Origin
Davidson, NC
Late night in Davidson on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Davidson, 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
32m
Distance
22.4 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Davidson, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Charlotte, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Davidson to Charlotte, you are looking at a quick 22.6-mile journey that typically takes about 29 minutes to complete. Since this route stays entirely within the Southeast region of North Carolina, it functions perfectly as a simple day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will spend roughly $4 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very economical commute. Navigating through local streets like Ridge Road, Patterson Court Circle, and Glasgow Street defines the experience rather than high-speed interstate travel. This is a practical, straightforward connection between two points in the same state, ideal for travelers who prefer local roads over major highway systems.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I-77 South | 13.7 mi | 16m |
| I 77 South | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Griffith Street | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Brookshire Freeway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Tryon Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Patterson Court Circle | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Ridge Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Glasgow Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I-77 South
— 13.7 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davidson, NC and Charlotte, NC.
1
Start on this road
105 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
439 ft
·
37 sec
3
Turn left onto Ridge Road
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Ridge Road
4
Turn right onto Patterson Court Circle
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Patterson Court Circle
5
Turn right onto Glasgow Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Glasgow Street
6
Continue on Jackson Street
524 ft
·
19 sec
·
Jackson Street
7
Turn right onto Griffith Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Griffith Street
8
Enter roundabout onto Griffith Street
115 ft
·
4 sec
·
Griffith Street
9
Continue on Griffith Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Griffith Street
10
Enter roundabout onto Griffith Street
127 ft
·
5 sec
·
Griffith Street
11
Continue on Griffith Street
487 ft
·
17 sec
·
Griffith Street
12
Enter roundabout onto Griffith Street
59 ft
·
2 sec
·
Griffith Street
13
Continue on Griffith Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Griffith Street
14
Enter roundabout
220 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 77 South: Charlotte
15
Continue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 77 South: Charlotte
16
Merge onto I 77; US 21
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I-77 South
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I-77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 77
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
I 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 77
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
I-77 South
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
I-77 South
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 South
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
I-77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 11B-A
Toward I 277, NC 16: Brookshire Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 11A
Toward I 277 South, NC 16 South: Brookshire Freeway East
Use the slight left lane.
26
Merge onto I 277; NC 16
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Brookshire Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 3B
Toward Eleventh Street, Church Street, Tryon Street
Use the slight right lane.
28
Continue on West 11th Street
459 ft
·
13 sec
·
West 11th Street
29
Turn right onto North Tryon Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Tryon Street
30
Arrive at destination
South Tryon Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 21.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Enter roundabout toward I 77 South: Charlotte
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 77 South: Charlotte
6
3.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 77; US 21 / I-77 South
Keep slight right at fork onto I 77; US 21 / I-77 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward I 277, NC 16: Brookshire Freeway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11B-A
Toward I 277, NC 16: Brookshire Freeway
9
20.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 277 South, NC 16 South: Brookshire Freeway East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 11A
Toward I 277 South, NC 16 South: Brookshire Fre...
8
21.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward Eleventh Street, Church Street, Tryon Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 3B
Toward Eleventh Street, Church Street, Tryon St...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.50 one way
$7.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $3.83 | $7.66 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.15 | $8.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.95 | $9.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
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 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.43 |
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
Charlotte, NC
Late night in Charlotte on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
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
2 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
32m 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 monotonous interstate grind, as this route features zero highway driving. You will be navigating local neighborhood and town infrastructure for the duration of the 22.6-mile trip. Because the journey relies on smaller roads, there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches to settle into. Instead, the character of the road changes frequently as you transition between local thoroughfares. Behind the wheel, you should be prepared for a drive that demands your full attention due to the constant turns and local traffic patterns typical of moving between these two North Carolina towns.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on I-77 South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I-77 South and I 77 South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 21 decision points packed into just 22.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.2 miles (I 77; US 21 / I-77 South): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting 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.
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 32m. Total distance: 22.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on I-77 South. 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 2 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.2 miles (I 77; US 21 / I-77 South): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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