Skip to main content

Trip from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

41.4 mi

67 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m

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

Downtown Malpass Corner, NC, NC

Malpass Corner, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Downtown Surf City, NC, NC

Surf City, NC

Kyle Miller

Trip Overview

The drive from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC covers 41.4 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 140 East, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway, Market Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.47 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 41.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m 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 52m drive with frequent turns across 41.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 140 East 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. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC is easy. At 52m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 140 East
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
Market Street
Roland Avenue
the route
North New River Drive

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: I 140 East — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Malpass Corner, NC and Surf City, NC.

1

Start on the route

16 mi · 20 min · the route
2

Take the exit left toward I 140 East: Topsail Island, Jacksonville, New Bern

0.4 mi · 46 sec · I 140 East: Topsail Island, Jacksonville, New Bern
3

Merge slight left onto John Jay Burney Jr Freeway

12 mi · 12 min · John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
4

Continue on Market Street

9.1 mi · 14 min · Market Street
5

Continue straight

5.4 mi · 7 min
6

Turn right

2.8 mi · 4 min
7

Turn right onto Roland Avenue

1.2 mi · 2 min · Roland Avenue
8

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

115 ft · 2 sec · the route
9

Exit the roundabout

0.8 mi · 1 min
10

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward North New River Drive

226 ft · 5 sec · North New River Drive
11

Exit the roundabout onto North New River Drive

125 ft · 3 sec · North New River Drive
12

Continue on North New River Drive

203 ft · 10 sec · North New River Drive
13

Turn left onto Roland Avenue

108 ft · 12 sec · Roland Avenue
14

Continue on Roland Avenue

75 ft · 2 sec · Roland Avenue
15

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.7 mi from Malpass Corner, NC · 26m into the drive

Downtown Hampstead, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hampstead, NC

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

Holly Ridge, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hampstead, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Malpass Corner, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Surf City, NC

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Surf City, NC if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.47 one way

$12.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $7.08 $14.16
premium $4.70 $7.66 $15.32
diesel $5.61 $9.14 $18.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.4 0 $4.35 $1.99
Efficient EV 10.4 0 $3.62 $1.66
EV Truck/SUV 16.6 0 $5.80 $2.65

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Malpass Corner, NC

Morning in Malpass Corner on Saturday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Surf City, NC

Morning in Surf City on Saturday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

71°F

Hampstead, NC

21 mi in

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

5 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

52m 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 Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC covers 41.4 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 140 East, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway, Market Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 20.7 miles from Malpass Corner, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.47 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.

The drive from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC is easy. At 52m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Malpass Corner, NC to Surf City, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More trips to Surf City, NC

Explore more options from Malpass Corner, NC or browse trips ending in Surf City, NC.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.