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Trip from Raleigh, NC to Spring Lake, NC

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 15m

Distance

49 mi

79 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in and state capital of North Carolina, United States of America

Raleigh, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Spring Lake, NC, NC

Spring Lake, NC

Michael Ken

Trip Overview

Raleigh to Spring Lake is 49 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via NC 210, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a mixed drive that's mostly on state routes, making it a straightforward journey. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip, offering a quick transition between these two NC locations without requiring an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NC 210 18 mi 26m
West Depot Street 9 mi 13m
Fayetteville Road 8.5 mi 12m
NC 42 6.4 mi 11m
South Wilmington Street 2.9 mi 5m
North Main Street 2.8 mi 3m
South 1st Street 0.5 mi 1m
South Salisbury Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: NC 210 — 18 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh, NC and Spring Lake, NC.

1

Start on East South Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East South Street
2

Turn left onto South Salisbury Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · South Salisbury Street
3

Continue on South Wilmington Street

2.9 mi · 5 min · South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Continue on US 401

8.5 mi · 12 min · Fayetteville Road
Toward Fuquay-Varina, Fayetteville Use the straight lane.
5

Continue on US 401

2.8 mi · 3 min · North Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
6

Turn left onto NC 42; NC 55

6.4 mi · 11 min · NC 42; NC 55
7

Turn right onto NC 210

9.0 mi · 13 min · West Depot Street
Use the left lane.
8

Take the exit

170 ft · 5 sec
Use the left lane.
9

Turn left onto East Harnett Street

387 ft · 11 sec · East Harnett Street
10

Turn right onto South 1st Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South 1st Street
11

At end of road, turn right onto East Northington Street

413 ft · 15 sec · East Northington Street
12

Turn left onto US 401; NC 210

0.1 mi · 15 sec · South Main Street
13

Turn right onto NC 210

6.6 mi · 9 min · NC 210
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on NC 210

7.0 mi · 9 min · NC 210
Use the straight lane.
15

Continue on NC 210

4.4 mi · 7 min · NC 210
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Continue on Spring Avenue

249 ft · 10 sec · Spring Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn right onto North 2nd Street

151 ft · 7 sec · North 2nd Street
18

Turn right

185 ft · 16 sec
19

At end of road, turn right onto NC 24; NC 87

135 ft · 8 sec · North Bragg Boulevard
20

Continue on NC 210

109 ft · 5 sec · Lillington Highway
Use the left lane.
21

Arrive at destination

NC 210

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

human settlement in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Angier, NC

25 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

Garner, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Angier, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Raleigh, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 21 and 48.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
21 mi into trip | ~33m in | NC 210 / West Depot Street

Turn right onto NC 210 / West Depot Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
30 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
30.7 mi into trip | ~48m in | East Northington Street

At end of road, turn right onto East Northington Street

Navigation decision point

5
30.7 mi into trip | ~48m in | US 401; NC 210 / South Main Street

Turn left onto US 401; NC 210 / South Main Street

Navigation decision point

6
48.9 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in | NC 24; NC 87 / North Bragg Boulevard

At end of road, turn right onto NC 24; NC 87 / North Bragg Boulevard

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.66 one way

$15.33 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $8.38 $16.76
premium $4.70 $9.07 $18.14
diesel $5.61 $10.82 $21.64

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.7 0 $5.15 $2.35
Efficient EV 12.3 0 $4.29 $1.96
EV Truck/SUV 19.6 0 $6.86 $3.14

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Raleigh, NC

Late night in Raleigh on Tuesday

Local time

4:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Clear

NW 1 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 20 at 4:08AM EDT by NWS Raleigh NC

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 20 at 3:06AM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Spring Lake, NC

Late night in Spring Lake on Tuesday

Local time

4:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

39°F

Clear

NW 2 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 20 at 4:08AM EDT by NWS Raleigh NC

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 20 at 3:06AM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 15m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route offers a mixed drive experience, with about 50% of the journey utilizing highway stretches. The longest uninterrupted drive segment you'll encounter is 18 miles on NC 210. You'll navigate through a combination of state roads like NC 210 and local streets such as West Depot Street and Fayetteville Road. This blend means you'll experience periods of consistent travel punctuated by more local road driving as you approach your destination.

50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18 mi on NC 210.

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 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 21 miles in near NC 210 / West Depot Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 49 miles you will encounter 14 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 21 miles (NC 210 / West Depot Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 30 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.7 miles (East Northington Street): Navigation decision point.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Raleigh, NC and Spring Lake, NC, road signs point toward Fuquay-Varina and Fayetteville.

Fuquay-Varina

3.3 mi in | ~6m | via US 401

Fayetteville

3.3 mi in | ~6m | via US 401

About the Cities

Starting in Raleigh, NC

Full guide →

The capital of North Carolina and the largest city of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is the primary political and economic driver of the metro area. Indeed, business and politics are the main draws to Raleigh, which lacks the more trendy feel or active arts scene of Durham or Chapel Hill to the west. However, a concerted effort to expand the residential base and move events downtown has led to significantly expanded retail and restaurant options in the downtown core. Also, visitors will find many of the state's cultural institutions here, namely a major performing arts center downtown and three state museums, and a college town atmosphere in the neighborhood around the campus of North Carolina State University, the state's largest university.

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 1h 15m. Total distance: 49 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18 miles on NC 210. 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 Spring Lake, 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 21 miles (NC 210 / West Depot Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 30 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.7 miles (East Northington Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Spring Lake, 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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