Stanfield, NC to Cary, NC is 119.2 miles and takes about 2h 44m via NC 24 and Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $19 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. You'll experience a mixed drive, offering a blend of road types rather than a single monotonous stretch. With a recommended one-day trip, this route is well-suited for a straightforward journey, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
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
59.6 miles from Stanfield, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 24m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NC 24
28.7 mi
40m
Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
18.8 mi
20m
Jefferson Davis Highway
17.3 mi
20m
East Main Street
16.9 mi
24m
US 15
10.3 mi
14m
Troy Road
9.2 mi
12m
Albemarle Road
5.7 mi
7m
NC 22
4.2 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
NC 24
— 28.7 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stanfield, NC and Cary, NC.
1
Start on West Stanly Street
5 ft·4 sec·West Stanly Street
2
Turn left onto North Love Chapel Road
0.4 mi·57 sec·North Love Chapel Road
3
Turn left onto NC 200
0.7 mi·1 min·North Main Street
4
Continue on NC 200
0.8 mi·1 min·South Central Avenue
5
Turn right onto NC 24; NC 27
17 mi·24 min·East Main Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto NC-24; NC-27; NC-73
0.4 mi·38 sec·Albemarle Road
7
Enter roundabout onto NC-24; NC-27; NC-73
129 ft·1 sec·Albemarle Road
8
Continue on NC-24; NC-27; NC-73
5.3 mi·6 min·Albemarle Road
9
Continue on NC 24; NC 27; NC 73
9.2 mi·12 min·Troy Road
10
Continue on NC 24; NC 27; NC 109
29 mi·40 min·NC 24; NC 27; NC 109
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on NC 22; NC 24; NC 27
4.2 mi·6 min·NC 22; NC 24; NC 27
12
Enter roundabout onto NC 22; NC 24; NC 27
340 ft·7 sec·Monroe Street
13
Continue on NC 22; NC 24; NC 27
1.4 mi·2 min·Monroe Street
14
Continue on US 15; US 501; NC 24; NC 27
10 mi·14 min·US 15; US 501; NC 24; NC 27
15
Turn left onto US 1; US 15; US 501
17 mi·20 min·Jefferson Davis Highway
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on US 1
19 mi·20 min·Claude E. Pope Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward Tryon Road
18
Turn straight onto Tryon Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Tryon Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn left onto Kildaire Farm Road
3.1 mi·6 min·Kildaire Farm Road
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto South Academy Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Academy Street
Use the right lane.
21
Arrive at destination
North Academy Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 44m duration, this is comfortably a one-day trip, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Aim to leave Stanfield in the morning to make the most of daylight and avoid potential afternoon traffic. The longest stretch is 28.7 miles on NC 24, so plan your fuel stops accordingly, perhaps before this segment begins. With a fuel cost estimated at $19, it's a budget-friendly excursion. Keep an eye out for changes in road type as indicated by the 'mixed drive' profile, and be ready to adjust your speed and awareness.
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 59.6 miles from Stanfield, NC, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.7 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 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.6 miles or 1h 24m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cary, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Stanfield, 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 Stanfield, NC
This is one driving day of about 119.2 miles and 2h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Stanfield, 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 NC 24 for about 28.7 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 1.9 and 118.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in|NC 24; NC 27 / East Main Street
Turn right onto NC 24; NC 27 / East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
19.1 mi into trip|~29m in|NC-24; NC-27; NC-73 / Albemarle Road
Enter roundabout onto NC-24; NC-27; NC-73 / Albemarle Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
66.6 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|NC 22; NC 24; NC 27 / Monroe Street
Enter roundabout onto NC 22; NC 24; NC 27 / Monroe Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
78.4 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|US 1; US 15; US 501 / Jefferson Davis Highway
Turn left onto US 1; US 15; US 501 / Jefferson Davis Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
118.6 mi into trip|~2h 42m in|South Academy Street
Turn right onto South Academy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.64 one way
$37.28 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$20.38
$40.76
premium
$4.70
$22.06
$44.12
diesel
$5.61
$26.32
$52.64
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: 41.7 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
35.8
0
$12.52
$5.72
Efficient EV
29.8
0
$10.43
$4.77
EV Truck/SUV
47.7
0
$16.69
$7.63
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 20, 2026
Origin
Stanfield, NC
Late night
in Stanfield on Tuesday
Local time
5:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cary, NC
Late night
in Cary on Tuesday
Local time
5:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Troy, NC
60 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
5 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 44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a 36% highway share, indicating you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads, interspersed with other types of driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.7 miles on NC 24, offering a period of consistent travel before potential changes in scenery or road conditions. The 'mixed drive' profile suggests a dynamic experience, likely shifting from more open highways to potentially more local or town-influenced roads as you progress toward Cary. Expect a varied driving feel that keeps things from becoming too predictable.
36% 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: 28.7 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 around 1.9 miles in near NC 24; NC 27 / East Main Street.
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 44m 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 1.9 miles (NC 24; NC 27 / East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles (NC-24; NC-27; NC-73 / Albemarle Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 66.6 miles (NC 22; NC 24; NC 27 / Monroe Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Cary is a town in the Research Triangle of North Carolina. It is primarily a fast-growing suburb of Raleigh, the state capital, but has developed some economic gravity of its own. Cary is known throughout the area for having a very high population of non-native residents. The name of the city is jokingly referred to as standing for Containment/Concentration Area for Relocated Yankees.
The longest stretch is about 28.7 miles on NC 24. 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 1.9 miles (NC 24; NC 27 / East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.1 miles (NC-24; NC-27; NC-73 / Albemarle Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 66.6 miles (NC 22; NC 24; NC 27 / Monroe Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cary, NC before heading back.
