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Trip from Maine, NC to Fairfield Harbour, NC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 2m

Distance

245.9 mi

396 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$38

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
4h 49m ★
6 AM
5h 3m
8 AM
5h 30m
10 AM
5h 12m
12 PM
5h 9m
3 PM
5h 13m
5 PM
5h 28m
8 PM
4h 55m

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

Downtown Maine, NC, NC

Maine, NC

Mohan Nannapaneni

Downtown Fairfield Harbour, NC, NC

Fairfield Harbour, NC

Michael Ken

Trip Overview

The drive from Maine, NC to Fairfield Harbour, NC covers 245.9 miles and takes about 5h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Farmington Road, the route, I 73 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.45 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

123 miles from Maine, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 2m. Total distance: 245.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 2m 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 5h 2m drive with frequent turns across 245.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Farmington Road 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 5h 2m 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 Maine, NC to Fairfield Harbour, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Farmington Road
the route
I 73 South
US 421
US 421 South
US 64
NC 540
Triangle Expressway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Farmington Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maine, NC and Fairfield Harbour, NC.

1

Start on Oak Grove Church Road

49 ft · 3 sec · Oak Grove Church Road
2

Turn right

1.8 mi · 2 min
3

Turn left

200 ft · 6 sec
4

Turn straight onto Farmington Road

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Farmington Road
5

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward the route

62 ft · 2 sec · the route
6

Exit the roundabout

0.2 mi · 27 sec
7

Merge slight left

37 mi · 42 min
8

Keep slight left to continue on I 73 South, US 421 South: Asheboro, Durham

12 mi · 13 min · I 73 South, US 421 South: Asheboro, Durham
9

Take the exit slight right toward US 421: Sanford

0.2 mi · 28 sec · US 421: Sanford
10

Keep slight right to continue on US 421 South: Sanford

26 mi · 32 min · US 421 South: Sanford
11

Take the exit slight right toward US 64: Siler City, Pittsboro

0.3 mi · 42 sec · US 64: Siler City, Pittsboro
12

Turn left

11 mi · 15 min
13

Keep slight left

21 mi · 27 min
14

Take the exit slight right toward NC 540 Toll South

0.5 mi · 1 min · NC 540 Toll South
15

Merge slight left onto Triangle Expressway

22 mi · 23 min · Triangle Expressway
16

Keep slight left

0.3 mi · 40 sec
17

Keep slight right to continue on I 42 East: Smithfield

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 42 East: Smithfield
18

Merge slight left onto Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway

8.7 mi · 9 min · Clayton Bypass Scenic Byway
19

Continue straight

7.6 mi · 9 min
20

Keep slight left

14 mi · 19 min
21

Continue straight

2.0 mi · 2 min
22

Continue on Goldsboro Bypass

20 mi · 21 min · Goldsboro Bypass
23

Continue straight

11 mi · 13 min
24

Turn straight onto West New Bern Road

3.1 mi · 4 min · West New Bern Road
25

Continue on East New Bern Road

33 mi · 36 min · East New Bern Road
26

Keep slight right

0.7 mi · 47 sec
27

Continue straight

2.2 mi · 2 min
28

Take the exit slight right

0.8 mi · 1 min
29

Keep slight right

0.7 mi · 1 min
30

Turn right onto Broad Creek Road

5.7 mi · 13 min · Broad Creek Road
31

Turn right onto Cassowary Lane

472 ft · 25 sec · Cassowary Lane
32

Turn right onto Caracara Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Caracara Drive
33

Turn left onto Pelican Drive

0.6 mi · 2 min · Pelican Drive
34

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 123 miles from Maine, NC, or about 2h 31m 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 54 miles or 1h 6m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 123 miles or 2h 31m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 8m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Maine, 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 Maine, NC

This is one driving day of about 245.9 miles and 5h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Maine, 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 123 mi from Maine, NC · 2h 31m into the drive

city in and state capital of North Carolina, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Raleigh, NC

123 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

Greensboro, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Raleigh, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 123 miles from Maine, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fairfield Harbour, NC

The final approach into Fairfield Harbour, 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 Fairfield Harbour, 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

$38.45 one way

$76.91 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 86 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $42.05 $84.09
premium $4.70 $45.51 $91.02
diesel $5.61 $54.29 $108.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$38

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$63–$88

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 86 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 73.8 0 $25.82 $11.80
Efficient EV 61.5 0 $21.52 $9.84
EV Truck/SUV 98.4 1 $34.43 $15.74

Gas CO2

86 kg

EV CO2

29 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Maine, NC

Afternoon in Maine on Thursday

Local time

4:35 PM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fairfield Harbour, NC

Afternoon in Fairfield Harbour on Thursday

Local time

4:35 PM

EDT

Current temp

53°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

6 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

5h 2m 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 Maine, NC to Fairfield Harbour, NC covers 245.9 miles and takes about 5h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Farmington Road, the route, I 73 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 123 miles from Maine, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.45 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 5h 2m 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 Maine, NC to Fairfield Harbour, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Maine, NC to Fairfield Harbour, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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