Origin
Emerald Isle, NC
Afternoon in Emerald Isle on Thursday
Local time
2:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Emerald Isle, NC to Lola, NC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
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
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
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.
Emerald Isle, NC
William Lucord
Lola, NC
Mark Stebnicki
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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 53.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Straightforward navigation.
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.
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 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 pointsThese 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
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
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
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.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
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 | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.65 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.71 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $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.
Destination
Lola, NC
Afternoon in Lola on Thursday
Local time
2:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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 warmer 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.
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