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Trip from Winston-Salem, NC to Unionville, 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 42m

Distance

86.1 mi

139 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 35m ★
6 AM
1h 43m
8 AM
1h 58m
10 AM
1h 48m
12 PM
1h 47m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 57m
8 PM
1h 38m

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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Downtown Unionville, NC, NC

Unionville, NC

Mark Stebnicki

Trip Overview

This 86.1-mile drive from Winston-Salem, NC, to Unionville, NC, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 42 minutes. The route primarily utilizes US 158 East, Salem Parkway, and US 52 South, with no highway driving, suggesting a local, more connected experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $14, this trip is budget-friendly. Given its relatively short duration and turn-heavy profile, it's best suited for a leisurely day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You'll be staying within the Southeast region for this entire journey.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

43.1 miles from Winston-Salem, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 85 28.9 mi 31m
Warren C. Coleman Boulevard North 25.6 mi 31m
John Gold Memorial Expressway 21.5 mi 24m
US 601 3.9 mi 5m
I 285 3.7 mi 3m
East Unionville-Indian Trail Road 1.3 mi 4m
North Main Street 0.5 mi <1m
Salem Parkway 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 85 — 28.9 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem, NC and Unionville, NC.

1

Start on North Main Street

0.5 mi · 59 sec · North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East
3

Merge onto US 421; US 158; NC 150

0.3 mi · 21 sec · Salem Parkway
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 232C Toward US 52 South: Lexington Use the slight right lane.
5

Merge onto US 52; NC 8

22 mi · 24 min · John Gold Memorial Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70

3.7 mi · 3 min · I 285; US 29; US 52; US 70
7

Merge onto I 85; US 29; US 52; US 70

4.0 mi · 4 min · I 85; US 29; US 52; US 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 85; US 52

25 mi · 26 min · I 85; US 52
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit onto US 601

0.2 mi · 22 sec · US 601
Exit 58 Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord Downtown Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto US 601

3.7 mi · 4 min · US 601
Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downtown Use the left lane.
11

Turn left onto US 601; NC 73 Truck

26 mi · 31 min · Warren C. Coleman Boulevard North
Use the left lane.
12

Turn left onto East Unionville-Indian Trail Road

1.3 mi · 4 min · East Unionville-Indian Trail Road
13

Turn left onto Boyd Griffin Road

155 ft · 6 sec · Boyd Griffin Road
14

Arrive at destination

Boyd Griffin Road

Trip Plan

For this 1-hour and 42-minute drive covering 86.1 miles, flexibility is your best friend. Aim to depart Winston-Salem in the morning to take advantage of lighter local traffic, especially around the Salem Parkway. Since there are no designated stops in the data, plan for brief breaks as needed, perhaps for fuel or a quick stretch, keeping in mind the $14 fuel cost. Watch for frequent turns as indicated by the route's 'turn-heavy' profile; staying alert to road signs will be key to a smooth journey to Unionville.

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 43.1 miles from Winston-Salem, NC, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.9 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 19 miles or 22m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 43.1 miles or 48m 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 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Unionville, NC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Winston-Salem, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Winston-Salem, NC

This is one driving day of about 86.1 miles and 1h 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Winston-Salem, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 85 for about 28.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in North Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Concord, NC

43 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

Lexington, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kannapolis, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.1 miles from Winston-Salem, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

West End Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13367234774

Visit website

Top Coffee Stop

The Holy Grind Coffee House of Concord

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Concord, North Carolina

Later in the drive, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $1 to $10 mile 61.5

Hours: 6 am–8 pm

+17049604013

Visit website

Verb Coffee

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Concord, North Carolina

0.3 mi

Koco Java coffee llc

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Salisbury, North Carolina

1 mi

West End Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13367234774

Visit website

The Holy Grind Coffee House of Concord

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $1 to $10 mile 61.5

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 6 am–8 pm

+17049604013

Visit website

Verb Coffee

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour $1 to $10 mile 55.4

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–7 pm

+17049604163

Visit website

Koco Java coffee llc

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

1 mi from route ~2 min detour Inexpensiv mile 36.9

Salisbury, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+19802480633

Visit website

French Express Coffee House

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour $1 to $10 mile 55.4

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Hours: 6 am–6 pm

+17049325282

Visit website

Press & Porter Coffee & Pourhouse

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $1 to $10 mile 61.5

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 6:30 am–5 pm

Visit website

Mattie Ruth's Coffee House

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $1 to $10 mile 55.4

Concord, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

Visit website

Veni Vidi Vici Cafe

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $1 to $10 mile 49.2

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Hours: 8:30 am–5 pm

+17043039008

Visit website

The Holy Grind Coffee House

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $1 to $10 mile 49.2

China Grove, North Carolina

Hours: 7 am–7 pm

+17048591844

Visit website

Bell Tower Green

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 36.9

Salisbury, North Carolina

+17046370511

Visit website

Safari Nation Winston-Salem

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 6.2

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+13365233355

Visit website

Baker's Creek Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 49.2

Kannapolis, North Carolina

+17049388512

Visit website

North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 55.4

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Hours: 10 am–12 pm

+17049342320

Visit website

Adventure Landing Winston-Salem

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13367684730

Visit website

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 0.5 and 55.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 158 East, US 421 South, NC 150 East
8
0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the exit toward US 52 South: Lexington

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 232C Toward US 52 South: Lexington
5
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 52; NC 8 / John Gold Memorial Expressway

Merge onto US 52; NC 8 / John Gold Memorial Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
55.3 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in | US 601

Take the exit onto US 601 toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord Downtown

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 58 Toward US 29, US 601 South: Kannapolis, Concord...
8
55.5 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | US 601

Keep slight left at fork onto US 601 toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downtown

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward US 29 South, US 601 South: Concord Downt...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.46 one way

$26.93 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $14.72 $29.44
premium $4.70 $15.94 $31.87
diesel $5.61 $19.01 $38.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.8 0 $9.04 $4.13
Efficient EV 21.5 0 $7.53 $3.44
EV Truck/SUV 34.4 0 $12.05 $5.51

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 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 14, 2026

Origin

Winston-Salem, NC

Morning in Winston-Salem on Sunday

Local time

6:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Unionville, NC

Morning in Unionville on Sunday

Local time

6:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

50°F

Concord, NC

43 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

32 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 42m 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with 0% highway share. This means you'll be navigating through towns and villages, likely encountering more traffic signals and varied speed limits than on a highway. The absence of long highway stretches means your longest uninterrupted driving segment will be relatively short, requiring more frequent adjustments to your speed and direction. The character of the drive will likely shift as you move from the outskirts of Winston-Salem onto more rural or suburban roads as you approach Unionville.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.9 mi on I 85.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 85 and Warren C. Coleman Boulevard North. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 86.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 52; NC 8 / John Gold Memorial Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

On the drive from Winston-Salem, NC to Unionville, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Concord Downtown along the way.

Concord Downtown

55.3 mi in | ~1h 1m | via US 601

About the Cities

Starting in Winston-Salem, NC

Full guide →

Winston-Salem is a city in North Carolina. It has an approximate population of 251,000 (2022). Winston-Salem is one of three cities that make up the Piedmont Triad; the others are Greensboro and High Point.

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 42m. Total distance: 86.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 28.9 miles on I 85. 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 Unionville, 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 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 52; NC 8 / John Gold Memorial Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Unionville, 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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Unionville, NC to Winston-Salem, NC

Plan the drive back the other way.

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