Origin
Carolina Beach, NC
Afternoon in Carolina Beach on Monday
Local time
3:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carolina Beach, NC to Gastonia, NC
Drive Time
4h 38m
Distance
256.6 mi
413 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 25m
★
6 AM
4h 38m
8 AM
5h 5m
10 AM
4h 48m
12 PM
4h 45m
3 PM
4h 49m
5 PM
5h 4m
8 PM
4h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carolina Beach, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Gastonia, NC
Alexey Demidov
Trip Overview
The drive from Carolina Beach, NC to Gastonia, NC covers 256.6 miles and takes about 4h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Lake Park Boulevard, Carolina Beach Road, South Front Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.07 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
128.3 miles from Carolina Beach, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 38m drive with frequent turns across 256.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Lake Park Boulevard 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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 38m 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 Carolina Beach, NC to Gastonia, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Lake Park Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Carolina Beach Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Front Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cape Fear Memorial Bridge | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ocean Highway East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| American Indian Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| G R Kindley Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Lake Park Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carolina Beach, NC and Gastonia, NC.
1
Start on the route
46 ft
·
6 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto North Lake Park Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Lake Park Boulevard
3
Continue on Carolina Beach Road
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Carolina Beach Road
4
Turn left onto Carolina Beach Road
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Carolina Beach Road
5
Continue on South Front Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Front Street
6
Take the ramp slight right
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
7
Merge slight left onto Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
8
Continue on Ocean Highway East
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ocean Highway East
9
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
60 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
10
Continue on American Indian Highway
34 mi
·
36 min
·
American Indian Highway
11
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Keep slight left to continue on G R Kindley Freeway
14 mi
·
15 min
·
G R Kindley Freeway
13
Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
14
Continue on East Caswell Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Caswell Street
15
Continue on Salisbury Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Salisbury Street
16
Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
17
Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
18
Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
19
Continue on East Marshville Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
East Marshville Boulevard
20
Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
21
Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Monroe Expressway
22
Merge slight right onto Independence Boulevard
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Independence Boulevard
23
Continue on East Independence Expressway
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Independence Expressway
24
Continue on East Independence Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Independence Boulevard
25
Merge slight left onto John Belk Freeway
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
John Belk Freeway
26
Take the exit straight toward NC 27: Freedom Drive
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
NC 27: Freedom Drive
27
Take the ramp slight left
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
28
Merge slight left
15 mi
·
19 min
29
Take the exit slight right toward NC 7: East Gastonia
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
NC 7: East Gastonia
30
Turn right onto East Ozark Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ozark Avenue
31
Continue on East Long Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Long Avenue
32
Turn left onto North Broad Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Broad Street
33
Turn right onto East Franklin Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
East Franklin Boulevard
34
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 128.3 miles from Carolina Beach, NC, or about 2h 19m 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 80 miles or 1h 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.3 miles or 2h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gastonia, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Carolina 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 Carolina Beach, NC
This is one driving day of about 256.6 miles and 4h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Carolina 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 128.3 mi from Carolina Beach, NC · 2h 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 128.3 miles from Carolina Beach, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gastonia, NC
The final approach into Gastonia, 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 Gastonia, 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
$41.07 one way
$82.13 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
90 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $44.74 | $89.49 |
| premium | $4.78 | $48.27 | $96.54 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $57.01 | $114.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 77 | 0 | $26.94 | $12.32 |
| Efficient EV | 64.2 | 0 | $22.45 | $10.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.6 | 1 | $35.92 | $16.42 |
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Destination
Gastonia, NC
Afternoon in Gastonia on Monday
Local time
3:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 38m 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 Carolina Beach, NC to Gastonia, NC covers 256.6 miles and takes about 4h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Lake Park Boulevard, Carolina Beach Road, South Front Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 128.3 miles from Carolina Beach, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.07 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 38m 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 Carolina Beach, NC to Gastonia, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Carolina Beach, NC to Gastonia, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Gastonia, NC
More trips to Gastonia, NC
Explore more options from Carolina Beach, NC or browse trips ending in Gastonia, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.
Explore maps for Carolina Beach, NC or Gastonia, NC on MapSof.net.