Origin
Sunset Beach, NC
Late night in Sunset Beach on Saturday
Local time
3:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sunset Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
187.6 mi
302 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 54m
★
6 AM
4h 7m
8 AM
4h 33m
10 AM
4h 16m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 32m
8 PM
3h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sunset Beach, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sunset Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 187.6 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on SC 9, Radford Boulevard, East Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.4 miles on SC 9. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.34 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
93.8 miles from Sunset Beach, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 11m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 7m. Total distance: 187.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
The drive from Sunset Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 187.6 miles and takes about 4h 7m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 39 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
SC 9 is the longest continuous segment at about 37.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near NC 179 Business / Sunset Boulevard North.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 187.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (NC 179 Business / Sunset Boulevard North): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles (SC 9 / Highway 9 East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NC 179 Business / Sunset Boulevard North
Enter roundabout onto NC 179 Business / Sunset Boulevard North
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward SC 31, Loris, Myrtle Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SC 31, Loris, Myrtle Beach
5
10.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
SC 9 / Highway 9 East
Merge onto SC 9 / Highway 9 East
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
161.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 30m in
|
US 74; US 601 / East Roosevelt Boulevard
At end of road, turn slight left onto US 74; US 601 / East Roosevelt Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
186.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 4m in
Take the exit toward Sixth Street, McDowell Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Sixth Street, McDowell Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sunset Beach, NC and Charlotte, NC, road signs point toward Loris and Myrtle Beach.
Loris
10.6 mi in
|
~19m
Myrtle Beach
10.6 mi in
|
~19m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SC 9 | 37.4 mi | 45m |
| Radford Boulevard | 25.8 mi | 31m |
| East Boulevard | 24.8 mi | 28m |
| US 601 | 14.7 mi | 16m |
| Independence Boulevard | 14.6 mi | 20m |
| Highway 9 East | 13.9 mi | 19m |
| Dillon Highway | 12.5 mi | 18m |
| South Main Street | 8.2 mi | 13m |
Longest stretch:
SC 9
— 37.4 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sunset Beach, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on Sunset Boulevard South
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
Sunset Boulevard South
2
Enter roundabout onto NC 179 Business
23 ft
·
0 sec
·
Sunset Boulevard North
3
Continue on NC 179 Business
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Sunset Boulevard North
4
Turn right onto NC 179 Business
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Shoreline Drive West
5
Continue on NC 179 Business
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Beach Drive Southwest
6
Continue on NC 179
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Beach Drive Southwest
7
Continue on SC 179
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
SC 179
8
Turn left onto US 17
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
US Highway 17
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward SC 31, Loris, Myrtle Beach
10
Merge onto SC 9
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Highway 9 East
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn straight onto SC 9
24 mi
·
30 min
·
SC 9
12
Merge onto US 76
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 76
13
Continue on US 76; SC 9
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Nichols Street
14
Take the exit
195 ft
·
7 sec
15
Turn straight onto SC 9
8.2 mi
·
13 min
·
South Main Street
16
Turn left onto SC 9
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West 3rd Avenue
17
Continue on SC 9
12 mi
·
18 min
·
Dillon Highway
18
Turn right onto US 301; US 501; SC 9
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 301 North
19
Turn left onto SC 9
26 mi
·
31 min
·
Radford Boulevard
20
Turn right onto SC 9; SC 38
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Cottingham Boulevard South
21
Turn left onto SC 9
13 mi
·
14 min
·
SC 9
22
Turn left onto US 1 Truck; US 52 Truck
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Front Street
23
Turn right onto Market Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Market Street
24
Continue on SC 9
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Chesterfield Highway
25
Continue on SC 9
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
East Boulevard
Use the left lane.
26
Continue on SC 9
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
East Main Street
27
Turn straight onto SC 9
19 mi
·
21 min
·
East Boulevard
28
Continue on SC 9
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
McGregor Street
29
Continue on SC 9
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
East Mc Gregor Street
30
Turn right onto SC 151
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Lingle Mungo Boulevard
31
Continue on US 601
15 mi
·
16 min
·
US 601
32
At end of road, turn slight left onto US 74; US 601
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
East Roosevelt Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
33
Continue on US 74
15 mi
·
20 min
·
Independence Boulevard
Use the left lane.
34
Continue on US 74
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Independence Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
35
Continue on US 74; NC 27
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
East Independence Boulevard
36
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward Sixth Street, McDowell Street
Use the slight right lane.
37
Continue on East 6th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
38
Turn left onto North Tryon Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Tryon Street
39
Arrive at destination
South Tryon Street
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 93.8 miles from Sunset Beach, NC, or about 2h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.4 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 41 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.8 miles or 2h 11m 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 22m
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 Sunset 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 Sunset Beach, NC
This is one driving day of about 187.6 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Sunset 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.
The longest stretch is on SC 9 for about 37.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 93.8 mi from Sunset Beach, NC · 2h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
94 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 93.8 miles from Sunset 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
$29.34 one way
$58.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
66 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $32.08 | $64.15 |
| premium | $4.70 | $34.72 | $69.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $41.42 | $82.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 56.3 | 0 | $19.70 | $9.00 |
| Efficient EV | 46.9 | 0 | $16.42 | $7.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 75 | 0 | $26.26 | $12.01 |
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Destination
Charlotte, NC
Late night in Charlotte on Saturday
Local time
3:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
3 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 7m 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 Sunset Beach, NC to Charlotte, NC covers 187.6 miles and takes about 4h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are SC 9, Radford Boulevard, East Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 93.8 miles from Sunset Beach, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.34 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 demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 187.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (NC 179 Business / Sunset Boulevard North): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles (SC 9 / Highway 9 East): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Sunset Beach, NC and Charlotte, NC, road signs point toward Loris and Myrtle Beach.
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.
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