This 118.2-mile drive from Skippers Corner, NC to Raleigh, NC is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 11 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $18, it's an economical choice for a quick journey within North Carolina. You'll be traveling through the Southeast region, so expect a familiar regional landscape. The route utilizes Michael Jordan Highway, I-40, and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, offering a mix of highway and local road experiences. Since there are no designated stops and the drive is relatively short, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits you best.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.1 miles from Skippers Corner, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Michael Jordan Highway
101.3 mi
1h 48m
I 40
12.6 mi
13m
Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.2 mi
2m
Holly Shelter Road
1 mi
1m
Rock Quarry Road
0.7 mi
1m
Castle Hayne Road
0.6 mi
1m
South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East South Street
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Michael Jordan Highway
— 101.3 mi, about 1h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Skippers Corner, NC and Raleigh, NC.
1
Start on this road
72 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto NC 133
0.2 mi·19 sec·Castle Hayne Road
3
Enter roundabout onto US 117; NC 133
351 ft·5 sec·Castle Hayne Road
4
Continue on US 117; NC 133
0.4 mi·45 sec·Castle Hayne Road
5
Turn right onto Holly Shelter Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Holly Shelter Road
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
7
Merge onto I 40
101 mi·1 hr 48 min·Michael Jordan Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
13 mi·13 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward Rock Quarry Rd NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto Rock Quarry Road
0.4 mi·49 sec·Rock Quarry Road
11
Turn left onto Rock Quarry Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·Rock Quarry Road
12
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
1.2 mi·2 min·Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·South Wilmington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto East South Street
24 ft·0 sec·East South Street
15
Arrive at destination
East South Street
Trip Plan
For this 2 hour and 11 minute drive, you can depart at your leisure, but leaving earlier in the day will help you avoid potential afternoon traffic as you approach Raleigh. With just 118.2 miles and a fuel cost of around $18, this trip is straightforward and doesn't require extensive planning for stops. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a significant change in road type is over 100 miles on Michael Jordan Highway. Plan for any necessary restroom breaks or snacks before embarking on this segment to ensure a smooth journey.
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 59.1 miles from Skippers Corner, NC, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.3 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 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.1 miles or 1h 4m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Raleigh, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Skippers Corner, 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 Skippers Corner, NC
This is one driving day of about 118.2 miles and 2h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Skippers Corner, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Michael Jordan Highway for about 101.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 118 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|US 117; NC 133 / Castle Hayne Road
Enter roundabout onto US 117; NC 133 / Castle Hayne Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
103.2 mi into trip|~1h 51m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
115.7 mi into trip|~2h 5m in
Take the exit toward Rock Quarry Rd North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Rock Quarry Rd North
5
116.8 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
118 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|South Wilmington Street
Turn right onto South Wilmington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.48 one way
$36.97 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$20.21
$40.42
premium
$4.70
$21.88
$43.75
diesel
$5.61
$26.10
$52.19
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.5
0
$12.41
$5.67
Efficient EV
29.6
0
$10.34
$4.73
EV Truck/SUV
47.3
0
$16.55
$7.56
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Skippers Corner, NC
Late night
in Skippers Corner on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Raleigh, NC
Late night
in Raleigh on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Clear
SW 0 to 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
54°F
Mount Olive, NC
59 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
11 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
2h 11m 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...
14 mi from route
~34 min detour
Free
near mile 8.2
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 for this 118.2-mile trip. While only 11% of the route is on highways, you'll experience a substantial 101.3-mile stretch primarily on Michael Jordan Highway. This means you'll be navigating more varied road conditions and potentially encountering more local traffic than on a pure interstate journey. The drive's character will shift as you transition between these different road types, requiring your attention to be more consistently engaged with navigation and traffic. It's a route that keeps you actively involved behind the wheel.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 101.3 mi on Michael Jordan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 117; NC 133 / Castle Hayne Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 11m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 117; NC 133 / Castle Hayne Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 103.2 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 101.3 miles on Michael Jordan Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 117; NC 133 / Castle Hayne Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 103.2 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Raleigh, NC before heading back.
