Winston-Salem to Whiteville is 181 miles and takes about 3 hours 30 minutes via I 74, American Indian Highway, and Andrew Jackson Highway, with a fuel budget near $28 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. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving. Given the relatively short duration, this is a straightforward one-day trip that requires minimal planning.
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
90.5 miles from Winston-Salem, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 74
89 mi
1h 39m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
Andrew Jackson Highway
27.2 mi
29m
East Hamlet Avenue
12.8 mi
16m
US 220
4.8 mi
6m
Hamlet Avenue
3.5 mi
5m
West Broad Avenue
2.5 mi
4m
John Gold Memorial Expressway
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 74
— 89 mi, about 1h 39m
Traffic on I-74
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 2 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~1,678 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,194
Quietest
1 AM
~71 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 31 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winston-Salem, NC and Whiteville, 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 232CToward US 52 South: LexingtonUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto US 52; NC 8
2.2 mi·3 min·John Gold Memorial Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 107AToward I 40 East: GreensboroUse the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 40
2.2 mi·2 min·I 40
8
Take the exit onto I 74
89 mi·1 hr 39 min·I 74
Exit 196Toward I 74 East: High PointUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 220
4.8 mi·6 min·US 220
Exit 22Toward US 220 South: RockinghamUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
2.5 mi·4 min·West Broad Avenue
11
Continue on US 74 BUS
3.5 mi·5 min·Hamlet Avenue
12
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
466 ft·11 sec·Raleigh Street
13
Turn right onto US 74 BUS
0.3 mi·41 sec·Spring Street
14
Turn slight left onto East Hamlet Avenue
13 mi·16 min·East Hamlet Avenue
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
10 mi·10 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 74
34 mi·36 min·American Indian Highway
17
Continue on US 74; NC 130
17 mi·18 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
19
Keep slight right at fork onto US 701 Bypass
0.7 mi·1 min·Powell Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Turn left onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business
0.3 mi·26 sec·West Washington Street
21
Enter roundabout onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business
212 ft·3 sec·Jefferson Street
22
Continue on US 74 Business; US 76 Business
119 ft·9 sec·Jefferson Street
23
Continue on US 74 Business; US 76 Business
55 ft·0 sec·Jefferson Street
24
Arrive at destination
US 74 Business; US 76 Business
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 1-day drive, consider leaving in the morning to maximize daylight. With a total duration of around 3.5 hours, you can comfortably complete this trip without needing an overnight stop. There's one recommended stop, so plan for a brief break to stretch your legs or refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you transition from I 74 to the American Indian Highway and Andrew Jackson Highway, as services might be less frequent on these stretches.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 90.5 miles from Winston-Salem, NC, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89 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 40 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90.5 miles or 1h 43m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whiteville, 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.
+
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 Winston-Salem, NC
This is one driving day of about 181.1 miles and 3h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Winston-Salem, 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 I 74 for about 89 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 94.9 — 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
7
3.4 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East: Greensboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 107A
Toward I 40 East: Greensboro
7
5.9 mi into trip|~8m in|I 74
Take the exit onto I 74 toward I 74 East: High Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward I 74 East: High Point
7
94.9 mi into trip|~1h 48m in|US 220
Take the exit onto US 220 toward US 220 South: Rockingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 22
Toward US 220 South: Rockingham
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.80 one way
$57.61 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$31.41
$62.81
premium
$4.78
$34.07
$68.15
diesel
$5.35
$38.15
$76.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 63.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.3
0
$19.02
$8.69
Efficient EV
45.3
0
$15.85
$7.24
EV Truck/SUV
72.4
0
$25.35
$11.59
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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 May 29, 2026
Origin
Winston-Salem, NC
Evening
in Winston-Salem on Wednesday
Local time
5:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued May 29 at 1:59PM EDT until May 30 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Morristown TN
Destination
Whiteville, NC
Evening
in Whiteville on Wednesday
Local time
5:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
S 2 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued May 29 at 1:59PM EDT until May 30 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Morristown TN
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
3 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
3h 30m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is about 54% highway, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 89 miles on I 74. You'll transition from highway driving to surface roads, likely noticing a change in traffic patterns and speed limits as you move away from the interstate. The mixed profile means you'll experience both faster, limited-access travel and more typical road conditions.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89 mi on I 74.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 181.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
911 ft99 ft
Total Climb
109 ft
Total Descent
921 ft
Highest Point
911 ft
Elevation Range
812 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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.
Top landmarks
•Old Salem — historic district and open-air museum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
•Reynolds Building — historic skyscraper in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
•Home Moravian Church — church building in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 30m. Total distance: 181.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 89 miles on I 74. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Whiteville, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Whiteville, NC, but most travelers stay overnight.
