Origin
Hopewell, VA
Morning in Hopewell on Sunday
Local time
9:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hopewell, VA to Arlington, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
38 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hopewell, VA
Eric Joseph
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
This straightforward 38-mile drive from Hopewell, VA, to Arlington, VA, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 53 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing I-66, with brief segments on Antioch Road and Hopewell Road, this route offers a highway-focused experience. With a projected fuel cost of around $6, it's an economical option for a quick trip. Given its short distance and duration, this journey is best suited as a single-day excursion rather than requiring an overnight stay. You'll remain within the Southeast region for the entirety of your travel, making for a consistent regional context.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 30.2 mi | 36m |
| Antioch Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Hopewell Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| John Marshall Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Waterfall Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| James Madison Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 30.2 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hopewell, VA and Arlington, VA.
1
Start on SR 700
62 ft
·
8 sec
·
Creels Lane
2
Turn left onto SR 601
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Hopewell Road
3
Continue on SR 601
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Waterfall Road
4
Turn right onto Antioch Road
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Antioch Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto VA 55
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
John Marshall Highway
6
Turn left onto US 15
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
James Madison Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 66 East: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 66
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 66
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
28 mi
·
34 min
·
I 66
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
12
Turn right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
13
Turn slight left onto Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
Wilson Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Hopewell, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 5.4 and 37.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
VA 55 / John Marshall Highway
At end of road, turn left onto VA 55 / John Marshall Highway
Navigation decision point
7
6.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 66 East: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 66 East: Washington
6
9.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 66
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
36.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward VA 120, VA 237
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.
Exit 71
Toward VA 120, VA 237
6
37.3 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Turn right onto VA 120 / North Glebe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.94 one way
$11.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.50 | $12.99 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.03 | $14.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Arlington, VA
Morning in Arlington on Sunday
Local time
9:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°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
33 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
53m 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 drive that is predominantly highway-focused, with 79% of the journey taking place on major roadways like I-66. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.2 miles, allowing for a consistent pace. While I-66 forms the backbone of this trip, you'll also navigate segments of Antioch Road and Hopewell Road, offering a slight variation in scenery and speed before merging back onto faster thoroughfares. This route is characterized by its efficiency, prioritizing direct travel over winding backroads.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.2 mi on I 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and Antioch Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.4 miles in near VA 55 / John Marshall Highway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 38 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (VA 55 / John Marshall Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 53m. Total distance: 38 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.2 miles on I 66. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Arlington, 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 5.4 miles (VA 55 / John Marshall Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (I 66): 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 Arlington, 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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