a drive time of roughly 6h 49m. 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 431 miles (8h 3m), while the shortest is just 246 miles.
Popular Destinations
Top road trip destinations from Bristol, VA are Virginia Beach, VA (430.8 mi, 8h 3m), Portsmouth, VA (420.5 mi, 7h 49m), Norfolk, VA (415.4 mi, 7h 46m), Richmond, VA (322.2 mi, 5h 57m), and Harrisonburg, VA (246 mi, 4h 33m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in VA currently averages around $3.96 per gallon. For the typical 367-mile trip from Bristol, VA, budget about $57 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
Routes tend to go east, so afternoon departures put the sun at your back on the return leg. These are full-day drives. Start by 7 or 8 AM if you want to arrive at a reasonable hour without rushing.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 5 mapped routes leaving Bristol, VA and 4 routes heading into Bristol, VA, covering 9 total connections. Distances range from 246 to 431 miles.
The longest mapped route from Bristol, VA covers 431 miles and takes approximately 8h 3m. Shorter options start at just 246 miles.
The average route from Bristol, VA runs about 367 miles with a drive time of roughly 6h 49m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $3.96/gallon for regular), the average 367-mile trip from Bristol, VA costs roughly $57 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, VA include Virginia Beach, VA, Portsmouth, VA, Norfolk, VA and Richmond, VA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Bristol, VA by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
17,024
Median Income
$44,706
Median Home Value
$168,700
Median Age
42.6
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Bristol, VA at a Glance
Founded
1856
Elevation
1,680 ft
Area
13 mi²
Notable People from Bristol, VA
A sampling of people born in Bristol, VA.
Charles Spurgeon Johnson
1893–1956
(1893-1956) American sociologist and university administrator
William Francis Rhea
1858–1931
American politician (1858-1931)
Beattie Feathers
1909–1979
American college football coach, college baseball coach (1909-1979)
Landmarks & Historic Sites
Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Bristol, VA.
Virginia Intermont College
small private Baptist liberal arts college in Bristol, Virginia
Bristol
historic train station in Bristol, Virginia
City data from Wikidata (Q503366), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Bristol, VA
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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