Moving from Norfolk to San Antonio is a massive shift. You aren't just changing zip codes. You’re swapping the salty, humid air of the Chesapeake Bay for the dry heat and limestone hills of Central Texas. It’s roughly 1,500 miles. That’s a lot of pavement.
Most people making this trek are military. Norfolk is home to the world’s largest naval base, and San Antonio is literally nicknamed Military City, USA. Whether you’re PCSing from NAVSTA Norfolk to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) or you’re a civilian chasing a job in the booming Texas tech sector, the logistics are a beast. I’ve seen people try to wing this drive in two days. Don’t do that. You’ll arrive at the River Walk feeling like a zombie.
The Reality of the Norfolk to San Antonio Route
If you look at a map, your best bet is usually a straight shot down I-85 to I-20, or dropping south to pick up I-10. Most GPS apps will try to drag you through Charlotte, Atlanta, and Mobile.
Atlanta is a trap. Honestly, if you can time your arrival to hit Atlanta anywhere between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, or 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM, just don't. You will sit on I-285 for an eternity. It’s better to add 30 minutes to your total trip by taking a bypass than to lose two hours in Georgia traffic.
Texas is deceptively big. Once you cross the border from Louisiana into Texas, you still have about five or six hours of driving left before you hit San Antonio. People forget that. They see the "Welcome to Texas" sign and think they’re done. You aren’t. You still have to get through Beaumont, Houston, and the stretch of I-10 that feels like it never ends.
Why Houston is Your Biggest Obstacle
Houston is the final boss of your Norfolk to San Antonio journey. If you’re taking I-10, you have to go through it.
Houston traffic makes Norfolk’s HRBT (Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel) look like a playground. There are multiple loops (the 610, the Beltway 8). My advice? Use a real-time navigation app like Waze or Google Maps, but keep an eye on the "Grand Parkway" (TX-99) if you’re trying to skirt the city entirely. It’s a toll road, but the time saved is usually worth the five bucks.
Flying vs. Driving: The Cost Breakdown
Sometimes driving just doesn’t make sense. If you’re flying from Norfolk International (ORF) to San Antonio International (SAT), you’re probably looking at a layover.
Direct flights are rare. You’ll likely stop in Charlotte (CLT), Atlanta (ATL), or Dallas (DFW).
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- American Airlines usually runs through Charlotte or Dallas.
- Delta will almost certainly put you through Atlanta.
- Southwest is a popular choice for this route because they fly out of ORF and have a massive presence at SAT, often with a stop in Nashville or Baltimore.
Expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $550 for a round-trip ticket if you book at least three weeks out. If you're moving and shipping a car, that’s another $900 to $1,400 depending on the season. Open-carrier shipping is cheaper, but your car will arrive covered in every bug from Virginia to Texas.
Cultural Whiplash: What Changes?
Norfolk is defined by the water. It’s a Navy town through and through. Life moves at a pace dictated by the tides and the bridge-tunnel traffic. San Antonio is different. It’s inland. It’s sprawling.
The humidity in Norfolk is heavy. In San Antonio, the heat is "dryer," but it gets significantly hotter. We're talking 100-degree days for weeks on end in July and August.
Tacos and BBQ
You’re leaving the land of blue crabs and Smithfield ham. San Antonio is the capital of Tex-Mex. Don't go looking for "Mexican food" generically; look for Breakfast Tacos. It’s a religion there. If you aren't eating a potato, egg, and cheese taco from a hole-in-the-wall spot by 8:00 AM, you aren't doing San Antonio right.
Logistics for Military Families (PCS)
If you’re doing a DITY move (now called a PPM or Personally Procured Move) from Norfolk to San Antonio, document everything.
Weight tickets are the lifeblood of your reimbursement. Get your empty weight ticket at the CAT scale near the Port of Virginia or any truck stop off I-64 before you leave. Get your full weight ticket once you’re loaded.
JBSA (Joint Base San Antonio) is huge. It encompasses Fort Sam Houston, Lackland AFB, and Randolph AFB. Know exactly which "annex" you’re heading to before you book your temporary lodging. Living near Lackland when your office is at Fort Sam is a 45-minute commute on a good day. San Antonio traffic on I-35 and Loop 1604 is notorious.
Best Places to Stop Along the Way
If you’re driving, make it a trip. You’re passing through some of the best food states in the country.
- Montgomery, Alabama: A great midpoint. Visit the Legacy Museum. It’s powerful and worth the detour.
- New Orleans, Louisiana: If you take the southern route, you’ll pass right by. It’s a great place to stay overnight, but don't park a U-Haul on the street in the French Quarter. Find a hotel with a secure, gated garage.
- Buc-ee’s: You’ll see the billboards hundreds of miles away. Once you hit the Gulf Coast and Texas, Buc-ee's becomes your primary sanctuary for clean bathrooms and "Beaver Nuggets." It’s a Texas rite of passage.
Climate and Weather Concerns
Norfolk deals with "nuisance flooding" and the occasional hurricane threat. San Antonio doesn't flood in the same way, but when it rains, it pours. The city sits on the edge of "Flash Flood Alley."
The soil in San Antonio is mostly clay and limestone. This matters for homeowners. Foundations shift. If you’re buying a house in San Antonio after living in Norfolk, you need to check the foundation. Cracks in the drywall or doors that won't shut are red flags you didn't have to worry about as much in the sandy soil of Virginia.
Actionable Steps for Your Move
- Check your tires. The stretch of I-10 through Louisiana and Texas gets incredibly hot. Old rubber will blow out. Ensure your pressure is correct and tread is deep.
- Download the Texas "Texas by Texas" (TxT) app. If you’re moving permanently, this is how you’ll handle your vehicle registration and driver's license. Texas is big on digital integration.
- Book your Houston transit for mid-day. Aim to hit Houston between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. This is the "sweet spot" between the morning and afternoon rush hours.
- Register for a Toll Tag. Texas uses the TxTag or NTTA systems. Many tolls don't take cash anymore. They'll mail a bill to your Norfolk address based on your plates, which is a headache if you've already moved.
- Secure your housing in San Antonio early. The market near JBSA Lackland and the Medical Center moves fast. If you're looking in popular areas like Alamo Heights or Stone Oak, have your paperwork ready before you even leave Virginia.
- Hydrate. This sounds silly, but the transition from the mid-Atlantic to the Southwest dehydrates people fast. Keep a gallon of water in the car for the drive.
Moving from the coast of Virginia to the heart of Texas is a long haul, but it's manageable with a plan. Don't rush the drive. Respect the Texas heat. And get ready for a lot more "y'all" than you're used to hearing in Norfolk.