Origin
Cary, NC
Evening in Cary on Friday
Local time
7:19 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cary, NC to Holly Springs, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
12.5 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cary, NC
C k
Holly Springs, NC
R9 Media Photo Collective
Trip Overview
Cary to Holly Springs is 12.5 miles and takes about 22 minutes via Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within North Carolina, connecting two locations in the Southeast region. Expect a route with frequent turns, characteristic of local drives. Given its brevity, this journey is ideal for a single-day excursion, requiring minimal planning beyond ensuring you have enough fuel for the short distance.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 12.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 8% of the journey on highways. You'll spend most of your time navigating local streets, with segments on East Williams Street and North Main Street. The longest stretch without a significant turn or change in road type is 4.1 miles along the Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires your attention to navigate the numerous intersections and changes in direction.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 4.1 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Dry Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 22m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Dry Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Dry Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Dry Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
3.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford
6
7.7 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward NC 55: Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 95
Toward NC 55: Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varin...
4
7.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
NC 55 / East Williams Street
Turn left onto NC 55 / East Williams Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
9.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
East Williams Street
Turn left onto East Williams Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Cary, NC to Holly Springs, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Fuquay-Varina along the way.
Fuquay-Varina
7.7 mi in
|
~13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| East Williams Street | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Kildaire Farm Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Southeast Cary Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Academy Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Dry Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
— 4.1 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cary, NC and Holly Springs, NC.
1
Start on North Academy Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Academy Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Dry Avenue
220 ft
·
5 sec
·
Dry Avenue
3
Continue on Kildaire Farm Road
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Kildaire Farm Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Southeast Cary Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Cary Parkway
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 1 South, US 64 West: Sanford
6
Merge onto US 1; US 64
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 95
Toward NC 55: Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina
8
Turn left onto NC 55
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Williams Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto East Williams Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Williams Street
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on North Main Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.95 one way
$3.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.14 | $4.27 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.31 | $4.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.76 | $5.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Destination
Holly Springs, NC
Evening in Holly Springs on Friday
Local time
7:19 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22m 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 Cary, NC to Holly Springs, NC covers 12.5 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway, East Williams Street, North Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.3 miles from Cary, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.95 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.
This is a straightforward 22m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Dry Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Cary, NC to Holly Springs, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Fuquay-Varina along the way.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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