The drive from Apex, NC to Leland, NC covers 141.6 miles and takes about 2h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, Triangle Expressway, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 104.1 miles on I 40.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.14 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
70.8 miles from Apex, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 20m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 38m. Total distance: 141.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 38m highway drive covering 141.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and Triangle Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 104.1 miles on I 40.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 104.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Triangle Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near NC 55 / East Williams Street.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 141.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (NC 55 / East Williams Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|NC 55 / East Williams Street
Turn left onto NC 55 / East Williams Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.6 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward NC 540 Toll East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward NC 540 Toll East
5
20.6 mi into trip|~26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East: Wilmington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
8
21.9 mi into trip|~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
6
127.1 mi into trip|~2h 20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 140 West, US 17 South: Shallote, Myrtle Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 140 West, US 17 South: Shallote, Myrtl...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Apex, NC and Leland, NC, road signs point toward Wilmington and Myrtle Beach.
Wilmington
23.6 mi in|~29m|via I 40
Myrtle Beach
127.1 mi in|~2h 20m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
104.1 mi
1h 51m
Triangle Expressway
16.4 mi
17m
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
11.3 mi
12m
East Williams Street
3.1 mi
5m
Mount Misery Road Northeast
1.3 mi
1m
Leland School Road Northeast
0.6 mi
1m
North Salem Street
0.4 mi
1m
Village Road Northeast
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 104.1 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apex, NC and Leland, NC.
1
Start on North Salem Street
0.4 mi·1 min·North Salem Street
2
Turn left onto NC 55
3.1 mi·5 min·East Williams Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward NC 540 Toll EastUse the left lane.
4
Merge onto NC 540 Toll
16 mi·17 min·Triangle Expressway
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·49 sec
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
6
Merge onto I 40
0.8 mi·53 sec·I 40
7
Keep slight right at fork
1.7 mi·1 min
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland RdUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 40
103 mi·1 hr 50 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: Benson, Wilmington
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 140 West, US 17 South: Shallote, Myrtle Beach
11
Merge onto I 140
11 mi·12 min·John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
13
Turn right onto Mount Misery Road Northeast
1.3 mi·1 min·Mount Misery Road Northeast
14
Turn left onto Leland School Road Northeast
0.6 mi·1 min·Leland School Road Northeast
15
At end of road, turn left onto Village Road Northeast
0.2 mi·25 sec·Village Road Northeast
16
Turn left onto Lincoln Road Northeast
272 ft·12 sec·Lincoln Road Northeast
17
Turn left onto Post Office Road Northeast
282 ft·12 sec·Post Office Road Northeast
18
Arrive at destination
Post Office Road Northeast
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 70.8 miles from Apex, NC, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 31 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.8 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leland, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Apex, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Apex, NC
This is one driving day of about 141.6 miles and 2h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Apex, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 104.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 70.8 mi from Apex, NC
· 1h 20m into the drive
The midpoint is around 70.8 miles from Apex, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 40 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 104.1 miles.
Arriving in Leland, NC
The final approach into Leland, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Leland, NC.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 117.2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42.5
0
$14.87
$6.80
Efficient EV
35.4
0
$12.39
$5.66
EV Truck/SUV
56.6
0
$19.82
$9.06
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Apex, NC
Night
in Apex on Friday
Local time
10:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Leland, NC
Night
in Leland on Friday
Local time
10:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Mount Olive, NC
71 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 38m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Apex, NC to Leland, NC covers 141.6 miles and takes about 2h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, Triangle Expressway, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 70.8 miles from Apex, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.14 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 141.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (NC 55 / East Williams Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Between Apex, NC and Leland, NC, road signs point toward Wilmington and Myrtle Beach.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
