Origin
Morehead City, NC
Late night in Morehead City on Sunday
Local time
4:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
42.9 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Morehead City, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Jacksonville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 42.9-mile drive from Morehead City, NC, to Jacksonville, NC, is easily managed as a single-day trip, taking just over an hour to complete. You'll primarily travel on NC 24, Freedom Way, and Lejeune Boulevard, with about 38% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $7, making it an economical option. Given its brevity and mixed driving profile, this route is ideal for a quick transit between these two Southeast North Carolina locations without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NC 24 | 16.3 mi | 23m |
| Freedom Way | 9.3 mi | 11m |
| Lejeune Boulevard | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Arendell Street | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| West Corbett Avenue | 3.2 mi | 7m |
| Cedar Point Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Johnson Boulevard | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Marine Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NC 24
— 16.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Morehead City, NC and Jacksonville, NC.
1
Start on this road
247 ft
·
23 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto North 18th Street
123 ft
·
6 sec
·
North 18th Street
3
Turn right onto US 70
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Arendell Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto NC 24
16 mi
·
23 min
·
NC 24
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on NC 24
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Cedar Point Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on NC 24
3.2 mi
·
7 min
·
West Corbett Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on NC 24
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Freedom Way
8
Continue on NC 24
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Lejeune Boulevard
9
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 24 Business
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lejeune Boulevard
10
Turn slight right onto NC 24 Business
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Johnson Boulevard
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 17 Business; NC 24 Business
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Marine Boulevard
12
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business; NC 24 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Morehead City, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 42.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 18th Street
At end of road, turn left onto North 18th Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 70 / Arendell Street
Turn right onto US 70 / Arendell Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
NC 24
Turn left onto NC 24
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
40.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
NC 24 Business / Lejeune Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 24 Business / Lejeune Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
42.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
US 17 Business; NC 24 Business / Marine Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto US 17 Business; NC 24 Business / Marine Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.71 one way
$13.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.34 | $14.67 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.94 | $15.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.47 | $18.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.01 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Jacksonville, NC
Late night in Jacksonville on Sunday
Local time
4:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
22 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
1h 5m 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?
Your drive will present a mixed bag of road types. While 38% of the route utilizes highway driving, you'll also encounter local roads and boulevards. The longest uninterrupted stretch spans 16.3 miles on NC 24, offering a period of consistent travel before potential transitions. Expect the road character to shift as you move from the coastal areas around Morehead City towards the more inland, developed areas leading into Jacksonville.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.3 mi on NC 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 18th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 5m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 18th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (US 70 / Arendell Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (NC 24): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.3 miles on NC 24. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (North 18th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (US 70 / Arendell Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (NC 24): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jacksonville, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Jacksonville, NC
More trips to Jacksonville, NC
Explore more options from Morehead City, NC or browse trips ending in Jacksonville, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.