Trip from Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

57m

Distance

43 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

Save up to 14 min

4 AM

0h 53m ★

6 AM

0h 57m

8 AM

1h 7m

10 AM

1h 0m

12 PM

1h 0m

3 PM

1h 1m

5 PM

1h 6m

8 PM

0h 54m

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 Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC covers 43 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North 18th Street, Arendell Street, Cedar Point Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.72 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 43 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

57m 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 57m drive with frequent turns across 43 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.

North 18th Street 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 Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC is easy. At 57m 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 Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
North 18th Street	—	—
Arendell Street	—	—
Cedar Point Boulevard	—	—
West Corbett Avenue	—	—
Freedom Way	—	—
Lejeune Boulevard	—	—
Johnson Boulevard	—	—
Marine Boulevard	—	—

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North 18th Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Morehead City, NC and Jacksonville, NC.

1

Start on the route

246 ft · 23 sec · the route

2

At the end of the road, turn left onto North 18th Street

125 ft · 6 sec · North 18th Street

3

Turn right onto Arendell Street

4.1 mi · 5 min · Arendell Street

4

Turn left

16 mi · 23 min

5

Continue on Cedar Point Boulevard

2.9 mi · 6 min · Cedar Point Boulevard

6

Continue on West Corbett Avenue

3.2 mi · 7 min · West Corbett Avenue

7

Continue on Freedom Way

9.3 mi · 11 min · Freedom Way

8

Continue on Lejeune Boulevard

5.0 mi · 7 min · Lejeune Boulevard

9

Keep slight right to continue on Lejeune Boulevard

1.1 mi · 1 min · Lejeune Boulevard

10

Turn slight right onto Johnson Boulevard

0.6 mi · 57 sec · Johnson Boulevard

11

At the end of the road, turn left onto Marine Boulevard

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Marine Boulevard

12

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 21.5 mi from Morehead City, NC · 28m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Swansboro, NC

22 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.

Popular next leg

Swansboro, NC to Jacksonville, NC

19.2 mi · 28m

Pacing Suggestions

Pumpkin Center, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Swansboro, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Morehead City, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Jacksonville, NC

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Jacksonville, 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

$6.72 one way

$13.45 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.34	$7.35	$14.70
premium	$4.70	$7.96	$15.92
diesel	$5.61	$9.49	$18.99

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	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	12.9	$4.52	$2.06
Efficient EV	10.8	$3.76	$1.72
EV Truck/SUV	17.2	$6.02	$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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Morehead City, NC

Afternoon in Morehead City on Thursday

Local time

12:16 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Jacksonville, NC

Afternoon in Jacksonville on Thursday

Local time

12:16 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

57m 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 Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC covers 43 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North 18th Street, Arendell Street, Cedar Point 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 Morehead City, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.72 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 Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC is easy. At 57m 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 Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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