How far is Chapel Hill, NC from Oak Island, NC?
The driving distance from Chapel Hill, NC to Oak Island, NC is about 366.9 miles (590.5 km), with a travel time of about 07h 46m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 293.2 miles (471.8 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 33m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 07h 46m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
City in and county seat of Union County, North Carolina, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Chapel Hill and Oak Island.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chapel Hill and Oak Island.
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1
Start on the route
8 m · 5 sec
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2
Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road
1.6 mi · 6 min · Chapel Hill Road
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3
Continue on Guntertown Road
2.2 mi · 5 min · Guntertown Road
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4
At the end of the road, turn left
3.5 mi · 6 min
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5
Continue straight
20.9 mi · 32 min
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6
Take the exit slight right
3.9 mi · 5 min
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7
Continue straight
4.2 mi · 5 min
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8
Keep slight right to continue on I 26 East, US 74A West: West Asheville
1238 ft · 21 sec
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9
Merge slight left onto Billy Graham Freeway
2585 ft · 44 sec · Billy Graham Freeway
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10
Keep slight right to continue on Billy Graham Freeway
26.2 mi · 32 min · Billy Graham Freeway
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11
Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
12 mi · 14 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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12
Take the exit slight right toward US 74 East, NC 108: Columbus, Rutherfordton
1433 ft · 19 sec · Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
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13
Keep slight left to continue on Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
810 ft · 11 sec · Sergeant W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
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14
Continue on Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
17.9 mi · 20 min · Sgt W Dean Arledge Memorial Highway
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15
Continue on James A. Callahan Highway
15.2 mi · 17 min · James A. Callahan Highway
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16
Take the exit slight right toward West Dixon Boulevard
12.4 mi · 18 min · West Dixon Boulevard
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17
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
1.8 mi · 3 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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18
Continue on Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
6.8 mi · 8 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
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19
Take the exit straight toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg
572 ft · 8 sec
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20
Keep slight left to continue on I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte
1.3 km · 56 sec
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21
Merge slight left onto Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
17.6 mi · 21 min · Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
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22
Continue on Cameron Morrison Bridge
8.5 mi · 10 min · Cameron Morrison Bridge
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23
Take the exit slight right toward NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Charlotte
1104 ft · 27 sec
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24
Keep slight right to continue on NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brookshire Boulevard, Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium
118 m · 11 sec
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25
Merge slight left onto Brookshire Boulevard
1677 ft · 22 sec · Brookshire Boulevard
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26
Continue on Brookshire Freeway
3.6 mi · 5 min · Brookshire Freeway
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27
Take the exit slight left toward US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Boulevard
2261 ft · 55 sec
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28
Merge slight right onto East Independence Expressway
3.3 mi · 4 min · East Independence Expressway
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29
Keep slight right to continue on East Independence Boulevard
109 m · 5 sec · East Independence Boulevard
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30
Continue on East Independence Expressway
2.1 mi · 2 min · East Independence Expressway
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31
Continue on East Independence Boulevard
2.4 mi · 4 min · East Independence Boulevard
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32
Continue on Independence Boulevard
4.5 mi · 6 min · Independence Boulevard
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33
Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway
18.7 mi · 22 min · Monroe Expressway
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34
Merge slight right onto Carroll M. Edwards Highway
1804 ft · 28 sec · Carroll M. Edwards Highway
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35
Continue on West Marshville Boulevard
2.9 mi · 5 min · West Marshville Boulevard
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36
Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway
2.5 mi · 3 min · Carroll M. Edwards Highway
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37
Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.1 mi · 8 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway
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38
Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway
6.7 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway
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39
Continue on Salisbury Street
1.1 km · 1 min · Salisbury Street
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40
Continue on West Caswell Street
2.4 mi · 5 min · West Caswell Street
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41
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
10.2 mi · 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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42
Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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43
Continue on G R Kindley Freeway
14.9 mi · 16 min · G R Kindley Freeway
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44
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
9.7 mi · 12 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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45
Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
10.3 mi · 11 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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46
Continue on American Indian Highway
33.6 mi · 37 min · American Indian Highway
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47
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
34 mi · 38 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
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48
Take the exit slight right
1884 ft · 46 sec
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49
Turn right
25.4 mi · 35 min
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50
Continue on Southport-Supply Road Southeast
9 mi · 13 min · Southport-Supply Road Southeast
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51
Turn right onto Middleton Street
4.1 mi · 6 min · Middleton Street
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52
Continue on South Middleton Avenue
1405 ft · 34 sec · South Middleton Avenue
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53
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · South Middleton Avenue
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Chapel Hill and Oak Island.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Andrew Jackson Highway
Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway
34 mi · 00h 38m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Chapel Hill and Mostly Sunny near Oak Island.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Chapel Hill to Oak Island?
The road trip is about 366.9 miles (590.5 km) and usually takes 07h 46m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Monroe is a useful midpoint, sitting about 183.4 miles from Chapel Hill and 183.6 miles from Oak Island.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 293.2 miles (471.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 73.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $51.29 one way or $102.59 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 115.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Chapel Hill and Mostly Sunny near Oak Island.
Stop Ideas Near Monroe
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Monroe.
Charlotte
Kannapolis
Gastonia
Salisbury
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Chapel Hill and Oak Island. Straight-line distance: 293.14 mi (471.77 km).
#1 Chapel Hill
Town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States
| Population | 63,705 |
| Coordinates | 35.9428800, -82.7087500 |
| Altitude | 658 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Oak Island
City in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States of America
| Population | 8,735 |
| Coordinates | 33.9165600, -78.1611100 |
| Altitude | 3 |
| Country | United States |
End: Oak Island (-78.16111, 33.91656)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 591 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 12h 13m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 10m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 20m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 06m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 14m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 34m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $3.96 | $51.29 | $102.59 |
| Mid-grade | $4.43 | $57.36 | $114.71 |
| Premium | $4.78 | $61.88 | $123.75 |
| Diesel | $5.62 | $72.83 | $145.66 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in North Carolina · Apr 18, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.