Greensboro to Lake Waccamaw is 176.3 miles and takes about 3h 25m via I 73, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. The road conditions are a mix of highway and surface roads, suggesting a varied driving experience. With a recommended one-day duration and a manageable distance, this route is well-suited for a straightforward drive.
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
88.2 miles from Greensboro, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 73
57.2 mi
1h 3m
Andrew Jackson Highway
38.1 mi
41m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway
17.7 mi
19m
East Hamlet Avenue
12.8 mi
16m
US 220
4.8 mi
6m
Hamlet Avenue
3.5 mi
5m
Freeman Mill Road
2.7 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 73
— 57.2 mi, about 1h 3m
Traffic on I-73
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 2 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
1 PM
~563 veh/hr typical
· worst 967
Quietest
2 AM
~40 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greensboro, NC and Lake Waccamaw, NC.
1
Start on West Market Street
130 ft·9 sec·West Market Street
2
Turn right onto South Greene Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·South Greene Street
Use the right lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto West McGee Street
17 ft·0 sec·West McGee Street
4
Continue on West McGee Street
0.3 mi·42 sec·West McGee Street
5
Turn left onto Freeman Mill Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Freeman Mill Road
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Freeman Mill Road
1.8 mi·2 min·Freeman Mill Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 220
18 mi·19 min·Governor John Motley Morehead Expressway
Use the straight lane.
8
Merge onto I 73; I 74; US 220
57 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 73; I 74; US 220
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 220
4.8 mi·6 min·US 220
Exit 22Toward US 220 South: RockinghamUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
2.5 mi·4 min·West Broad Avenue
11
Continue on US 74 BUS
3.5 mi·5 min·Hamlet Avenue
12
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
466 ft·11 sec·Raleigh Street
13
Turn right onto US 74 BUS
0.3 mi·41 sec·Spring Street
14
Turn slight left onto East Hamlet Avenue
13 mi·16 min·East Hamlet Avenue
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
10 mi·10 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 74
34 mi·36 min·American Indian Highway
17
Continue on US 74; NC 130
28 mi·30 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
19
Enter roundabout onto Chauncey Town Road
20 ft·0 sec·Chauncey Town Road
20
Continue on Chauncey Town Road
0.4 mi·49 sec·Chauncey Town Road
21
At end of road, turn left onto NC 214
1.3 mi·2 min·Sam Potts Highway
22
Turn right onto Pecan Lane
0.2 mi·47 sec·Pecan Lane
23
Turn right onto West Oak Street
36 ft·1 sec·West Oak Street
24
Arrive at destination
West Oak Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 25m estimated driving time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Aim to depart Greensboro in the morning to maximize daylight. The route includes a significant highway portion followed by surface roads, so be prepared for a change in driving pace. With a fuel cost estimated around $30, it's a good idea to fill up before leaving Greensboro, especially since the longest stretch without exits is 57.2 miles on I 73.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 88.2 miles from Greensboro, NC, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.2 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 39 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.2 miles or 1h 43m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Waccamaw, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Greensboro, 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 Greensboro, NC
This is one driving day of about 176.3 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Greensboro, 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 I 73 for about 57.2 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 102.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South Greene Street
Turn right onto South Greene Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|West McGee Street
Enter roundabout onto West McGee Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in|Freeman Mill Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Freeman Mill Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
78.2 mi into trip|~1h 28m in|US 220
Take the exit onto US 220 toward US 220 South: Rockingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 22
Toward US 220 South: Rockingham
6
102.3 mi into trip|~2h 2m in|US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.04 one way
$56.08 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$30.57
$61.15
premium
$4.78
$33.17
$66.34
diesel
$5.35
$37.13
$74.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
52.9
0
$18.51
$8.46
Efficient EV
44.1
0
$15.43
$7.05
EV Truck/SUV
70.5
0
$24.68
$11.28
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Forecast as of May 28, 2026
Origin
Greensboro, NC
Afternoon
in Greensboro on Wednesday
Local time
4:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
W 6 mph26% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lake Waccamaw, NC
Afternoon
in Lake Waccamaw on Wednesday
Local time
4:39 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
SW 7 mph18% chanceLive forecast
63°F
Rockingham, NC
88 mi in
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
6 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
3h 25m 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...
24 mi from route
~61 min detour
Free
near mile 176.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 45% of this 176.3-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 57.2 miles on I 73 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect to navigate a blend of faster highway cruising and potentially more local traffic as you approach your destination.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.2 mi on I 73.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Greene Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 176.3 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Greene Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (West McGee Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.4 miles (Freeman Mill Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Greensboro is a city of almost 300,000 people (2020) in North Carolina. It is named after Nathanael Greene, a Patriot general who fought a battle here during the Revolutionary War. It's nicknamed the "Gate City" for its historical role as a transportation hub for the Piedmont. The famous author William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, was born here. It can be sleepy and genteel but is enjoying a newfound reputation as a great place for young people. Downtown especially is experiencing a surfeit of bars, music venues and restaurants. Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point are the three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad, halfway between Raleigh and Charlotte.
Top landmarks
•Guilford Courthouse National Military Park — site maintained by the U.S. National Park Service commemorating the battle
•Greensboro Science Center — science museum and zoological park
•Grimsley High School — public school in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 25m. Total distance: 176.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 57.2 miles on I 73. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Lake Waccamaw, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Greene Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (West McGee Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.4 miles (Freeman Mill Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Lake Waccamaw, NC, but most travelers stay overnight.
