If you are planning a trip from Fayetteville to the coast, this 105.5-mile drive to Southport is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 24 minutes. You will primarily navigate via the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway, NC 87, and the Andrew Jackson Highway. Budgeting roughly $17 for fuel makes this a very cost-effective excursion for a quick getaway. Because the total travel time is under three hours, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach the Southeast coast without needing an overnight stay. Whether you are heading out for a weekend change of scenery or a quick visit to the water, the trip is efficient and simple to navigate.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.7 miles from Fayetteville, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
64.2 mi
1h 26m
NC 87
11.8 mi
16m
Andrew Jackson Highway
8 mi
11m
Old State Road
5.6 mi
7m
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
4.8 mi
5m
Ocean Highway East
3.9 mi
5m
River Road Southeast
3.4 mi
5m
North Howe Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
— 64.2 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fayetteville, NC and Southport, NC.
1
Start on Market Square
164 ft·4 sec·Market Square
2
Continue on Gillespie Street
1.1 mi·1 min·Gillespie Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward NC 87 South: ElizabethtownUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto NC 87
64 mi·1 hr 26 min·Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on NC 87
5.6 mi·7 min·Old State Road
6
Continue on NC 87
0.5 mi·40 sec·Old Stage Road
7
Merge onto US 74; US 76; NC 87
8.0 mi·11 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
9
Merge onto I 140
4.8 mi·5 min·John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward US 17: Shallotte, Myrtle BeachUse the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 17
3.9 mi·5 min·Ocean Highway East
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit onto NC 87
12 mi·16 min·NC 87
13
Continue on NC 87; NC 133
3.4 mi·5 min·River Road Southeast
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto NC 211
1.2 mi·2 min·North Howe Street
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
NC 211
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though leaving early in the morning can help you avoid any potential traffic buildup near Fayetteville. With no mandatory stops required for a 2-hour and 24-minute duration, you have the freedom to drive straight through or pull over whenever you feel like stretching your legs. Keep in mind that your fuel costs will hover around $17, so filling up before you leave Fayetteville is a smart way to manage your budget and minimize unnecessary stops. Because the majority of your time is spent on the freeway, pay close attention to your speed, especially during the long 64.2-mile stretch where highway conditions remain constant.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 52.7 miles from Fayetteville, NC, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.2 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 23 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.7 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Southport, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, NC
This is one driving day of about 105.5 miles and 2h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Fayetteville, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway for about 64.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 104.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.2 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward NC 87 South: Elizabethtown
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward NC 87 South: Elizabethtown
5
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in|NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
Merge onto NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
84.8 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 17: Shallotte, Myrtle Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 17: Shallotte, Myrtle Beach
5
85.2 mi into trip|~1h 54m in|US 17 / Ocean Highway East
Merge onto US 17 / Ocean Highway East
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
104.2 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|NC 211 / North Howe Street
Turn left onto NC 211 / North Howe Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.50 one way
$33.00 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$18.04
$36.08
premium
$4.70
$19.53
$39.05
diesel
$5.61
$23.29
$46.59
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.7
0
$11.08
$5.06
Efficient EV
26.4
0
$9.23
$4.22
EV Truck/SUV
42.2
0
$14.77
$6.75
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026
Origin
Fayetteville, NC
Late night
in Fayetteville on Sunday
Local time
4:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
S 9 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC
Destination
Southport, NC
Late night
in Southport on Sunday
Local time
4:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Sunny
SE 8 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC
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
11 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
2h 24m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 69.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This highway-focused drive is characterized by its high-speed efficiency, with 77% of the journey spent on major roads. You will find yourself settling in for a long, consistent stretch early on, as the route features a 64.2-mile segment on the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway. This makes for a predictable, steady pace rather than a technical or winding drive. As you transition from the inland region toward the coast, the road environment stays relatively uniform, favoring speed and directness over frequent turns. Expect a functional, no-nonsense commute that gets you from your starting point to your destination with minimal fuss.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.2 mi on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway and NC 87. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 105.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
145 ft17 ft
Total Climb
88 ft
Total Descent
174 ft
Highest Point
145 ft
~30.1 mi in
Elevation Range
128 ft
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 Fayetteville, NC to Southport, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Myrtle Beach along the way.
Fayetteville is a city in Cumberland County, in the western part of the North Carolina Coastal Plain region. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg/Liberty/Bragg (the name of which changed thrice in as many years,) a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city.
Fayetteville has received the prestigious All-America City Award from the National Civic League three times. According to the 2020 United States Census estimate, the city has a population of 208,501. It ranks as the sixth-largest municipality in North Carolina.
With an estimated population of 529,252, the Fayetteville metropolitan area is the largest in southeastern North Carolina, and the fifth-largest in the state.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 105.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.2 miles on Martin Luther King Jr Freeway. 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 Southport, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (NC 87 / Martin Luther King Jr Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Southport, NC before heading back.
