Origin
Charlotte, NC
Late night in Charlotte on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charlotte, NC to Davidson, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
22.2 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Davidson, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Charlotte to Davidson covers a short 22.2-mile distance, making this a quick 31-minute excursion within the Southeast region. Because the trip is so brief, you can easily complete it as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily through local streets like West 4th Street, South Mint Street, and West Trade Street rather than relying on major interstates. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $4, this route is highly cost-effective for a spontaneous afternoon outing. It is a straightforward commute that keeps you within the state of North Carolina for the entire duration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I-77 North | 12.8 mi | 15m |
| I 77 North | 6 mi | 7m |
| Griffith Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Trade Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Patterson Court Circle | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West 4th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ridge Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Jackson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I-77 North
— 12.8 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charlotte, NC and Davidson, NC.
1
Start on South Tryon Street
410 ft
·
10 sec
·
South Tryon Street
2
Turn right onto West 4th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West 4th Street
3
Turn right onto South Mint Street
459 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Mint Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto West Trade Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Trade Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
this road
Toward I 77 North, US 21 North
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 77; US 21
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I-77 North
Use the slight left lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
I-77 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 North
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 North
11
Continue on I 77
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 77 North
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 77 North
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 77 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 77
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
I-77 North
16
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 30
Toward Griffith Street, Davidson
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward Griffith Street East, Davidson, Davidson College
18
Turn straight onto Griffith Street
234 ft
·
9 sec
·
Griffith Street
19
Enter roundabout onto Griffith Street
102 ft
·
4 sec
·
Griffith Street
20
Continue on Griffith Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Griffith Street
21
Enter roundabout onto Griffith Street
120 ft
·
5 sec
·
Griffith Street
22
Continue on Griffith Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Griffith Street
23
Turn left onto Jackson Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Jackson Street
24
Continue on Glasgow Street
390 ft
·
19 sec
·
Glasgow Street
25
Turn left onto Patterson Court Circle
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Patterson Court Circle
26
Turn left onto Ridge Road
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Ridge Road
27
Turn right
252 ft
·
18 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 20.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Mint Street
Turn right onto South Mint Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 77; US 21 / I-77 North
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21 / I-77 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 77 / I 77 North
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77 / I 77 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.2 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Griffith Street, Davidson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 30
Toward Griffith Street, Davidson
7
20.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Griffith Street East, Davidson, Davidson College
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Griffith Street East, Davidson, Davidson...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.47 one way
$6.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.80 | $7.59 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.11 | $8.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.90 | $9.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Davidson, NC
Late night in Davidson on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
21 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
31m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience, as this route features 0% highway travel. You will spend your time navigating through urban and suburban street networks, requiring your full attention behind the wheel. Because there are no long, uninterrupted stretches of road, the drive demands consistent focus on intersections and local traffic patterns. The character of the journey remains consistent from start to finish, prioritizing local connectivity over open-road cruising. It is a practical, functional drive that avoids the monotony of highway driving in favor of a more tactical, city-based navigation.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.8 mi on I-77 North.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I-77 North and I 77 North. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near South Mint Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 20 decision points packed into just 22.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (South Mint Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 77; US 21 / I-77 North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles (I 77 / I 77 North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between Charlotte, NC and Davidson, NC, road signs point toward Griffith Street East and Davidson College.
Griffith Street East
20.3 mi in
|
~25m
Davidson College
20.3 mi in
|
~25m
About the Cities
Starting in Charlotte, NC
Full guide →“Hornet's Nest” · Founded 1768
Charlotte is an ambitious and rapidly growing city in the southern part of the Piedmont of North Carolina. It is also developing its fledgling tourist industry; its central core is one of the most visitor-friendly districts in the Carolinas. Charlotte's most popular attractions include the Carolina Panthers (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Billy Graham Library, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History, Carowinds amusement park, and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
Top landmarks
- • Carowinds — amusement park in North and South Carolina
- • Dilworth — neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- • Elizabeth — neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Arriving in Davidson, NC
Full guide →Davidson is a small college town in North Carolina. It is known primarily for its association with Davidson College, and is a suburb of Charlotte. It has 15,106 residents (2020), of whom some 1,800 are students at the college. Though Davidson has been swallowed by the suburban growth of Charlotte, it has made an intentional effort to retain its small-town identity. As a result, the downtown and campus area do not have the characteristic sprawl of most American suburbs.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 22.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.8 miles on I-77 North. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Davidson, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (South Mint Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 77; US 21 / I-77 North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles (I 77 / I 77 North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Davidson, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Davidson, NC
More trips to Davidson, NC
Explore more options from Charlotte, NC or browse trips ending in Davidson, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.