Origin
Alexandria, VA
Morning in Alexandria on Sunday
Local time
6:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, VA to Oak Grove, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
32.8 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Oak Grove, VA
Skyler Ewing
Trip Overview
Alexandria, VA to Oak Grove, VA is 32.8 miles and takes about 48 minutes via Capital Beltway and Dulles Toll Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, same-day trip stays within Virginia, traversing the Southeast region. Expect a drive that requires your attention, with frequent turns and a focus on local roads mixed with highway segments. It's a straightforward journey, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 12.5 mi | 15m |
| Dulles Toll Road | 10 mi | 13m |
| Capital Beltway (Local) | 5 mi | 6m |
| Herndon Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Oakgrove Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Elden Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Washington Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Sterling Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 12.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, VA and Oak Grove, VA.
1
Start on VA 400
75 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Washington Street
2
Turn right onto King Street
314 ft
·
14 sec
·
King Street
3
Turn right onto South Saint Asaph Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Saint Asaph Street
4
Turn right onto Duke Street
334 ft
·
18 sec
·
Duke Street
5
Turn left onto VA 400
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Washington Street
6
Turn right onto Gibbon Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Gibbon Street
7
Turn left onto US 1
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Patrick Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
438 ft
·
10 sec
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 95; I 495
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Capital Beltway (Local)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on I 495
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway
Exit 170A
Toward I 495 North: Tysons Corner
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 45
Toward VA 267 Toll West: Reston, Herndon, Dulles Airport
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto VA 267
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
22 sec
17
Merge onto VA 267
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 10
Toward VA 657: Herndon, Chantilly
Use the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight right at fork
179 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Herndorn, Herndorn Historic District
20
Turn straight onto SR 657
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Centreville Road
21
Continue on SR 657
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Elden Street
22
Turn left onto VA 228; SR 606
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Herndon Parkway
Use the left lane.
23
Turn left onto SR 606
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Sterling Road
Use the left lane.
24
Continue on SR 606
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Old Ox Road
25
Turn right onto SR 824
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Oakgrove Road
Use the right lane.
26
Turn right onto SR 788
517 ft
·
22 sec
·
East Hall Road
27
Turn left onto Dominion Lane
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Dominion Lane
28
Arrive at destination
Dominion Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 32.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.4 miles from Alexandria, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 235 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 29.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 495 East: Richmond, Baltimore
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.
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West, I 95 North, I 49...
8
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, I 495 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 South, I 495 West
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
19.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward VA 267 Toll West: Reston, Herndon, Dulles Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 45
Toward VA 267 Toll West: Reston, Herndon, Dulle...
8
29.8 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward VA 657: Herndon, Chantilly
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10
Toward VA 657: Herndon, Chantilly
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.13 one way
$10.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.61 | $11.22 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.24 | $14.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.01
Dulles Toll Road
(10 mi)
$2.01
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Destination
Oak Grove, VA
Morning in Oak Grove on Sunday
Local time
6:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
12 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
48m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll be navigating a fair number of intersections and changes in direction. With a highway share of only 3, the majority of your time will be spent on surface streets. The longest stretch without a turn or exit is 12.5 miles on the Capital Beltway, offering a brief period of more consistent speed before you transition back to local navigation. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience rather than a monotonous highway cruise.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 23 decision points packed into just 32.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Alexandria, VA and Oak Grove, VA, road signs point toward Herndon, Dulles Airport, Chantilly, Herndorn and Herndorn Historic District.
Herndon
19.1 mi in
|
~26m
Dulles Airport
19.1 mi in
|
~26m
Chantilly
29.8 mi in
|
~40m
Herndorn
30.2 mi in
|
~41m
Herndorn Historic District
30.2 mi in
|
~41m
About the Cities
Starting in Alexandria, VA
Full guide →Alexandria is a city in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., in the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 32.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on Capital Beltway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.01 in tolls one way, starting with Dulles Toll Road. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Oak Grove, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Oak Grove, VA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.
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