How far is Arlington, VA from Brightwood, VA?

The driving distance from Arlington, VA to Brightwood, VA is about 78.3 miles (126 km), with a travel time of about 01h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 66.8 miles (107.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 30m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
78.32 mi
01h 45m
Flight
66.8 mi
107.51 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Arlington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
66.8 mi
Kilometers
107.51 km
Flight Time
00h 08m

Driving Distance

Road route
78.32 mi
Kilometers
126.04 km
Drive Time
01h 45m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Brightwood
Tue, Nov 10, 11:37 AM EST
Return by in Arlington
Tue, Nov 10, 1:23 PM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Arlington
2026-11-10T09:52
Arrive Brightwood
Tue, Nov 10, 11:37 AM EST
Route Timing
01h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:45 AM to 11:45 AM EST

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
3:00 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Arlington
9:30 PM EST
Morning start is best

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Warrenton
VA

Town in Virginia, United States

From Arlington
39.1 mi
00h 52m
To Brightwood
39.2 mi
00h 52m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
68°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Nov 10 6:00 AM EST
Wind
3 to 7 mph SW
Destination
72°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Nov 10 6:00 AM EST
Wind
0 to 3 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Arlington and Brightwood.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington and Brightwood.

  1. 1

    Start on Wilson Boulevard

    2828 ft · 2 min · Wilson Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn slight right onto North Glebe Road

    936 ft · 31 sec · North Glebe Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Fairfax Drive

    667 ft · 28 sec · Fairfax Drive

  4. 4

    Continue on I 66 Toll West

    2423 ft · 1 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Custis Memorial Parkway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Custis Memorial Parkway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on Custis Memorial Parkway

    24.2 mi · 30 min · Custis Memorial Parkway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 29 South: Gainesville, Warrenton

    1.2 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on US 29 South: Gainesville, Warrenton

    953 ft · 23 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Lee Highway

    10.6 mi · 16 min · Lee Highway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on US 15 South, US 29 South

    2786 ft · 45 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight right onto Eastern Bypass

    2.6 mi · 4 min · Eastern Bypass

  12. 12

    Continue on James Madison Highway

    5.1 mi · 7 min · James Madison Highway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on James Madison Highway

    18.2 mi · 23 min · James Madison Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on James Monroe Highway

    7.8 mi · 10 min · James Monroe Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on North Seminole Trail

    3.3 mi · 4 min · North Seminole Trail

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Coop Road

    1221 ft · 34 sec · Coop Road

  17. 17

    Continue on Ridgeview Road

    928 ft · 26 sec · Ridgeview Road

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Ridgeview Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Arlington and Brightwood.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
18 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
3 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
23 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Custis Memorial Parkway
27.5 mi · 35%
James Madison Highway
23.3 mi · 30%
Lee Highway
10.6 mi · 13%
James Monroe Highway
7.82 mi · 10%
North Seminole Trail
3.34 mi · 4%
Eastern Bypass
2.64 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Custis Memorial Parkway

Keep slight left to continue on Custis Memorial Parkway

24.2 mi · 00h 30m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 45m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+11.5 mi
66.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Warrenton
00h 52m from Arlington
Leave By
3:00 PM EST
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Arlington and Sunny near Brightwood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Arlington to Brightwood?

The road trip is about 78.3 miles (126 km) and usually takes 01h 45m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Warrenton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 39.1 miles from Arlington and 39.2 miles from Brightwood.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 66.8 miles (107.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 11.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 3:00 PM EST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $10.66 one way or $21.31 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 24.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Arlington and Sunny near Brightwood.

Stop Ideas Near Warrenton

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Warrenton, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Warrenton.

RAIL

Manassas station

28 mi away
9431 West Street
RAIL

Culpeper station

32 mi away
109 South Commerce Street
RAIL

Burke Centre

44 mi away
10399 Premier Court
RAIL

Woodbridge station

48 mi away
1040 Express Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Arlington and Brightwood. Straight-line distance: 66.8 mi (107.51 km).

Arlington

#1 Arlington

A county in Virginia.

Population229,164
Coordinates38.8810100, -77.1042800
Altitude71
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Brightwood

Brightwood is a place in Virginia, United States.

Population0
Coordinates38.4215200, -78.1936100
Altitude179
CountryUnited States
Start: Arlington (-77.10428, 38.88101)
End: Brightwood (-78.19361, 38.42152)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 126 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 58m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.76 gal
10.46 L · about $10.66
Round trip
$21.31
5.52 gal · 20.92 L
Estimated CO2
24.5 kg one way
Round trip: 49.1 kg / 108 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.86 $10.66 $21.31
Mid-grade $4.35 $12.01 $24.02
Premium $4.77 $13.16 $26.32
Diesel $6.16 $16.99 $33.99

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Virginia · Nov 09, 2026

There is no time difference between Arlington and Brightwood. The current time is 09:52:39.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.