US Trip Planner US Road Trip Planner

Scenic Drives in North Carolina

Routes

60

Avg Distance

239 mi

Avg Drive

4h 49m

Destinations

28

These 60 scenic drives in North Carolina earned a drive score of 7+ out of 10. The average route covers 239 miles through the state's most varied and visually interesting terrain.

Planning Tips

Scenic routes often have fewer gas stations and services. Top off your tank before heading into mountainous or rural stretches.
Budget extra time for scenic drives — pulling over for views, photos, and short hikes is half the point.
Check weather conditions for mountain passes and high-elevation stretches, especially in shoulder seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

We rate routes on a 1-10 drive score based on elevation changes, road variety, and terrain diversity. The 60 routes listed here all score 7 or higher.

Drive times and distances come from actual road network data via OSRM. Fuel costs use current state-level gas prices. Drive scores factor in elevation profile, road variety, and terrain. All data is recalculated regularly.

Yes. Click any route to see its full trip page with turn-by-turn directions, fuel cost estimates, elevation profile, stop suggestions, weather conditions, and more.

Top Scenic Routes

Holly Springs, NC → Chapel Hill, NC

424.2 mi 8h 36m Score: 8/10

Liberty, NC → Fayetteville, NC

391.5 mi 8h 5m Score: 8/10

Newport, NC → Asheville, NC

387.8 mi 7h 35m Score: 8/10

Liberty, NC → Raleigh, NC

376.3 mi 7h 41m Score: 8/10

Asheville, NC → Burgaw, NC

347.1 mi 6h 40m Score: 8/10

City of Greenville, NC → Asheville, NC

324.7 mi 6h 18m Score: 8/10

Asheville, NC → Wilmington, NC

322.2 mi 6h 34m Score: 9/10

Wilmington, NC → Banner Elk, NC

308.2 mi 6h 45m Score: 9/10

Horse Shoe, NC → Wilmington, NC

306.7 mi 6h 20m Score: 8/10

Boiling Springs, NC → Greenville, NC

297.7 mi 5h 46m Score: 10/10

Whiteville, NC → Asheville, NC

276.5 mi 5h 37m Score: 9/10

Kings Mountain, NC → City of Greenville, NC

276.1 mi 5h 16m Score: 10/10

Jacksonville, NC → Archdale, NC

275.6 mi 5h 49m Score: 9/10

Kings Mountain, NC → Jacksonville, NC

271.8 mi 5h 44m Score: 9/10

Jacksonville, NC → Kings Mountain, NC

271.5 mi 5h 45m Score: 9/10

Morehead City, NC → Concord, NC

265.8 mi 5h 42m Score: 9/10

Canton, NC → Raleigh, NC

263.7 mi 5h 12m Score: 9/10

Forest City, NC → Wilmington, NC

262.4 mi 5h 25m Score: 8/10

Henderson, NC → Asheville, NC

262.2 mi 5h 2m Score: 8/10

Cary, NC → West Canton, NC

261.4 mi 5h 8m Score: 9/10

Erwin, NC → Asheville, NC

260.3 mi 5h 11m Score: 10/10

Belmont, NC → Greenville, NC

257.8 mi 4h 56m Score: 9/10

Maine, NC → Southport, NC

241.8 mi 5h 4m Score: 10/10

Mebane, NC → Chapel Hill, NC

239.3 mi 4h 58m Score: 8/10

Sneads Ferry, NC → Charlotte, NC

237.7 mi 4h 55m Score: 9/10

Wilmington, NC → Winston-Salem, NC

235.3 mi 4h 28m Score: 10/10

Statesville, NC → Greenville, NC

228.9 mi 4h 26m Score: 8/10

Roxboro, NC → Asheville, NC

228.6 mi 4h 38m Score: 8/10

Richlands, NC → Charlotte, NC

228.2 mi 4h 54m Score: 9/10

Eden, NC → Wilmington, NC

226 mi 4h 21m Score: 8/10

Monroe, NC → City of Greenville, NC

225.2 mi 4h 33m Score: 9/10

Murphy, NC → Charlotte, NC

224.7 mi 4h 41m Score: 9/10

Cary, NC → Forest City, NC

220.4 mi 4h 21m Score: 10/10

Gastonia, NC → Wilmington, NC

219.7 mi 4h 31m Score: 8/10

Raleigh, NC → Boiling Springs, NC

215.4 mi 4h 16m Score: 10/10

Jacksonville, NC → Eden, NC

214.2 mi 4h 18m Score: 9/10

Marion, NC → Raleigh, NC

213.4 mi 4h 13m Score: 8/10

Charlotte, NC → Southport, NC

210.3 mi 4h 23m Score: 9/10

Southport, NC → Concord, NC

208.9 mi 4h 25m Score: 9/10

Concord, NC → Southport, NC

208.7 mi 4h 25m Score: 9/10

Shelby, NC → Raleigh, NC

206.9 mi 4h 6m Score: 9/10

Princeton, NC → Charlotte, NC

205.7 mi 3h 59m Score: 8/10

Rocky Mount, NC → Mooresville, NC

201 mi 4h Score: 8/10

Gastonia, NC → Clayton, NC

200.8 mi 3h 56m Score: 9/10

Durham, NC → Boiling Springs, NC

191.9 mi 3h 46m Score: 8/10

Wallace, NC → Concord, NC

189.8 mi 4h 13m Score: 9/10

West Raleigh, NC → Boone, NC

186.5 mi 3h 50m Score: 9/10

Shallotte, NC → Concord, NC

185.6 mi 4h 4m Score: 9/10

Durham, NC → Southport, NC

185.1 mi 3h 32m Score: 8/10

Bryson City, NC → Charlotte, NC

178.6 mi 3h 41m Score: 9/10

Eden, NC → City of Greenville, NC

177.6 mi 3h 28m Score: 8/10

Cary, NC → Connelly Springs, NC

177.2 mi 3h 29m Score: 10/10

Scotland Neck, NC → High Point, NC

173.8 mi 3h 32m Score: 9/10

City of Greenville, NC → Eden, NC

172.5 mi 3h 27m Score: 9/10

Saint James, NC → Cary, NC

169.2 mi 3h 21m Score: 9/10

Cary, NC → Southport, NC

168.2 mi 3h 12m Score: 8/10

Conover, NC → Raleigh, NC

166.6 mi 3h 17m Score: 8/10

Charlotte, NC → Raleigh, NC

164.6 mi 3h 14m Score: 10/10

Tabor City, NC → Durham, NC

163.4 mi 3h 17m Score: 9/10

Southport, NC → West Raleigh, NC

162.5 mi 3h 8m Score: 9/10

Explore More

North Carolina Trips