Origin
Cherryville, NC
Afternoon in Cherryville on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cherryville, NC to Charlotte, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
36.7 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cherryville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Cherryville to Charlotte, you are looking at a straightforward 38.1-mile trip that typically takes about 47 minutes. This route serves as a quick connection between two Southeast North Carolina locales, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You should budget approximately $6 for fuel to cover the distance. Because the drive is short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own schedule. It is a practical, no-fuss way to reach the city without the complications of a long-haul journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cherryville Highway | 11.3 mi | 15m |
| Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Cameron Morrison Bridge | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| Freedom Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| US 321 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| East Main Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| West Morehead Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South Tryon Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Dallas Cherryville Highway
— 11.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cherryville, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on this road
199 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Oak Street
151 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Oak Street
3
Turn right onto East Main Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East Main Street
4
Continue on NC 279
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Dallas Cherryville Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward US 321 South
6
Merge onto US 321
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 321
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 85 North: Charlotte
8
Merge onto I 85
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on I 85
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Cameron Morrison Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 34
Toward NC 27: Freedom Drive, Tuckaseegee Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward NC 27: Freedom Drive
12
Continue on this road
489 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
Exit 34
Toward NC 27: Freedom Drive
13
Keep slight right at fork
451 ft
·
11 sec
Toward NC 27 East: Downtown
Use the left / right lanes.
14
Turn straight onto NC 27
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Freedom Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn left onto US 29
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Morehead Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto South Tryon Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Tryon Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
South Tryon Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from Cherryville, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 13.2 and 36.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
13.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 321
Merge onto US 321
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
32.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward NC 27: Freedom Drive, Tuckaseegee Road
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 34
Toward NC 27: Freedom Drive, Tuckaseegee Road
6
32.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NC 27: Freedom Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward NC 27: Freedom Drive
8
32.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NC 27 East: Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward NC 27 East: Downtown
6
36.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
South Tryon Street
Turn left onto South Tryon Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.74 one way
$11.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.28 | $12.55 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.79 | $13.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.10 | $16.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.14 | $2.35 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Afternoon in Charlotte on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
23 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
52m 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 that keeps you engaged rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will navigate via South Oak Street, East Main Street, and the Dallas Cherryville Highway to reach your destination. With 0% highway share, the route relies entirely on local roads, meaning you should be prepared for frequent turns and varied speeds. There is no long, uninterrupted stretch of road here, as the longest segment is 0 miles on South Oak Street. This is a hands-on driving experience where the road conditions change steadily as you transition from the smaller streets of Cherryville toward Charlotte.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on Dallas Cherryville Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.2 miles in near US 321.
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 13 decision points packed into just 36.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.2 miles (US 321): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Charlotte, NC
Full guide →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.
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 52m. Total distance: 36.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on Dallas Cherryville Highway. 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 Charlotte, 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 13.2 miles (US 321): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Charlotte, 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.
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