Car Rental
Newport News

Navigating Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) after a late flight is quite straightforward due to its compact size. The rental car counters are conveniently located inside the main terminal building, directly across from the baggage claim carousels. Once you complete your paperwork, you'll be directed to the adjacent parking lot where the rental vehicles are staged. The entire process is contained in one area, with clear signage to guide you, making it a simple walk even after a long day of travel.

During peak travel times like holiday weekends, it's wise to build an extra buffer into your schedule for returning your rental car. Plan to arrive at the airport rental car lot at least 30 to 45 minutes earlier than you normally would. This allows ample time for the vehicle check-in process, finalizing your receipt, and walking back to the terminal. Combining this with the standard recommendation of arriving at the terminal two hours before your flight provides a comfortable cushion for navigating check-in and security lines.

Arriving during a shipyard shift change means that Interstate 64 will be heavily congested. For a more reliable alternative, consider taking Jefferson Avenue (Route 143) south from the airport and then turning onto Mercury Boulevard (US-258). You can then follow Mercury Boulevard toward the James River Bridge and take local roads to the shipyard area. While this route has traffic lights, it often keeps moving better than the interstate, which can come to a complete standstill during peak commuter times.

When visiting Nauticus and the Battleship Wisconsin, the most convenient options are the city-operated parking garages located nearby. The Town Point Garage and the Main Street Garage are both just a short walk from the waterfront attractions. These multi-level facilities are well-signed and are the preferred choice for most visitors driving into downtown Norfolk. Arriving with a plan to use one of these garages eliminates the stress of searching for limited on-street parking.

Driving through the Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel is a common experience in the region, and being prepared can help ease any anxiety. The tunnel is well-lit, and traffic usually moves at a steady, albeit sometimes slow, pace. It's helpful to stay in one lane, maintain a safe following distance, and focus on the taillights of the car ahead of you. Knowing that thousands of vehicles pass through safely every day can also provide some reassurance during the few minutes you are underwater.

Yes, the Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel (I-664) is often a strategic alternative to the Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel (I-64). The MMBT typically experiences less congestion, especially during weekday rush hours and on weekends when beach traffic is heavy. If your destination is in the western part of Hampton Roads or if your GPS shows significant delays on I-64, taking the slightly longer route via I-664 can save you considerable time and frustration.

To minimize traffic on a day trip to Virginia Beach, timing is everything. Plan to leave Newport News either very early in the morning, before 9 a.m., or wait until the early afternoon, after 2 p.m., to miss the peak rush. On weekends, the earlier you can depart, the better. Using a real-time traffic app is also essential, as it may direct you to the less-congested I-664 bridge-tunnel instead of the more direct but often-jammed I-64 route.

The drive from Newport News to Colonial Williamsburg in the evening is typically a pleasant and easy one. The primary route is Interstate 64 West, which is a well-lit, multi-lane highway. By evening, the daytime tourist and commuter traffic has subsided, making for a smooth and direct journey that usually takes around 25 to 30 minutes. It's a straightforward trip that allows you to relax after an enjoyable evening out.

When leaving from the City Center at Oyster Point area during rush hour, you'll find the heaviest congestion on the main arteries like Jefferson Avenue and Oyster Point Road. Traffic heading toward Interstate 64 in either direction will also be very slow, particularly between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. To get a smoother start to your sightseeing day, it's best to either depart before the rush begins or wait until after 9:30 a.m.

Immediately after leaving the airport, you'll find several large shopping centers along Jefferson Avenue, just a minute or two from the rental car exit. The parking lots for places like Patrick Henry Mall or the surrounding retail plazas offer a safe and convenient spot to pull over. Here you can take a few minutes to program your GPS, adjust your mirrors and seats, and get settled before navigating the busier highways like I-64.

For a simple and scenic drive to Jamestown, the Colonial Parkway is an excellent choice. You can access it from Yorktown and enjoy a leisurely, low-speed drive with beautiful river views all the way to the Jamestown Settlement area. This route completely bypasses the high-speed traffic and complex interchanges of Interstate 64. It's a much more relaxing way to travel between the historic sites.

First-time visitors should be particularly mindful when navigating the interchanges between Interstate 64 and major roads like Mercury Boulevard and J. Clyde Morris Boulevard. These areas can have multiple lanes merging and exiting in close proximity, requiring your full attention. Additionally, some of the older on-ramps onto I-64 are shorter than modern standards, so you'll need to be decisive when merging into highway traffic.

While the drive to Richmond can take just over an hour in ideal conditions, you should budget significantly more time during weekday commuting hours. From Newport News, it's realistic to plan for the trip to take anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours, especially between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Heavy volume around Williamsburg and the I-295 interchange near Richmond often causes the biggest delays.

Parking for both the Yorktown Battlefield and the American Revolution Museum is very convenient and centralized. The best place to start is the large, free visitor parking lot located at the Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center. From this lot, you have easy walking access to the museum, the visitor center, and the starting points for the battlefield driving tours, making it the ideal base for your visit.

To structure a split day effectively, begin with your trip to Williamsburg in the morning, arriving early to enjoy fewer crowds. After your visit, travel south to Norfolk in the early to mid-afternoon. This timing allows you to drive against the main flow of commuter traffic, as most vehicles will be heading out of Norfolk while you are heading in. This strategy makes the drive between the two cities much more relaxed.

The Mariner’s Museum and Park offers a very convenient parking experience for its visitors. There is a large, complimentary parking lot located directly in front of the museum's main entrance. You can expect a very short and easy walk from your car to the front door. The ample space means you won't have to worry about finding a spot, even on busier days.

When visiting Christopher Newport University, look for the clearly marked visitor parking lots, with the primary one being adjacent to the Ferguson Center for the Arts. Once on campus, be prepared for low speed limits and a high volume of pedestrian traffic, especially between classes. Driving slowly and yielding to students in crosswalks is essential for navigating the campus roads safely and without stress.

Driving in the Hampton Roads area often involves using tolled bridges and tunnels. Most rental car companies equip their vehicles with an electronic tolling transponder to make this process seamless for travelers. Any tolls you incur are recorded electronically and then typically billed to the credit card you have on file with the rental agency. It's always a good practice to ask the agent at the rental counter to confirm their specific tolling program when you pick up your vehicle.

For a successful day trip to Busch Gardens, plan to arrive at the park's entrance 30 to 45 minutes before its scheduled opening time. This allows you to navigate the well-organized parking lots, which are clearly signed, and take the tram or walk to the main gate before long lines form. Leaving Newport News about an hour before the park opens should give you plenty of time for the drive and parking process, setting you up for a great start to your day.

Newport News Park is an ideal spot for a break when traveling with children, offering vast open spaces, playgrounds, and easily accessible restrooms with ample parking. For a quicker stop, the public libraries in the area, such as the Main Street Library, provide clean facilities and quiet parking lots. These locations offer a calm environment to rest and recharge away from the bustle of main roads and commercial centers.

During heavy rain, driving conditions in Newport News require extra caution. Visibility can be significantly reduced on high-speed sections of I-64 and on the major bridge-tunnels in the region. Some local roads and underpasses may be prone to ponding or localized flooding, so it's important to avoid driving through standing water. Always reduce your speed, increase your following distance, and use your headlights to ensure you are as visible as possible to other drivers.

While most of Newport News is laid out on a relatively straightforward grid, some of the older, historic neighborhoods can be trickier to navigate. Areas like Hilton Village or the streets near the downtown shipyard feature narrower roads and less intuitive intersections than the more modern suburban parts of the city. Relying on a GPS is highly recommended when exploring these charming but potentially confusing historic districts for the first time.

Refueling your rental car before returning it to PHF is very convenient. You will find numerous gas stations located along both Jefferson Avenue and Warwick Boulevard, the two main thoroughfares that run parallel to the airport. Most of these stations are within a five-minute drive of the airport entrance, making it easy to top off the tank as a final step before you drop off your vehicle.

To ensure a reliable trip from Hampton to PHF during morning rush hour, it's often best to avoid the interstate. A dependable route is to take Mercury Boulevard east and then turn north onto Jefferson Avenue. This path uses major surface streets that are less susceptible to the major backups that can occur on I-64 near the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and its connecting interchanges, providing a more predictable travel time.

The best strategy for visiting the Virginia Air & Space Science Center is to go on a weekday morning, arriving shortly after it opens. This timing helps you avoid the larger crowds that arrive on weekends and the school groups that often visit later in the day. The drive from Newport News is a simple trip south on I-664, and parking is readily available in the city garage connected to the center.

To best access the main attractions of Newport News Park, use the primary entrance located on Jefferson Avenue (Route 143). This entrance will lead you directly to the park's core area, with large parking lots conveniently situated near the Discovery Center, playgrounds, and the start of many popular trails. Entering here ensures you are centrally located and can easily find your way to the park's most scenic spots.

A day trip to Chincoteague requires careful planning due to the long drive, which is roughly three hours each way. It's essential to start very early in the morning to maximize your time on the island and plan to leave in the late afternoon to avoid driving the entire return trip in the dark. Make sure your rental car has a full tank of gas before you cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, as gas stations and other services become much less frequent on the Eastern Shore.

The most direct route to Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is to take Interstate 64 East from Newport News. You will go through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and then follow the prominent signs for I-564 and Naval Station Norfolk, which leads directly to the airport exit. As long as you avoid peak rush hour, this is a straightforward drive with clear signage guiding you all the way to the terminal's departure level.

The Williamsburg Amtrak station is well-suited for quick pickups. It features a dedicated passenger drop-off and pickup lane directly in front of the station building. The most efficient method is to have your friends text you when they have their luggage and are heading outside. You can then pull into this lane, quickly load their bags, and be on your way without needing to park.

When driving from Newport News to Olde Towne Portsmouth, your route will likely take you over the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel on I-664. Once you arrive, be aware that the historic streets of Olde Towne are narrower than modern roads. However, parking is generally manageable, with several well-marked public parking garages and ample on-street metered spots available, especially on weekdays.

To get a jump on the crowds at Colonial Williamsburg, aim to arrive at the Visitor Center parking lot by 8:30 a.m. This means leaving Newport News around 8:00 a.m. Arriving this early allows you to park, purchase tickets, and be among the first to enter the historic area when it opens. You'll be able to enjoy at least an hour of relative quiet before the large tour and school groups begin to arrive.

The drive to Fort Monroe from Newport News is very easy, involving a short trip on I-64 East to Hampton, followed by clearly marked signs directing you to the fort. Once you cross the small bridge onto the historic site, you will find abundant free parking throughout the area. There are numerous designated lots and street-side spots, making it a low-stress destination to access by car.

If your GPS suddenly reroutes you away from a major bridge-tunnel in Hampton Roads, it's almost always best to follow its guidance. These detours are typically triggered by a major accident or lane closure that has brought traffic to a standstill. The alternate route, while it may seem longer, will invariably save you from sitting in a significant delay, so trusting the real-time traffic data is your most effective strategy.

For a beautiful and easy waterfront drive, the Colonial Parkway is an outstanding option, offering miles of scenic views along the York and James Rivers. Within Newport News itself, taking a drive along River Road and through the historic Hilton Village neighborhood provides lovely views of the James River. These routes are well-paved, easy to follow, and designed for leisurely sightseeing.

For a time-efficient outing, the Virginia Living Museum and The Mariner's Museum and Park are excellent choices. Both are located directly off major roads in Newport News and feature large, free parking lots situated right at their main entrances. This setup eliminates any time wasted searching for parking and allows for a very simple and stress-free arrival and departure.

The drive to the Norfolk Botanical Garden is quite straightforward, as it's located right next to Norfolk International Airport. You'll take I-64 East and follow the signs for the airport, which will lead you directly to the garden's entrance. Upon arrival, you'll find a very large, free parking lot just a few steps from the visitor center, making the entire experience from car to garden exceptionally easy.

A common and efficient strategy is to dedicate separate days to different parts of the Historic Triangle. Spend one full day exploring Colonial Williamsburg, as it requires the most time. On another day, focus on the attractions connected by the Colonial Parkway, visiting Jamestown in the morning and Yorktown in the afternoon. This approach groups attractions geographically, minimizing your driving time and preventing unnecessary backtracking.

Visitors should be aware that speed limits in the area can decrease abruptly when exiting a highway like I-64 onto a major local road such as Mercury Boulevard or Jefferson Avenue. It's important to pay close attention to posted signs to adjust your speed accordingly. Speed enforcement is common throughout the region, particularly in work zones and on the bridge-tunnels, so maintaining a safe and legal speed is always the best practice.

The hotels in the Oyster Point and City Center districts of Newport News offer some of the most straightforward access for travelers. These areas are just a few minutes' drive from the airport along major roads like Jefferson Avenue. The hotels here are typically modern and feature large, easy-to-navigate surface parking lots, allowing you to pull in and park without the complexities of navigating a dense downtown or a structured garage.