Origin
Arlington, VA
Morning in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, VA to Woodlawn, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
18.3 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Woodlawn, VA
Eric Joseph
Trip Overview
Arlington, VA to Woodlawn, VA is 18.3 miles and takes about 30m via Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region of Virginia, offering a straightforward local drive. Given its brief duration, it's perfect for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger journey. You'll navigate through a mix of highway and local roads, making it an easy and manageable drive for most vehicles. Plan for a quick commute that requires minimal preparation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway | 9.7 mi | 12m |
| Fairfax County Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| North Glebe Road | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| Richmond Highway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Oakland Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Pershing Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
— 9.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Woodlawn, VA.
1
Start on Wilson Boulevard
90 ft
·
8 sec
·
Wilson Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Oakland Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Oakland Street
3
Turn right onto North Pershing Drive
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Pershing Drive
4
Turn left onto VA 120
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
North Glebe Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
6
Keep slight left at fork
315 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto I 395
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 395
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Exit 1A
Toward I 95 South: Richmond
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 166A
Toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway, Newington, Fort Belvoir
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto VA 286
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Fairfax County Parkway
12
At end of road, turn left onto US 1
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Richmond Highway
13
Arrive at destination
US 1
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Oakland Street
Turn right onto North Oakland Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 395 South: Richmond, Quaker Lane
8
3.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 395 South: Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 395 South: Richmond
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 395 / Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway, Newington, Fort Belvoir
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 166A
Toward VA 286 South: Fairfax County Parkway, Ne...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.86 one way
$5.72 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.13 | $6.26 |
| premium | $4.70 | $3.39 | $6.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Woodlawn, VA
Morning in Woodlawn on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°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
13 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
30m 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 driving profile, with only 16% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.7 miles on the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway. As you progress, expect to transition between faster highway speeds and more frequent turns and traffic lights typical of local roads. The drive is primarily composed of navigating through suburban areas, so keep an eye out for changes in speed limits and road conditions. It's a more engaging drive than a simple interstate cruise, demanding a bit more attention to navigation.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.7 mi on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive near North Oakland Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 18.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Oakland Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: 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 Arlington, VA and Woodlawn, VA, road signs point toward Newington and Fort Belvoir.
Newington
13.2 mi in
|
~21m
Fort Belvoir
13.2 mi in
|
~21m
About the Cities
Starting in Arlington, VA
Full guide →Arlington (along with the cities of Falls Church to the west and Alexandria to the south) forms part of the urban conglomeration around Washington, D.C. - inside the beltway. In Northern Virginia, and directly across the Potomac River from D.C. proper, Arlington is one of America's most densely populated regions. It has a land area 26 sq mi (67 km2) and a population of 230,000. Despite its density, Arlington mixes the best of both big city and suburban environments. Like the greater Washington area, Arlington has grown over the last several decades in part due to growth of the federal government.
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 30m. Total distance: 18.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m 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 9.7 miles on Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Woodlawn, 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: near the start (North Oakland Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 Woodlawn, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Woodlawn, VA
More trips to Woodlawn, VA
Explore more options from Arlington, VA or browse trips ending in Woodlawn, VA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.