Origin
Fairfield Harbour, NC
Afternoon in Fairfield Harbour on Thursday
Local time
1:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield Harbour, NC to Winston-Salem, NC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
3h 49m
Distance
229.5 mi
369 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 37m
★
6 AM
3h 50m
8 AM
4h 15m
10 AM
3h 59m
12 PM
3h 56m
3 PM
4h 0m
5 PM
4h 14m
8 PM
3h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield Harbour, NC
Michael Ken
Trip Overview
The drive from Fairfield Harbour, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 229.5 miles and takes about 3h 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Caracara Drive, Cassowary Lane, Broad Creek Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $35.89 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
114.8 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 49m. Total distance: 229.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 49m drive with frequent turns across 229.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Caracara Drive 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.
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 3h 49m 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC to Winston-Salem, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Caracara Drive | — | — |
| Cassowary Lane | — | — |
| Broad Creek Road | — | — |
| Freedom Memorial Bridge | — | — |
| West New Bern Road | — | — |
| West Vernon Avenue | — | — |
| Goldsboro Bypass | — | — |
| Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Caracara Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield Harbour, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.
1
Start on Pelican Drive
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Pelican Drive
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto Caracara Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Caracara Drive
3
Turn left onto Cassowary Lane
466 ft
·
25 sec
·
Cassowary Lane
4
Turn left onto Broad Creek Road
5.8 mi
·
13 min
·
Broad Creek Road
5
Turn left
0.9 mi
·
1 min
6
Keep slight left
3.3 mi
·
4 min
7
Merge slight left onto Freedom Memorial Bridge
34 mi
·
37 min
·
Freedom Memorial Bridge
8
Continue on West New Bern Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West New Bern Road
9
Keep slight right to continue on West New Bern Road
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West New Bern Road
10
Continue on West Vernon Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
West Vernon Avenue
11
Continue straight
9.6 mi
·
11 min
12
Continue on Goldsboro Bypass
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Goldsboro Bypass
13
Continue straight
1.2 mi
·
1 min
14
Continue straight
10 mi
·
14 min
15
Continue straight
2.0 mi
·
2 min
16
Keep slight left
10 mi
·
12 min
17
Continue on Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
18
Merge slight left
82 mi
·
1 hr 34 min
19
Keep slight right
7.7 mi
·
9 min
20
Keep slight right
13 mi
·
15 min
21
Keep slight right to continue on Salem Parkway
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Salem Parkway
22
Take the exit slight right toward Main Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
23
Turn slight right onto South Main Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Main Street
24
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 114.8 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC, or about 1h 54m 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 50 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.8 miles or 1h 54m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Winston-Salem, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fairfield Harbour, 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC
This is one driving day of about 229.5 miles and 3h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Fairfield Harbour, 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 114.8 mi from Fairfield Harbour, NC · 1h 54m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
115 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 50 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 114.8 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Winston-Salem, NC
The final approach into Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, 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
$35.89 one way
$71.78 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
80 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $39.24 | $78.48 |
| premium | $4.70 | $42.48 | $84.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $50.67 | $101.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 68.9 | 0 | $24.10 | $11.02 |
| Efficient EV | 57.4 | 0 | $20.08 | $9.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 91.8 | 1 | $32.13 | $14.69 |
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% 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
Winston-Salem, NC
Afternoon in Winston-Salem on Thursday
Local time
1:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
11 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
3h 49m 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC to Winston-Salem, NC covers 229.5 miles and takes about 3h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Caracara Drive, Cassowary Lane, Broad Creek Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 114.8 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.89 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 49m 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC to Winston-Salem, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Fairfield Harbour, NC to Winston-Salem, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Winston-Salem, NC
More from Fairfield Harbour, NC
More trips to Winston-Salem, NC
Explore more options from Fairfield Harbour, NC or browse trips ending in Winston-Salem, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.
Explore maps for Fairfield Harbour, NC or Winston-Salem, NC on MapSof.net.