Origin
Chapel Hill, NC
Afternoon in Chapel Hill on Wednesday
Local time
3:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chapel Hill, NC to Carolina Beach, NC
Data updated 1 second ago
Drive Time
7h 57m
Distance
371.5 mi
598 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$58
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 48m
★
6 AM
7h 57m
8 AM
8h 15m
10 AM
8h 3m
12 PM
8h 1m
3 PM
8h 4m
5 PM
8h 14m
8 PM
7h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chapel Hill, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Carolina Beach, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chapel Hill, NC to Carolina Beach, NC covers 371.5 miles and takes about 7h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Chapel Hill Road, Guntertown Road, I 26 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $58.09 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
185.7 miles from Chapel Hill, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 58m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 57m drive with frequent turns across 371.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 54 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Chapel Hill Road 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
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 57m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chapel Hill, NC to Carolina Beach, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Guntertown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 26 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Billy Graham Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 74 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Chapel Hill Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chapel Hill, NC and Carolina Beach, NC.
1
Start on the route
26 ft
·
5 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road
1.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Chapel Hill Road
3
Continue on Guntertown Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Guntertown Road
4
At the end of the road, turn left
3.5 mi
·
5 min
5
Continue straight
21 mi
·
32 min
6
Take the exit slight right
3.9 mi
·
5 min
7
Continue straight
4.2 mi
·
5 min
8
Keep slight right to continue on I 26 East, US 74A West: West Asheville
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 26 East, US 74A West: West Asheville
9
Merge slight left onto Billy Graham Freeway
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
Billy Graham Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Billy Graham Freeway
26 mi
·
32 min
·
Billy Graham Freeway
11
Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Take the exit slight right toward US 74 East, NC 108: Columbus, Rutherfordton
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 74 East, NC 108: Columbus, Rutherfordton
13
Keep slight left to continue on Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
14
Continue on Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
15
Continue on James A. Callahan Highway
15 mi
·
17 min
·
James A. Callahan Highway
16
Take the exit slight right toward West Dixon Boulevard
12 mi
·
17 min
·
West Dixon Boulevard
17
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
18
Continue on Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
19
Take the exit straight toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg
20
Keep slight left to continue on I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte
21
Merge slight left onto Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
22
Continue on Cameron Morrison Bridge
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Cameron Morrison Bridge
23
Take the exit slight right toward NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Charlotte
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Charlotte
24
Keep slight right to continue on NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brookshire Boulevard, Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium
387 ft
·
11 sec
·
NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brookshire Boulevard, Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium
25
Merge slight left onto Brookshire Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Brookshire Boulevard
26
Continue on Brookshire Freeway
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Brookshire Freeway
27
Take the exit slight left toward US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Boulevard
28
Merge slight right onto East Independence Expressway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East Independence Expressway
29
Keep slight right to continue on East Independence Boulevard
358 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Independence Boulevard
30
Continue on East Independence Expressway
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Independence Expressway
31
Continue on East Independence Boulevard
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East Independence Boulevard
32
Continue on Independence Boulevard
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Independence Boulevard
33
Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Monroe Expressway
34
Merge slight right onto Carroll M. Edwards Highway
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
35
Continue on West Marshville Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
West Marshville Boulevard
36
Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
37
Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
38
Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
39
Continue on Salisbury Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Salisbury Street
40
Continue on West Caswell Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Caswell Street
41
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
42
Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
43
Continue on G R Kindley Freeway
15 mi
·
16 min
·
G R Kindley Freeway
44
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
45
Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
46
Continue on American Indian Highway
34 mi
·
36 min
·
American Indian Highway
47
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
60 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
48
Continue on Ocean Highway East
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Ocean Highway East
49
Continue on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
50
Take the exit slight right
6.9 mi
·
12 min
51
Continue on Carolina Beach Road
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Carolina Beach Road
52
Continue on North Lake Park Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Lake Park Boulevard
53
Turn left
46 ft
·
3 sec
54
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 185.7 miles from Chapel Hill, NC, or about 3h 58m 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 82 miles or 1h 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 185.7 miles or 3h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carolina Beach, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chapel Hill, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chapel Hill, NC
This is one driving day of about 371.5 miles and 7h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 82 miles from Chapel Hill, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 185.7 mi from Chapel Hill, NC · 3h 58m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
186 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 82 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 185.7 miles from Chapel Hill, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Carolina Beach, NC
The final approach into Carolina Beach, 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 Carolina Beach, 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
$58.09 one way
$116.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
130 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $63.52 | $127.04 |
| premium | $4.70 | $68.76 | $137.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $82.02 | $164.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$58
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 130 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 111.5 | 1 | $39.01 | $17.83 |
| Efficient EV | 92.9 | 1 | $32.51 | $14.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 148.6 | 1 | $52.01 | $23.78 |
Gas CO2
130 kg
EV CO2
43 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.
Destination
Carolina Beach, NC
Afternoon in Carolina Beach on Wednesday
Local time
3:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
17 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
7h 57m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Chapel Hill, NC to Carolina Beach, NC covers 371.5 miles and takes about 7h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Chapel Hill Road, Guntertown Road, I 26 East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 185.7 miles from Chapel Hill, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $58.09 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 57m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chapel Hill, NC to Carolina Beach, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chapel Hill, NC to Carolina Beach, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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