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

The driving distance from Southern Shores, NC to Charlotte, NC is about 376.9 miles (606.6 km), with a travel time of about 06h 07m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 293.7 miles (472.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 15m 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
376.94 mi
06h 07m
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 Southern Shores.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
376.94 mi
Kilometers
606.63 km
Drive Time
06h 07m

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 06h 07m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Charlotte
Sun, May 31, 3:54 AM EDT
Return by in Southern Shores
Sun, May 31, 10:02 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Southern Shores
2026-05-30T21:47
Arrive Charlotte
Sun, May 31, 3:54 AM EDT
Route Timing
06h 07m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:08 PM to 1:38 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
11:44 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Southern Shores
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 Southern Shores
184.1 mi
03h 03m
To Charlotte
192.8 mi
03h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
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
Destination
83°F
This Afternoon

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 5:00 PM EDT
Wind
5 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    78 m · 18 sec

  2. 2

    Continue on 3rd Avenue

    1195 ft · 58 sec · 3rd Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Duck Road

    1.5 mi · 5 min · Duck Road

  4. 4

    Continue on Ocean Boulevard

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Ocean Boulevard

  5. 5

    Turn left onto North Croatan Highway

    14.9 mi · 24 min · North Croatan Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on South Virginia Dare Trail

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South Virginia Dare Trail

  7. 7

    Continue on Washington Baum Bridge

    20.7 mi · 28 min · Washington Baum Bridge

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    67.3 mi · 1 hr 27 min

  9. 9

    Turn left

    1.8 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    56.5 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    27.8 mi · 30 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward Rolesville Road

    1173 ft · 29 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Rolesville Road

    94 m · 8 sec

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Rolesville Road

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Rolesville Road

  15. 15

    Turn sharp left onto Marks Creek Road

    2050 ft · 39 sec · Marks Creek Road

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Horton Road

    2310 ft · 44 sec · Horton Road

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Buffaloe Road

    3.8 mi · 7 min · Buffaloe Road

  18. 18

    Take the ramp right

    1943 ft · 24 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Northern Wake Expressway

    15.4 mi · 17 min · Northern Wake Expressway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward US 70 West: Durham

    2972 ft · 1 min

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Glenwood Avenue

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Glenwood Avenue

  22. 22

    Continue on New Raleigh Highway

    2.5 mi · 4 min · New Raleigh Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on South Miami Boulevard

    9.3 mi · 12 min · South Miami Boulevard

  24. 24

    Keep slight left

    42.3 mi · 49 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight right

    7.7 mi · 9 min

  26. 26

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte

    5.4 mi · 6 min

  27. 27

    Keep slight left

    77 mi · 1 hr 24 min

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward Sugar Creek Road

    750 ft · 26 sec

  29. 29

    Turn left onto West Sugar Creek Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · West Sugar Creek Road

  30. 30

    Turn right onto North Tryon Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · North Tryon Street

  31. 31

    Continue on North Church Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · North Church Street

  32. 32

    Continue on North Tryon Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · North Tryon Street

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Tryon Street

Car Route Details

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

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
33 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Washington Baum Bridge
172 mi · 46%
I 85 Business South
82.3 mi · 22%
South Miami Boulevard
59.3 mi · 16%
Northern Wake Expressway
15.4 mi · 4%
North Croatan Highway
14.9 mi · 4%
Buffaloe Road
4.2 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 85 Business South

Keep slight left

77 mi · 01h 24m

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
06h 07m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+83.2 mi
293.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Zebulon
03h 03m from Southern Shores
Leave By
11:44 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

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

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 376.9 miles (606.6 km) and usually takes 06h 07m 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 184.1 miles from Southern Shores and 192.8 miles from Charlotte.

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 83.2 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 $52.68 one way or $105.36 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 118.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Southern Shores and Charlotte. Straight-line distance: 293.67 mi (472.61 km).

Southern Shores

#1 Southern Shores

Town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States

Population2,997
Coordinates36.1390500, -75.7315700
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Charlotte

#2 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
Start: (-75.73213, 36.139196)
End: South Tryon Street (-80.843177, 35.227134)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 607 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 33m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 25m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 42m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.3 gal
50.35 L · about $52.68
Round trip
$105.36
26.6 gal · 100.7 L
Estimated CO2
118.2 kg one way
Round trip: 236.4 kg / 521 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $52.68 $105.36
Mid-grade $4.43 $58.91 $117.81
Premium $4.78 $63.55 $127.09
Diesel $5.62 $74.80 $149.60

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 Southern Shores and Charlotte. The current time is 21:47:00.

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.