Tabor City, NC to Concord, NC is 161.3 miles and takes about 3h 24m via Andrew Jackson Highway and American Indian Highway, with a fuel budget near $25 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This journey stays within the Southeast region, taking you from one point in North Carolina to another. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on well-traveled state routes, making it a convenient option for a single-day trip. You'll find the route offers a practical way to cover ground without the intensity of major interstate travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
80.6 miles from Tabor City, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 35m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 24m. Total distance: 161.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive presents a mixed profile, with 37% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on roads like Andrew Jackson Highway and American Indian Highway, which offer a more local feel than a pure interstate experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 41.1 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway, providing a good opportunity to settle in. Expect the character of the drive to shift subtly as you move through different stretches of North Carolina.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Andrew Jackson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 41.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 161.3 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 82.9 miles (US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 97.3 miles (US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
6
82.9 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
97.3 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway toward US 74 West: Monroe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 306B
Toward US 74 West: Monroe
5
160.4 mi into trip|~3h 22m in|NC 73 / Corban Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto NC 73 / Corban Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
161.1 mi into trip|~3h 24m in|Spring Street Southwest
Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway
41.1 mi
48m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
NC 742
24.9 mi
35m
G R Kindley Freeway
14.4 mi
15m
Peacock Road
9.9 mi
13m
US 601
9.6 mi
10m
NC 24
8.7 mi
13m
James B White Highway South
3.8 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 41.1 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tabor City, NC and Concord, NC.
1
Start on NC 904
40 ft·7 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904
1.2 mi·1 min·East 5th Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto US 701; NC 410
0.8 mi·1 min·East 5th Street
4
Continue on US 701
3.8 mi·5 min·James B White Highway South
5
Turn left onto Peacock Road
9.9 mi·13 min·Peacock Road
6
Turn left onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130
0.8 mi·1 min·Chadbourn Highway
7
Continue on US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130
0.9 mi·1 min·East Strawberry Boulevard
8
Turn right onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410
0.2 mi·15 sec·North Brown Street
9
Continue on US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410
2.0 mi·3 min·Joe Brown Highway North
10
Take the ramp onto US 74 Business; NC 130
0.2 mi·25 sec·US 74 Business; NC 130
11
Merge onto US 74; NC 130
9.3 mi·10 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Continue on US 74; NC 130
34 mi·36 min·American Indian Highway
13
Continue on US 74
20 mi·23 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74
14 mi·15 min·G R Kindley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
12 mi·14 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Exit 306BToward US 74 West: MonroeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 74
2.4 mi·4 min·East Caswell Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742
0.7 mi·1 min·Salisbury Street
18
Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742
0.4 mi·24 sec·W. Cliff Martin Highway
19
Turn right onto US 52; NC 742
0.3 mi·36 sec·US 52; NC 742
20
Continue on NC 742
25 mi·35 min·NC 742
21
Continue on NC 205
1.7 mi·3 min·NC 205
22
Turn left onto NC 24; NC 27
8.7 mi·13 min·NC 24; NC 27
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn right onto US 601
9.6 mi·10 min·US 601
24
Take the exit onto Union Street South
0.6 mi·58 sec·Union Street South
25
Continue on NC 3
2.3 mi·3 min·Branchview Drive Southeast
Use the straight lane.
26
Turn left onto NC 73
0.6 mi·1 min·Corban Avenue Southeast
Use the left lane.
27
Continue on Corban Avenue Southeast
0.2 mi·26 sec·Corban Avenue Southeast
28
Turn right onto Spring Street Southwest
0.1 mi·16 sec·Spring Street Southwest
29
Arrive at destination
Spring Street Southwest
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 24m duration, departing in the morning allows ample time for your destination. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing yourself, but it’s wise to factor in a brief break during the longest stretch on Andrew Jackson Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $25, and plan your refueling accordingly, especially before heading into longer segments. This is a manageable one-day trip, so you can depart when it's most convenient for you.
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 80.6 miles from Tabor City, NC, or about 1h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.1 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 35 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80.6 miles or 1h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Concord, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tabor City, 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 Tabor City, NC
This is one driving day of about 161.3 miles and 3h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Tabor City, 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 Andrew Jackson Highway for about 41.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 80.6 mi from Tabor City, NC
· 1h 35m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.22 one way
$50.45 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg56 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$27.58
$55.16
premium
$4.70
$29.85
$59.71
diesel
$5.61
$35.61
$71.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.4
0
$16.94
$7.74
Efficient EV
40.3
0
$14.11
$6.45
EV Truck/SUV
64.5
0
$22.58
$10.32
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Tabor City, NC
Morning
in Tabor City on Saturday
Local time
7:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Concord, NC
Morning
in Concord on Saturday
Local time
7:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Rockingham, NC
81 mi in
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
24 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
3h 24m 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 Tabor City, NC to Concord, NC covers 161.3 miles and takes about 3h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Andrew Jackson Highway, American Indian Highway, NC 742. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 80.6 miles from Tabor City, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.22 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 161.3 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 82.9 miles (US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 97.3 miles (US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tabor City, NC to Concord, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
