Origin
Carolina Beach, NC
Late night in Carolina Beach on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carolina Beach, NC to City of Greenville, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 49m
Distance
124.4 mi
200 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 38m
★
6 AM
2h 49m
8 AM
3h 11m
10 AM
2h 57m
12 PM
2h 55m
3 PM
2h 58m
5 PM
3h 10m
8 PM
2h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carolina Beach, NC
Wikimedia Commons
City of Greenville, NC
Alex Borelli
Trip Overview
This 124.4-mile journey from Carolina Beach, NC, to the City of Greenville, NC, is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 49 minutes. You'll primarily navigate on Michael Jordan Highway, NC 11, and NC 41, with 38% of the drive being on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $19, making it an affordable excursion. This drive offers a mixed driving experience, ideal for a single-day adventure without the need for an overnight stop. Both your starting and ending points are within the Southeast region, keeping the travel geographically consistent.
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
62.2 miles from Carolina Beach, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jordan Highway | 34.8 mi | 37m |
| NC 11 | 20.5 mi | 28m |
| NC 41 | 17.7 mi | 25m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard | 17 mi | 22m |
| South College Road | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| NC 241 | 9.1 mi | 12m |
| Carolina Beach Road | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Old Pink Hill Road | 4.5 mi | 7m |
Longest stretch:
Michael Jordan Highway
— 34.8 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carolina Beach, NC and City of Greenville, NC.
1
Start on this road
47 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 421
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Lake Park Boulevard
3
Continue on US 421
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Carolina Beach Road
4
Continue on NC 132
9.3 mi
·
15 min
·
South College Road
5
Continue on I 40; US 117; NC 132
35 mi
·
37 min
·
Michael Jordan Highway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville
7
Turn right onto NC 41
18 mi
·
25 min
·
NC 41
8
Continue on NC 241
9.1 mi
·
12 min
·
NC 241
9
Turn right onto NC 11
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Kinston Boulevard
10
Continue on NC 11
12 mi
·
17 min
·
NC 11
11
Continue on NC 11; NC 55
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Old Pink Hill Road
12
Continue on NC 11; NC 55
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East King Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Enter roundabout onto NC 11; NC 55
200 ft
·
2 sec
·
Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
14
Continue on NC 11; NC 55
17 mi
·
22 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
15
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 11
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
NC 11
Toward NC 11 North: Winterville
16
Merge onto US 264 Alternate; NC 43
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Greenville Boulevard Southwest
Use the right lane.
17
Turn slight left onto South Evans Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Evans Street
18
Arrive at destination
South Evans Street
Trip Plan
With a total duration of under 3 hours, this trip is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. You'll only need one planned stop, so consider making it midway to break up the 34.8-mile stretch on Michael Jordan Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $19 for the 124.4 miles. Given the relatively short distance, you can easily depart in the morning and arrive in Greenville with plenty of daylight remaining.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 62.2 miles from Carolina Beach, NC, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.8 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 27 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.2 miles or 1h 20m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Greenville, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Carolina 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 Carolina Beach, NC
This is one driving day of about 124.4 miles and 2h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Carolina 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 Michael Jordan Highway for about 34.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
62 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 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 62.2 miles from Carolina Beach, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 121.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 421 / North Lake Park Boulevard
Turn right onto US 421 / North Lake Park Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
51.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville
4
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
NC 41
Turn right onto NC 41
Navigation decision point
5
113.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 33m in
|
NC 11
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 11 toward NC 11 North: Winterville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward NC 11 North: Winterville
5
121.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 44m in
|
US 264 Alternate; NC 43 / Greenville Boulevard Southwest
Merge onto US 264 Alternate; NC 43 / Greenville Boulevard Southwest
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.45 one way
$38.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
44 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $21.27 | $42.54 |
| premium | $4.70 | $23.02 | $46.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.47 | $54.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37.3 | 0 | $13.06 | $5.97 |
| Efficient EV | 31.1 | 0 | $10.89 | $4.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 49.8 | 0 | $17.42 | $7.96 |
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Destination
City of Greenville, NC
Late night in City of Greenville on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
1 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
2h 49m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 30.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, with a 38% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 34.8 miles along Michael Jordan Highway, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. As you transition to NC 11 and NC 41, the character of the drive will likely shift, potentially offering a more local feel after the highway segments. This blend means you'll experience both faster travel and potentially more varied scenery as you progress toward Greenville.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.8 mi on Michael Jordan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 421 / North Lake Park Boulevard.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Carolina Beach, NC to City of Greenville, NC is easy. At 2h 49m with 38% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 421 / North Lake Park Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 51.9 miles (NC 41): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Carolina Beach, NC to City of Greenville, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Beulaville along the way.
Beulaville
51.6 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 49m. Total distance: 124.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.8 miles on Michael Jordan Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 421 / North Lake Park Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 51.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 51.9 miles (NC 41): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Greenville, NC before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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