How far is Charlotte, NC from Southern Shores, NC?

The driving distance from Charlotte, NC to Southern Shores, NC is about 373.8 miles (601.6 km), with a travel time of about 07h 31m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 293.7 miles (472.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

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.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
373.79 mi
07h 31m
Flight
293.67 mi
472.61 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Charlotte.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
293.67 mi
Kilometers
472.61 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
373.79 mi
Kilometers
601.55 km
Drive Time
07h 31m

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 31m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Southern Shores
Sun, May 31, 6:22 AM EDT
Return by in Charlotte
Sun, May 31, 1:54 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Charlotte
2026-05-30T22:50
Arrive Southern Shores
Sun, May 31, 6:22 AM EDT
Route Timing
07h 31m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:32 PM to 3:02 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
8:56 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Charlotte
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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.

Mid-route stop
Zebulon
NC

City in Pike County, Georgia, United States

From Charlotte
186.7 mi
03h 45m
To Southern Shores
187.1 mi
03h 45m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
This Afternoon

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 5:00 PM EDT
Wind
5 mph N
Destination
Southern Shores Weather
NC
Live fallback forecast
77°F
Saturday
Using Manteo as the closest live forecast in the Dare County weather hub.

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 26 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Charlotte and Southern Shores.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Charlotte and Southern Shores.

  1. 1

    Start on South Tryon Street

    3.5 mi · 7 min · South Tryon Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · West Sugar Creek Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp right toward I 85 North: Concord

    941 ft · 23 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Julius Chambers Highway

    45.4 mi · 52 min · Julius Chambers Highway

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 North: Greensboro, High Point

    32.8 mi · 35 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on US 29, US 70

    5.9 mi · 7 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left

    36.8 mi · 43 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East: Raleigh

    30.3 mi · 35 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Wade Avenue

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Wade Avenue

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight left toward I 440 East, US 1 North: Wake Forest

    2664 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    9.2 mi · 12 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 87 North, US 64 East, US 264 East: Rocky Mount, Wilson, Greenville

    1.2 km · 58 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight right

    16.8 mi · 18 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left

    79.6 mi · 1 hr 26 min

  15. 15

    Turn right

    20.2 mi · 29 min

  16. 16

    Continue on United States Highway 64 East

    1 mi · 2 min · United States Highway 64 East

  17. 17

    Continue on U.S. Highway 64 East

    2.3 mi · 3 min · U.S. Highway 64 East

  18. 18

    Continue on United States Highway 64 East

    39.5 mi · 47 min · United States Highway 64 East

  19. 19

    Keep slight right

    26.2 mi · 36 min

  20. 20

    Continue on South Virginia Dare Trail

    157 m · 11 sec · South Virginia Dare Trail

  21. 21

    Continue on South Croatan Highway

    14.9 mi · 24 min · South Croatan Highway

  22. 22

    Take the exit slight right

    82 m · 8 sec

  23. 23

    Turn straight onto Ocean Boulevard

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Ocean Boulevard

  24. 24

    Turn straight onto Duck Road

    1.5 mi · 5 min · Duck Road

  25. 25

    Turn right onto 3rd Avenue

    1195 ft · 58 sec · 3rd Avenue

  26. 26

    Continue on 3rd Avenue

    78 m · 16 sec · 3rd Avenue

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Charlotte and Southern Shores.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
27 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 87 North
97.1 mi · 26%
United States Highway 64 East
66.8 mi · 18%
Julius Chambers Highway
45.4 mi · 12%
US 29
42.7 mi · 11%
I 85 North
33 mi · 9%
I 40 East
30.3 mi · 8%
Longest Stretch

I 87 North

Keep slight left

79.6 mi · 01h 26m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
07h 31m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+80.1 mi
293.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Zebulon
03h 45m from Charlotte
Leave By
8:56 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Charlotte and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Southern Shores.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Charlotte to Southern Shores?

The road trip is about 373.8 miles (601.6 km) and usually takes 07h 31m 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?

Zebulon is a useful midpoint, sitting about 186.7 miles from Charlotte and 187.1 miles from Southern Shores.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 293.7 miles (472.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 80.1 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 $52.25 one way or $104.49 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 117.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Charlotte and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Southern Shores.

Stop Ideas Near Zebulon

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Zebulon, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Zebulon.

RAIL

Raleigh Union Station

30 mi away
320 West Cabarrus Street
RAIL

Selma–Smithfield

33 mi away
500 East Railroad Street
RAIL

North Carolina State Fair station

35 mi away
1025 Blue Ridge Blvd.
RAIL

Wilson

38 mi away
401 East Nash Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Charlotte and Southern Shores. Straight-line distance: 293.67 mi (472.61 km).

Charlotte

#1 Charlotte

The fourteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Charlotte metropolitan area.

Population900,350
Coordinates35.2270900, -80.8431300
Altitude229
CountryUnited States
Southern Shores

#2 Southern Shores

Town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States

Population2,997
Coordinates36.1390500, -75.7315700
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Start: Charlotte (-80.84313, 35.22709)
End: Southern Shores (-75.73157, 36.13905)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 602 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 27m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 39m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.19 gal
49.93 L · about $52.25
Round trip
$104.49
26.38 gal · 99.86 L
Estimated CO2
117.2 kg one way
Round trip: 234.4 kg / 517 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $52.25 $104.49
Mid-grade $4.43 $58.42 $116.84
Premium $4.78 $63.02 $126.04
Diesel $5.62 $74.18 $148.36

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 · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Charlotte and Southern Shores. The current time is 22:50:46.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.