Distances Between Major Cities In North Carolina

So, you want to hit the highway and take a road trip through North Carolina, do you? North Carolina is one of the best states you can drive through; there are lots of wide open spaces, and a ton of things to see along the way.
With gas prices as low as they are right now, and so many more things to do in North Carolina, short day trips are more popular now than ever. Lots of times, people just want to unplug and get away for a bit.
Good for you!

With that in mind, we know you’re here because you want to find out how far it is between major cities in North Carolina.

We got you covered.

Here’s the distance between the major cities in North Carolina:

1. Charlotte, NC to Raleigh, NC — 165 miles
2. Raleigh, NC to Durham, NC — 25 miles
3. Wilmington, NC to Raleigh, NC — 132 miles
4. Winston-Salem, NC to Raleigh, NC — 104 miles
5. Asheville, NC to Raleigh, NC — 247 miles
6. Durham, NC to New Bern, NC — 153 miles
7. Raleigh, NC to Kitty Hawk — 206 miles
8. Corolla, NC to Ocracoke, NC — 118 miles
9. Raleigh, NC to Myrtle Beach, NC — 176 miles
10. Raleigh, NC to Boone, NC — 191 miles

How in the heck did we ever get around before we had GPS? We had to pull over and ask for directions quite a bit. Or, we had to hope we didn’t pass our exit. Remember the stress of hoping we weren’t 20 miles past our destination?
Anyways, road trips are a blast, especially now that everyone has a map in their pocket.
Below is a detailed look at the distances between the 10 largest cities in North Carolina, and we’ve also included a handy search box that lets you enter two cities to see how far it is between practically any city in North Carolina.
For more North Carolina reading, check out:

• These Are The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
• These Are The 10 Safest Places To Live In North Carolina

1. Charlotte, NC to Raleigh, NC: 165 miles (2 hours, 55 minutes).

If you wanted to drive from Charlotte to Raleigh (or the other way around), it would take about three hours. Along the way, you could stop at a number of awesome places. For instance, Concord in just north of Charlotte, where there’s a ton of great shopping and restaurants. Greensboro also has a number of up-and-coming breweries, if you needed a break along I-40.

2. Raleigh, NC to Durham, NC: 25 miles (25 minutes).

Going back and forth from Raleigh to Durham is a breeze – as long as you don’t get stuck in traffic along I-40. In order to avoid the worst drive times, don’t expect to leave at 8 a.m. or 4 p.m. Taking Route 147 (called the Durham Freeway or NC 147) is an alternative, although there’s not nearly as much to do along the way.

3. Wilmington, NC to Raleigh, NC: 132 miles (1 hour, 52 minutes).

Once you leave Wilmington (which has a lot of traffic itself), you won’t see very much until you get to Johnston County. For some fun, try stopping at The Vineyards at Duplin Winery, right off of Charity Road in Rose Hill, North Carolina. It’s a great place to hang out and relax, especially in the summer and fall.

4. Winston-Salem, NC to Raleigh, NC: 104 miles (1 hour, 30 minutes).

The road from the Triad to the Triangle is paved with riches. Well, at least paved with things to do. The Tanger Outlets in Burlington could keep you occupied for a long time. They’re about halfway between the two cities. You could also have some fun at the Southpoint Mall if shopping is your thing.

5. Asheville, NC to Raleigh, NC: 247 miles (3 hours, 40 minutes).

For one of the longest road trips you can take in North Carolina, you could go from Asheville to Raleigh (or the other way around). You might not want to stop too many times, since the trip is so long, but the Asheville Zoo is a blast, as is Hickory North Carolina (take the Lenoir Rhyne Blvd exit). Here, in Hickory, you could visit a number of museums and smallish restaurants and bars.

6. Durham, NC to New Bern, NC: 153 miles (2 hours, 33 minutes).

New Bern is one of the closest ‘coastal cities’ in the state, and it’s not too far from the Triangle. To get there, you’d take I-40 until you connect to Highways 264 and 70. Both of these highways are 2-lanes in each direction, and they pass through a number of smallish towns that are easily accessible from the highway. Goldsboro and Kinston are both fairly large cities, and worth a quick stop for a bite to eat or a quick treat.

7. Raleigh, NC to Kitty Hawk, NC: 206 miles (3 hours, 24 minutes).

There are a couple ways to get to the Outer Banks. You could either take Highway 64 to Nags Head and then head north up the coast, or go north on Highway 158 through Elizabeth City to the OBX and then head south. Elizabeth City is a cool place for a quick stop, and you get to see more of the Albemarle Sound, which many North Carolina residents haven’t really experienced. The boats on the water are always awesome to see.

8. Corolla, NC to Ocracoke, NC: 118 miles (3 hours, 40 minutes).

Although a three-plus hour drive sounds like a real killer on the back, you’ll absolutely love this drive. It hugs the coast, and you get to pass through some of the cutest small towns on the east coast, including Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Rodanthe. You’ll also marvel at how thin the road is in some locations – lots of these islands are basically connected by a small two-lane road. There are also many lighthouses along the coast that you can pull over and climb to the top of.

9. Raleigh, NC to Myrtle Beach, NC: 176 miles (3 hours, 15 minutes).

Technically, you’re leaving North Carolina for this trip, but Myrtle Beach isn’t too far past the North Carolina state line. There’s not too much to see for long stretches along the way, but you have to stop at South of the Border, which is right on the North Carolina/South Carolina state line. That means you’d have to take I-95 to get back and forth. A little longer, but well worth it.

10. Raleigh, NC to Boone, NC: 191 miles (3 hours, 10 minutes).

For a great single-day trip, you could head out of the Triangle and into the mountains. After passing through Greensboro and Winston-Salem on I-40, you head off the beaten track and into the highlands of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Practically every small mountain town you’ll come to along the way are worth stopping in. And since you’re at it, you should take a cruise along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Detailed List Of How Far It Is From Here To There In North Carolina