Origin
Jacksonville, NC
Night in Jacksonville on Thursday
Local time
9:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jacksonville, NC to Morehead City, NC
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
42.9 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jacksonville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Morehead City, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Jacksonville, NC to Morehead City, NC covers 42.9 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on WB McLean Drive, Freedom Way, Lejeune Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.2 miles on WB McLean Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 5m drive with frequent turns across 42.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WB McLean Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 16.2 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 38.8 miles in near US 70 / Arendell Street.
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 5m drive. You will face about 3 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 38.8 miles (US 70 / Arendell Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.8 miles (North 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 42.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
3 of 3 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
38.8 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
US 70 / Arendell Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 70 / Arendell Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
42.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
North 18th Street
Turn left onto North 18th Street
Navigation decision point
5
42.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WB McLean Drive | 16.2 mi | 23m |
| Freedom Way | 9.3 mi | 11m |
| Lejeune Boulevard | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Arendell Street | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| West Corbett Avenue | 3.2 mi | 7m |
| Cedar Point Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Johnson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Marine Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
WB McLean Drive
— 16.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, NC and Morehead City, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business; NC 24 Business
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Marine Boulevard
2
Turn straight
494 ft
·
18 sec
3
Turn straight onto NC 24 Business
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Johnson Boulevard
4
Continue on NC 24 Business
6.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Lejeune Boulevard
5
Continue on NC 24
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Freedom Way
6
Continue on NC 24
3.2 mi
·
7 min
·
West Corbett Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on NC 24
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Cedar Point Boulevard
8
Continue on NC 24
16 mi
·
23 min
·
WB McLean Drive
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 70
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Arendell Street
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto North 18th Street
188 ft
·
8 sec
·
North 18th Street
11
Turn right
247 ft
·
18 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Jacksonville, NC · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Morehead City, NC
The final approach into Morehead City, 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
$6.71 one way
$13.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.34 | $14.67 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.94 | $15.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.47 | $18.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.01 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Morehead City, NC
Night in Morehead City on Thursday
Local time
9:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
22 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 5m 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 Jacksonville, NC to Morehead City, NC covers 42.9 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WB McLean Drive, Freedom Way, Lejeune Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.71 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 5m drive. You will face about 3 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 38.8 miles (US 70 / Arendell Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.8 miles (North 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 42.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Jacksonville, NC to Morehead City, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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