Trip from Emerald Isle, NC to Lola, NC

Data updated 5 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 24m

Distance

53.8 mi

87 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min

4 AM

1h 18m ★

6 AM

1h 24m

8 AM

1h 37m

10 AM

1h 29m

12 PM

1h 28m

3 PM

1h 29m

5 PM

1h 37m

8 PM

1h 20m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Trip Overview

The drive from Emerald Isle, NC to Lola, NC covers 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 70, NC 12, Salter Path Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.8 miles on US 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.41 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

26.9 miles from Emerald Isle, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

The drive from Emerald Isle, NC to Lola, NC covers 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 20.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 12.3 miles in near Atlantic Beach Causeway.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 1h 24m 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 12.3 miles (Atlantic Beach Causeway): Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (US 70 / Arendell Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 23 miles (US 70): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4

12.3 mi into trip | ~21m in | Atlantic Beach Causeway

Turn left onto Atlantic Beach Causeway

Navigation decision point

5

13.8 mi into trip | ~24m in | US 70 / Arendell Street

Turn right onto US 70 / Arendell Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

3

23 mi into trip | ~39m in | US 70

Turn right onto US 70

Navigation decision point

3

29.4 mi into trip | ~48m in | US 70

Turn left onto US 70

Navigation decision point

5

35.6 mi into trip | ~58m in | US 70

Turn sharp left onto US 70

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 70	20.8 mi	30m
NC 12	8.3 mi	11m
Salter Path Road	7.3 mi	13m
Grayden Paul Bridge	5.3 mi	7m
Arendell Street	3.9 mi	7m
West Fort Macon Road	2.5 mi	4m
Emerald Drive	2.5 mi	4m
Lola Road	1.7 mi	2m

Longest stretch: US 70 — 20.8 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Emerald Isle, NC and Lola, NC.

1

Start on NC 58

2.5 mi · 4 min · Emerald Drive

2

Continue on NC 58

7.3 mi · 13 min · Salter Path Road

3

Continue on NC 58

2.5 mi · 4 min · West Fort Macon Road

4

Turn left onto Atlantic Beach Causeway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Atlantic Beach Causeway

5

Continue on Atlantic Beach Bridge

0.7 mi · 1 min · Atlantic Beach Bridge

6

Continue on South 23rd Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · South 23rd Street

7

Turn right onto US 70

1.6 mi · 3 min · Arendell Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

8

Continue on US 70

2.3 mi · 3 min · Arendell Street

Use the straight lane.

9

Continue on US 70

5.3 mi · 7 min · Grayden Paul Bridge

Use the straight lane.

10

Turn right onto US 70

6.4 mi · 9 min · US 70

11

Turn left onto US 70

6.2 mi · 9 min · US 70

12

Turn sharp left onto US 70

8.2 mi · 11 min · US 70

13

Continue on NC 12

8.3 mi · 11 min · NC 12

14

Turn right onto Lola Road

1.7 mi · 2 min · Lola Road

15

Arrive at destination

Lola Road

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.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 26.9 miles from Emerald Isle, NC, or about 45m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 20.8 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 53.8 miles or 1h 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 26.9 miles or 45m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 13m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Emerald Isle, 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 Emerald Isle, NC

This is one driving day of about 53.8 miles and 1h 24m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Emerald Isle, NC.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on US 70 for about 20.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 26.9 mi from Emerald Isle, NC · 45m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brices Creek, NC

27 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

Brices Creek, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 53.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brices Creek, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Emerald Isle, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lola, NC

The final approach into Lola, 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 Lola, NC.

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.

Cape Lookout National Seashore

National Seashore

A boat ride three miles off-shore brings you to the barrier islands of Cape Lookout National Seashore. Horse watching, shelling, fishing, birding, camping, lighthouse climbing, and touring historic vi...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 40.8

Park Closure: Passenger Ferry Dock Closed

Danger: High Fire Danger and Fire Ban

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.41 one way

$16.83 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.34	$9.20	$18.40
premium	$4.70	$9.96	$19.91
diesel	$5.61	$11.88	$23.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$8

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$33–$58

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	16.1	$5.65	$2.58
Efficient EV	13.5	$4.71	$2.15
EV Truck/SUV	21.5	$7.53	$3.44

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Emerald Isle, NC

Late night in Emerald Isle on Wednesday

Local time

2:05 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lola, NC

Late night in Lola on Wednesday

Local time

2:05 AM

EDT

Current temp

65°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

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

1h 24m 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 Emerald Isle, NC to Lola, NC covers 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 70, NC 12, Salter Path Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 26.9 miles from Emerald Isle, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.41 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 1h 24m 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 12.3 miles (Atlantic Beach Causeway): Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (US 70 / Arendell Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 23 miles (US 70): Navigation decision point.

The route from Emerald Isle, NC to Lola, 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

Explore More

More from Emerald Isle, NC

Raleigh, NC 150.9 mi · 3h 9m

Explore more options from Emerald Isle, NC or browse trips ending in Lola, NC.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.

Explore maps for Emerald Isle, NC or Lola, NC on MapSof.net.