Origin
Kure Beach, NC
Afternoon in Kure Beach on Monday
Local time
12:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kure Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC
Drive Time
4h 19m
Distance
232 mi
373 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 6m
★
6 AM
4h 19m
8 AM
4h 46m
10 AM
4h 29m
12 PM
4h 26m
3 PM
4h 30m
5 PM
4h 44m
8 PM
4h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlotte, NC
John Hill
Trip Overview
The drive from Kure Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 232 miles and takes about 4h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue K, Dow Road South, North Lake Park Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
116 miles from Kure Beach, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 9m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 19m drive with frequent turns across 232 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue K 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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 19m 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 Kure Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue K | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dow Road South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Lake Park Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Carolina Beach Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Front Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cape Fear Memorial Bridge | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ocean Highway East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Avenue K
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kure Beach, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on Fort Fisher Boulevard South
525 ft
·
15 sec
·
Fort Fisher Boulevard South
2
Turn left onto Avenue K
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Avenue K
3
Continue on Dow Road South
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Dow Road South
4
Turn left onto North Lake Park Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
North Lake Park Boulevard
5
Continue on Carolina Beach Road
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Carolina Beach Road
6
Turn left onto Carolina Beach Road
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Carolina Beach Road
7
Continue on South Front Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Front Street
8
Take the ramp slight right
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
9
Merge slight left onto Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
10
Continue on Ocean Highway East
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ocean Highway East
11
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
60 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Continue on American Indian Highway
34 mi
·
36 min
·
American Indian Highway
13
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
14
Keep slight left to continue on G R Kindley Freeway
14 mi
·
15 min
·
G R Kindley Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
16
Continue on East Caswell Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Caswell Street
17
Continue on Salisbury Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Salisbury Street
18
Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
19
Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
20
Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
21
Continue on East Marshville Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
East Marshville Boulevard
22
Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
23
Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Monroe Expressway
24
Merge slight right onto Independence Boulevard
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Independence Boulevard
25
Continue on East Independence Expressway
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Independence Expressway
26
Continue on East Independence Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
East Independence Boulevard
27
Take the exit slight right toward Sixth Street, McDowell Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Sixth Street, McDowell Street
28
Continue on East 6th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
29
Turn left onto North Tryon Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Tryon Street
30
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 116 miles from Kure Beach, NC, or about 2h 9m 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 80 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 116 miles or 2h 9m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Charlotte, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kure Beach, 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 Kure Beach, NC
This is one driving day of about 232 miles and 4h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Kure Beach, 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 116 mi from Kure Beach, NC · 2h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
116 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 116 miles from Kure Beach, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Charlotte, NC
The final approach into Charlotte, 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 Charlotte, 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
$37.13 one way
$74.26 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
81 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $40.45 | $80.91 |
| premium | $4.78 | $43.64 | $87.28 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $51.54 | $103.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 81.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 69.6 | 0 | $24.36 | $11.14 |
| Efficient EV | 58 | 0 | $20.30 | $9.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 92.8 | 1 | $32.48 | $14.85 |
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% 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
Charlotte, NC
Afternoon in Charlotte on Monday
Local time
12:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 19m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Kure Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 232 miles and takes about 4h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue K, Dow Road South, North Lake Park Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 116 miles from Kure Beach, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.13 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 19m 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 Kure Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Kure Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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