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Trip from Kirkland, NC to Kure Beach, NC

Drive Time

41m

Distance

24.5 mi

39 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 38m ★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m

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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Trip Overview

The drive from Kirkland, NC to Kure Beach, NC covers 24.5 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South College Road, Market Street, Carolina Beach Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.2 miles on South College Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.92 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

12.2 miles from Kirkland, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 41m drive with frequent turns across 24.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South College Road is the longest continuous segment at about 7.2 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 early in the drive near Porters Neck Road.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 41m 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: near the start (Porters Neck Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 17 / Market Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: 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
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Porters Neck Road

Turn right onto Porters Neck Road

Navigation decision point

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 17 / Market Street

Turn left onto US 17 / Market Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
6.3 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

5
6.7 mi into trip | ~12m in | US 117; NC 132 / South College Road

Merge onto US 117; NC 132 / South College Road

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

Use the straight lane.
4
24.4 mi into trip | ~41m in | US 421 / Fort Fisher Boulevard South

Turn right onto US 421 / Fort Fisher Boulevard South

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South College Road 7.2 mi 12m
Market Street 6.2 mi 10m
Carolina Beach Road 6.1 mi 9m
Dow Road North 3.5 mi 4m
Avenue K 0.5 mi 1m
North Lake Park Boulevard 0.4 mi <1m
Fort Fisher Boulevard South <0.1 mi <1m
Porters Neck Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: South College Road — 7.2 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, NC and Kure Beach, NC.

1

Start on this road

150 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Porters Neck Road

348 ft · 11 sec · Porters Neck Road
3

Turn left onto US 17

6.2 mi · 10 min · Market Street
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 51 sec
5

Merge onto US 117; NC 132

7.2 mi · 12 min · South College Road
Use the straight lane.
6

Continue on NC 132

6.1 mi · 9 min · Carolina Beach Road
7

Continue on US 421

0.4 mi · 48 sec · North Lake Park Boulevard
8

Turn right onto Dow Road North

3.5 mi · 4 min · Dow Road North
9

Continue on Avenue K

0.5 mi · 1 min · Avenue K
10

Turn right onto US 421

525 ft · 12 sec · Fort Fisher Boulevard South
11

Arrive at destination

US 421

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 12.2 miles from Kirkland, NC, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 7.2 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 24.5 miles or 41m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 12.2 miles or 21m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 35m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Kirkland, 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 Kirkland, NC

This is one driving day of about 24.5 miles and 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Kirkland, 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 South College Road for about 7.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 12.2 mi from Kirkland, NC · 21m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wilmington, NC

12 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

Wilmington, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 24.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wilmington, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 12.2 miles from Kirkland, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Kure Beach, NC

The final approach into Kure Beach, 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 Kure Beach, 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...

20 mi from route ~50 min detour Free near mile 5.9
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.92 one way

$7.84 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $4.27 $8.54
premium $4.78 $4.61 $9.22
diesel $5.64 $5.44 $10.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$4

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.4 0 $2.57 $1.18
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.14 $0.98
EV Truck/SUV 9.8 0 $3.43 $1.57

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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.

Forecast data refreshed 22 hours ago

Origin

Kirkland, NC

Afternoon in Kirkland on Monday

Local time

12:06 PM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kure Beach, NC

Afternoon in Kure Beach on Monday

Local time

12:06 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°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

10 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

41m 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 Kirkland, NC to Kure Beach, NC covers 24.5 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South College Road, Market Street, Carolina Beach Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.2 miles from Kirkland, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.92 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 41m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Porters Neck Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 17 / Market Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Kirkland, NC to Kure Beach, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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