How far is Oak Island, NC from Gastonia, NC?

The driving distance from Oak Island, NC to Gastonia, NC is about 262.5 miles (422.4 km), with a travel time of about 04h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 195.6 miles (314.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 13m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
262.44 mi
04h 36m
Flight
195.62 mi
314.82 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Oak Island.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
195.62 mi
Kilometers
314.82 km
Flight Time
00h 23m

Driving Distance

Road route
262.44 mi
Kilometers
422.36 km
Drive Time
04h 36m

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 04h 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Gastonia
Sat, Apr 18, 9:38 AM EDT
Return by in Oak Island
Sat, Apr 18, 2:15 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Oak Island
2026-04-18T05:01
Arrive Gastonia
Sat, Apr 18, 9:38 AM EDT
Route Timing
04h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:37 AM to 12:37 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
7:46 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Oak Island
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Laurinburg
NC

City in and county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States

From Oak Island
114.5 mi
02h 18m
To Gastonia
148 mi
02h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Oak Island Weather
NC
Live fallback forecast
75°F
Saturday
Using Saint James as the closest live forecast in the Brunswick County weather hub.

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 12 mph SW
Destination
91°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 to 10 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Oak Island and Gastonia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oak Island and Gastonia.

  1. 1

    Start on South Middleton Avenue

    1405 ft · 36 sec · South Middleton Avenue

  2. 2

    Continue on North Middleton Street

    4.1 mi · 6 min · North Middleton Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Southport-Supply Road Southeast

    9 mi · 12 min · Southport-Supply Road Southeast

  4. 4

    Continue on Green Swamp Road Northwest

    25.6 mi · 35 min · Green Swamp Road Northwest

  5. 5

    Take the ramp left

    1058 ft · 26 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Andrew Jackson Highway

    34.1 mi · 39 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on American Indian Highway

    33.6 mi · 37 min · American Indian Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    20.2 mi · 23 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on G R Kindley Freeway

    14.4 mi · 15 min · G R Kindley Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    11.6 mi · 15 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on East Caswell Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · East Caswell Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Salisbury Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Salisbury Street

  13. 13

    Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    6.5 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    6.3 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Carroll M. Edwards Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on East Marshville Boulevard

    2.9 mi · 5 min · East Marshville Boulevard

  17. 17

    Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway

    2247 ft · 35 sec · Carroll M. Edwards Highway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway

    18.4 mi · 21 min · Monroe Expressway

  19. 19

    Merge slight right onto Independence Boulevard

    7.1 mi · 10 min · Independence Boulevard

  20. 20

    Continue on East Independence Expressway

    5.4 mi · 7 min · East Independence Expressway

  21. 21

    Continue on East Independence Boulevard

    1.1 km · 45 sec · East Independence Boulevard

  22. 22

    Merge slight left onto John Belk Freeway

    2.3 mi · 3 min · John Belk Freeway

  23. 23

    Take the exit straight toward NC 27: Freedom Drive

    2.5 mi · 4 min

  24. 24

    Take the ramp slight left

    1678 ft · 41 sec

  25. 25

    Merge slight left

    15.5 mi · 19 min

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 7: East Gastonia

    858 ft · 29 sec

  27. 27

    Turn right onto East Ozark Avenue

    3206 ft · 1 min · East Ozark Avenue

  28. 28

    Continue on East Long Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · East Long Avenue

  29. 29

    Turn left onto North Broad Street

    1264 ft · 29 sec · North Broad Street

  30. 30

    Turn right onto East Franklin Boulevard

    2639 ft · 55 sec · East Franklin Boulevard

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Franklin Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Oak Island and Gastonia.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
31 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
4 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Andrew Jackson Highway
65.9 mi · 25%
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi · 13%
Green Swamp Road Northwest
25.8 mi · 10%
Monroe Expressway
18.4 mi · 7%
NC 27
18.2 mi · 7%
G R Kindley Freeway
14.4 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Andrew Jackson Highway

Merge slight left onto Andrew Jackson Highway

34.1 mi · 00h 39m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 36m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+66.9 mi
195.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Laurinburg
02h 18m from Oak Island
Leave By
7:46 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Oak Island and Sunny near Gastonia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Oak Island to Gastonia?

The road trip is about 262.5 miles (422.4 km) and usually takes 04h 36m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Laurinburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 114.5 miles from Oak Island and 148 miles from Gastonia.

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

The direct path is about 195.6 miles (314.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 66.9 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 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:46 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $36.68 one way or $73.36 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 82.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Oak Island and Sunny near Gastonia.

Stop Ideas Near Laurinburg

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Laurinburg, 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 Laurinburg.

RAIL

Hamlet

25 mi away
West Main St. and North Bridges St.
RAIL

Dillon

40 mi away
100 North Railroad Avenue
RAIL

Southern Pines

45 mi away
235 Northwest Broad Street
RAIL

Fayetteville

61 mi away
472 Hay Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Oak Island and Gastonia. Straight-line distance: 195.62 mi (314.82 km).

Oak Island

#1 Oak Island

City in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States of America

Population8,735
Coordinates33.9165600, -78.1611100
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Gastonia

#2 Gastonia

The most populous city in Gaston County, North Carolina.

Population77,640
Coordinates35.2620800, -81.1873000
Altitude245
CountryUnited States
Start: South Middleton Avenue (-78.161026, 33.916558)
End: West Franklin Boulevard (-81.187301, 35.262154)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 422 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 44m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 44m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.26 gal
35.06 L · about $36.68
Round trip
$73.36
18.52 gal · 70.12 L
Estimated CO2
82.3 kg one way
Round trip: 164.6 kg / 363 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $36.68 $73.36
Mid-grade $4.43 $41.01 $82.03
Premium $4.78 $44.24 $88.49
Diesel $5.62 $52.08 $104.16

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

There is no time difference between Oak Island and Gastonia. The current time is 05:01:19.

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.