Origin
Cape Charles, VA
Morning in Cape Charles on Tuesday
Local time
10:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cape Charles, VA to Newport News, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 29m
Distance
61.6 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cape Charles, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Newport News, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 61.6-mile drive from Cape Charles, VA to Newport News, VA takes about 1 hour and 29 minutes and is perfect for a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate via Lankford Highway, the Hampton Roads Beltway, and the impressive Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel. With a fuel cost estimated at $10, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Southeast region of Virginia. The drive is characterized by its many turns, making it a more engaging local experience rather than a simple highway cruise. Given the short duration, there's no need to split this into an overnight journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel | 17.7 mi | 24m |
| Hampton Roads Beltway | 15.7 mi | 22m |
| Lankford Highway | 10.8 mi | 14m |
| Northampton Boulevard | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| I 64 | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Stone Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Diligence Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel
— 17.7 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Charles, VA and Newport News, VA.
1
Start on Park Row
295 ft
·
19 sec
·
Park Row
2
Turn left onto Strawberry Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Strawberry Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto VA 184
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Mason Avenue
4
Turn right onto VA 184
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Randolph Avenue
5
Continue on VA 184
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Stone Road
6
Turn right onto US 13
9.7 mi
·
13 min
·
Lankford Highway
7
Merge onto US 13
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lankford Highway
8
Continue on US 13
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel
9
Continue on US 13
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Northampton Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 64 East, I 64 West: Downtown Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, Richmond
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 64 West: Hampton, Richmond
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 64
9.8 mi
·
14 min
·
Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 64; US 60
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
14
Continue on I 64; US 60
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Hampton Roads Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 258A
Toward US 17 South: J Clyde Morris Boulevard
Use the right lane.
17
Merge onto US 17
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
J Clyde Morris Boulevard
18
Continue on US 17
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
J Clyde Morris Boulevard
19
Turn right onto Diligence Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Diligence Drive
20
At end of road, turn right onto Thimble Shoals Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Thimble Shoals Boulevard
21
Turn left
413 ft
·
33 sec
22
At end of road, turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Cape Charles, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 61.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Strawberry Street
Turn left onto Strawberry Street
Navigation decision point
9
36.5 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 64 West: Hampton, Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 64 West: Hampton, Richmond
6
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
I 64
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
60.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward US 17 South: J Clyde Morris Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 258A
Toward US 17 South: J Clyde Morris Boulevard
6
61.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
At end of road, turn right
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.63 one way
$19.27 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.53 | $21.07 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.40 | $22.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.60 | $27.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.00
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
$4.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$4
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.62 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Newport News, VA
Morning in Newport News on Tuesday
Local time
10:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
6 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
1h 29m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with only 7% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.7 miles across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel, offering a unique experience over the water. As you transition from Lankford Highway onto the Hampton Roads Beltway, the road will change, requiring your attention for frequent turns and local traffic. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a drive that keeps you engaged with its varied road types and navigation demands.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.7 mi on Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near Strawberry Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Strawberry Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56 miles (I 64): 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 Cape Charles, VA and Newport News, VA, road signs point toward Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton and Richmond.
Chesapeake
36.4 mi in
|
~52m
Suffolk
36.4 mi in
|
~52m
Hampton
36.4 mi in
|
~52m
Richmond
36.4 mi in
|
~52m
About the Cities
Starting in Cape Charles, VA
Full guide →Cape Charles is a town in Eastern Virginia, at the southern tip of the Delmarva peninsula. It used to be the terminus of the eastern shore railway and still has an operating rail-to-barge ferry terminal with freight service to Norfolk. It has the feel of a time gone by.
Arriving in Newport News, VA
Full guide →Newport News is a city in Virginia in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It's on the James River, and much of the area has been developed into a city starting in the late 19th century.
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 1h 29m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m 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 17.7 miles on Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.00 in tolls one way, starting with Chesapeake Bay Bridge. 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 Newport News, 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 0.1 miles (Strawberry Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Fort Monroe National Monument and Colonial 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 Newport News, 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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