Spanning 119.8 miles through the Southeast, this drive connects Leland to Greenville, NC, in approximately 2 hours and 39 minutes. Because the total duration is under three hours, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget about $20 for fuel to complete the journey. Navigating this route requires patience, as it relies heavily on local roads like Lincoln Road Northeast, Village Road, and Leland School Road Northeast rather than high-speed interstates. It is a straightforward trip that links two distinct North Carolina communities, providing a practical way to move between the regions without the intensity of major highway traffic.
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
59.9 miles from Leland, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Michael Jordan Highway
30.9 mi
33m
NC 11
20.5 mi
28m
NC 41
17.7 mi
25m
Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
17 mi
22m
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
11.1 mi
11m
NC 241
9.1 mi
12m
Old Pink Hill Road
4.5 mi
7m
South Evans Street
2.2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Michael Jordan Highway
— 30.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leland, NC and Greenville, NC.
1
Start on Post Office Road Northeast
282 ft·13 sec·Post Office Road Northeast
2
Turn right onto Lincoln Road Northeast
272 ft·12 sec·Lincoln Road Northeast
3
Turn right onto Village Road
0.2 mi·19 sec·Village Road
4
Turn right onto Leland School Road Northeast
0.6 mi·1 min·Leland School Road Northeast
5
At end of road, turn right onto Mount Misery Road Northeast
1.1 mi·1 min·Mount Misery Road Northeast
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
7
Merge onto I 140
11 mi·11 min·John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward I 40: Raleigh, Wilmington
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 40 West: Benson, Raleigh
10
Merge onto I 40
31 mi·33 min·Michael Jordan Highway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville
12
Turn right onto NC 41
18 mi·25 min·NC 41
13
Continue on NC 241
9.1 mi·12 min·NC 241
14
Turn right onto NC 11
0.7 mi·1 min·North Kinston Boulevard
15
Continue on NC 11
12 mi·17 min·NC 11
16
Continue on NC 11; NC 55
4.5 mi·7 min·Old Pink Hill Road
17
Continue on NC 11; NC 55
0.5 mi·1 min·East King Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Enter roundabout onto NC 11; NC 55
200 ft·2 sec·Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
19
Continue on NC 11; NC 55
17 mi·22 min·Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
20
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 11
8.2 mi·11 min·NC 11
Toward NC 11 North: Winterville
21
Merge onto US 264 Alternate; NC 43
1.1 mi·2 min·Greenville Boulevard Southwest
Use the right lane.
22
Turn slight left onto South Evans Street
2.2 mi·4 min·South Evans Street
23
Turn right onto Reade Circle
0.2 mi·23 sec·Reade Circle
24
Turn right onto East 5th Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·East 5th Street
25
Turn left onto South Summit Street
0.2 mi·51 sec·South Summit Street
26
Arrive at destination
South Summit Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a non-stop, 2-hour and 39-minute drive, you have great flexibility in when you decide to hit the road. Aim to depart outside of typical local peak traffic hours to ensure your trip remains within the estimated time frame. Because there are no scheduled stops provided for this 119.8-mile stretch, you should consider filling your tank before you leave Leland to keep your $20 fuel budget on track. Keep in mind that the reliance on local roads means your travel time can be sensitive to local congestion, so check your GPS for real-time updates before heading out. Having a snack or water handy is a smart move, as the turn-heavy nature of the route makes it less convenient to pull over for a quick break.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.9 miles from Leland, NC, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 30.9 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 26 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.9 miles or 1h 12m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Greenville, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Leland, 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 Leland, NC
This is one driving day of about 119.8 miles and 2h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Leland, 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 Michael Jordan Highway for about 30.9 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 45.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Village Road
Turn right onto Village Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|Mount Misery Road Northeast
At end of road, turn right onto Mount Misery Road Northeast
Navigation decision point
5
13.4 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the exit toward I 40: Raleigh, Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40: Raleigh, Wilmington
6
13.7 mi into trip|~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 40 West: Benson, Raleigh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 West: Benson, Raleigh
5
45.4 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.73 one way
$37.47 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$20.48
$40.97
premium
$4.70
$22.17
$44.34
diesel
$5.61
$26.45
$52.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.9
0
$12.58
$5.75
Efficient EV
30
0
$10.48
$4.79
EV Truck/SUV
47.9
0
$16.77
$7.67
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Leland, NC
Late night
in Leland on Sunday
Local time
12:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Greenville, NC
Late night
in Greenville on Sunday
Local time
12:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
16 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 39m 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.
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 24.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will spend the entire 119.8 miles navigating local roads, which keeps the pace steady but requires your full attention at intersections. Since the journey is composed entirely of secondary roads, the experience is more hands-on and technical than a typical highway cruise. You won't find long, uninterrupted stretches here, so be prepared for a drive that demands consistent engagement with the road surface and local traffic patterns. It is an ideal route for drivers who prefer to avoid the high-speed, multi-lane environment of major expressways.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.9 mi on Michael Jordan Highway.
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 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Village Road.
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 119.8 miles you will encounter 18 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: at 0.1 miles (Village Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (Mount Misery Road Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Leland, NC and Greenville, NC, road signs point toward Wilmington, Raleigh and Beulaville.
Greenville, one of the fastest growing cities in North Carolina, is the county seat of Pitt County, and is
the principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is known as the cultural, economical, and educational hub of North Carolina's Inner Banks, the geographical area east of Raleigh and west of the North Carolina coast.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 119.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.9 miles on Michael Jordan 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 Greenville, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Village Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (Mount Misery Road Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Greenville, NC before heading back.
