Trip from Atlantic Beach, NC to Concord, NC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

4h 57m

Distance

273.5 mi

440 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$43

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 44m ★

6 AM

4h 57m

8 AM

5h 24m

10 AM

5h 7m

12 PM

5h 4m

3 PM

5h 8m

5 PM

5h 23m

8 PM

4h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Atlantic Beach, NC

Dominik Gryzbon

Concord, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Atlantic Beach, NC to Concord, NC covers 273.5 miles and takes about 4h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Kinston Avenue, West Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach Causeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.77 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

136.8 miles from Atlantic Beach, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 28m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 57m. Total distance: 273.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 57m drive with frequent turns across 273.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

South Kinston Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 57m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Atlantic Beach, NC to Concord, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South Kinston Avenue	—	—
West Fort Macon Road	—	—
Atlantic Beach Causeway	—	—
Atlantic Beach Bridge	—	—
South 23rd Street	—	—
Arendell Street	—	—
West New Bern Road	—	—
West Vernon Avenue	—	—

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South Kinston Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Atlantic Beach, NC and Concord, NC.

Start on West Terminal Boulevard

26 ft · 3 sec · West Terminal Boulevard

Turn right onto South Kinston Avenue

0.1 mi · 24 sec · South Kinston Avenue

Turn right onto West Fort Macon Road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · West Fort Macon Road

Turn left onto Atlantic Beach Causeway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Atlantic Beach Causeway

Continue on Atlantic Beach Bridge

0.7 mi · 1 min · Atlantic Beach Bridge

Continue on South 23rd Street

0.1 mi · 13 sec · South 23rd Street

Turn left onto Arendell Street

69 mi · 1 hr 25 min · Arendell Street

Continue on West New Bern Road

1.1 mi · 1 min · West New Bern Road

Keep slight right to continue on West New Bern Road

2.1 mi · 3 min · West New Bern Road

Continue on West Vernon Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · West Vernon Avenue

Continue straight

9.6 mi · 11 min

Continue on Goldsboro Bypass

20 mi · 21 min · Goldsboro Bypass

Continue straight

1.2 mi · 1 min

Continue straight

10 mi · 14 min

Continue straight

2.0 mi · 2 min

Keep slight left

10 mi · 12 min

Continue on Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

9.4 mi · 10 min · Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

Take the exit slight left toward I 40 East, NC 540 Toll West: Wilmington

0.5 mi · 44 sec · I 40 East, NC 540 Toll West: Wilmington

Keep slight right to continue on NC 540 Toll West

0.7 mi · 1 min · NC 540 Toll West

Merge slight left onto Triangle Expressway

21 mi · 22 min · Triangle Expressway

Take the exit slight right toward US 64: Apex, Pittsboro

0.2 mi · 27 sec · US 64: Apex, Pittsboro

Keep slight left

0.4 mi · 46 sec

Keep slight right to continue on US 64 West: Pittsboro

0.2 mi · 31 sec · US 64 West: Pittsboro

Merge slight left

51 mi · 1 hr 10 min

Keep slight left to continue on Richard K. Pugh Highway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Richard K. Pugh Highway

Continue on East Dixie Drive

3.5 mi · 6 min · East Dixie Drive

Turn slight right

312 ft · 11 sec

Turn slight right onto Brookway Road

315 ft · 13 sec · Brookway Road

Turn sharp left onto Albemarle Road

0.3 mi · 23 sec · Albemarle Road

Continue straight

9.9 mi · 13 min

Continue straight

31 mi · 39 min

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 1 min

Turn right

7.5 mi · 11 min

Continue on Corban Avenue Southeast

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Corban Avenue Southeast

Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Spring Street Southwest

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 136.8 miles from Atlantic Beach, NC, or about 2h 28m into the drive.

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 60 miles or 1h 5m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 136.8 miles or 2h 28m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 3m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Concord, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Atlantic Beach, 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 Atlantic Beach, NC

This is one driving day of about 273.5 miles and 4h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Atlantic Beach, 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.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 136.8 mi from Atlantic Beach, NC · 2h 28m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Apex, NC

137 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

City of Greenville, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Apex, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 136.8 miles from Atlantic Beach, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Concord, NC

The final approach into Concord, 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 Concord, NC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$42.77 one way

$85.54 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 96 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.34	$46.76	$93.53
premium	$4.70	$50.62	$101.24
diesel	$5.61	$60.39	$120.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$43

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$68–$93

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 95.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	82.1	1	$28.72	$13.13
Efficient EV	68.4	0	$23.93	$10.94
EV Truck/SUV	109.4	1	$38.29	$17.50

Gas CO2

96 kg

EV CO2

32 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 Jun 22, 2022

Origin

Atlantic Beach, NC

Afternoon in Atlantic Beach on Thursday

Local time

1:00 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Concord, NC

Afternoon in Concord on Thursday

Local time

1:00 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

23 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

4h 57m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Atlantic Beach, NC to Concord, NC covers 273.5 miles and takes about 4h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are South Kinston Avenue, West Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach Causeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 136.8 miles from Atlantic Beach, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.77 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 4h 57m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Atlantic Beach, NC to Concord, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Atlantic Beach, NC to Concord, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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