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Trip from Fayetteville, NC to Southport, NC

Drive Time

2h 24m

Distance

105.5 mi

170 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 15m ★
6 AM
2h 25m
8 AM
2h 45m
10 AM
2h 32m
12 PM
2h 30m
3 PM
2h 33m
5 PM
2h 44m
8 PM
2h 19m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fayetteville, NC, NC

Fayetteville, NC

Tom Fisk

Downtown Southport, NC, NC

Southport, NC

Michael Ken

Trip Overview

The drive from Fayetteville, NC to Southport, NC covers 105.5 miles and takes about 2h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway, NC 87, Andrew Jackson Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.2 miles on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.88 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

52.7 miles from Fayetteville, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 2h 24m highway drive covering 105.5 miles, with most of the trip on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway and NC 87. The longest continuous stretch is about 64.2 miles on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 64.2 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

145 ft 17 ft

Total Climb

88 ft

Total Descent

174 ft

Highest Point

145 ft

~30.1 mi in

Elevation Range

128 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway and NC 87. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 105.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

6
1.2 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward NC 87 South: Elizabethtown

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward NC 87 South: Elizabethtown
5
1.4 mi into trip | ~2m in | NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway

Merge onto NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
84.8 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 17: Shallotte, Myrtle Beach

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward US 17: Shallotte, Myrtle Beach
5
85.2 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in | US 17 / Ocean Highway East

Merge onto US 17 / Ocean Highway East

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
104.2 mi into trip | ~2h 22m in | NC 211 / North Howe Street

Turn left onto NC 211 / North Howe Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Fayetteville, NC to Southport, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Myrtle Beach along the way.

Myrtle Beach

84.8 mi in | ~1h 54m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway 64.2 mi 1h 26m
NC 87 11.8 mi 16m
Andrew Jackson Highway 8 mi 11m
Old State Road 5.6 mi 7m
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway 4.8 mi 5m
Ocean Highway East 3.9 mi 5m
River Road Southeast 3.4 mi 5m
North Howe Street 1.2 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Martin Luther King Jr Freeway — 64.2 mi, about 1h 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fayetteville, NC and Southport, NC.

1

Start on Market Square

164 ft · 4 sec · Market Square
2

Continue on Gillespie Street

1.1 mi · 1 min · Gillespie Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward NC 87 South: Elizabethtown Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto NC 87

64 mi · 1 hr 26 min · Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Continue on NC 87

5.6 mi · 7 min · Old State Road
6

Continue on NC 87

0.5 mi · 40 sec · Old Stage Road
7

Merge onto US 74; US 76; NC 87

8.0 mi · 11 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 51 sec
9

Merge onto I 140

4.8 mi · 5 min · John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward US 17: Shallotte, Myrtle Beach Use the slight right lane.
11

Merge onto US 17

3.9 mi · 5 min · Ocean Highway East
Use the straight lane.
12

Take the exit onto NC 87

12 mi · 16 min · NC 87
13

Continue on NC 87; NC 133

3.4 mi · 5 min · River Road Southeast
Use the straight lane.
14

Turn left onto NC 211

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Howe Street
Use the left lane.
15

Arrive at destination

NC 211

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 52.7 miles from Fayetteville, NC, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.2 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 80 miles or 1h 49m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 52.7 miles or 1h 11m 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 56m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, NC

This is one driving day of about 105.5 miles and 2h 24m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fayetteville, 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 Martin Luther King Jr Freeway for about 64.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 52.7 mi from Fayetteville, NC · 1h 11m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wilmington, NC

53 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.

Popular next leg

Wilmington, NC to Southport, NC

28.3 mi · 42m

Pacing Suggestions

Wilmington, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wilmington, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 52.7 miles from Fayetteville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Martin Luther King Jr Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.2 miles.

Arriving in Southport, NC

The final approach into Southport, 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 Southport, 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.

Moores Creek National Battlefield

Moores Creek National Battlefield

National Battlefield

In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...

10 mi from route ~26 min detour Free near mile 69.1
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.88 one way

$33.77 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 37 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $18.40 $36.79
premium $4.78 $19.85 $39.69
diesel $5.64 $23.44 $46.88

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 36.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 31.7 0 $11.08 $5.06
Efficient EV 26.4 0 $9.23 $4.22
EV Truck/SUV 42.2 0 $14.77 $6.75

Gas CO2

37 kg

EV CO2

12 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 1 hour ago

Origin

Fayetteville, NC

Afternoon in Fayetteville on Sunday

Local time

4:07 PM

EDT

Current temp

85°F

Sunny

S 9 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Southport, NC

Afternoon in Southport on Sunday

Local time

4:07 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Sunny

SE 8 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

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

2h 24m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Fayetteville, NC to Southport, NC covers 105.5 miles and takes about 2h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Martin Luther King Jr Freeway, NC 87, Andrew Jackson Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.7 miles from Fayetteville, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.88 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 demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 105.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Fayetteville, NC to Southport, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Myrtle Beach along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Southport, NC to Fayetteville, NC

Plan the drive back the other way.

105.6 mi 2h 25m

Continue From Southport, NC

Maine, NC 245.7 mi · 5h 5m High Point, NC 222.7 mi · 4h 26m Charlotte, NC 210.5 mi · 4h 23m Concord, NC 208.9 mi · 4h 25m

More from Fayetteville, NC

Blowing Rock, NC 210.5 mi · 4h 31m Forest City, NC 193.6 mi · 4h 20m Hickory, NC 188.9 mi · 3h 51m Dallas, NC 152.9 mi · 3h 28m Belmont, NC 142.8 mi · 3h 16m Bethel, NC 130.5 mi · 2h 49m

More trips to Southport, NC

Maine, NC 241.8 mi High Point, NC 219.3 mi Charlotte, NC 210.3 mi Concord, NC 208.7 mi Greensboro, NC 198.6 mi Durham, NC 185.1 mi

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