Halfway Between DC and Charleston
 

Hi,
My husband and I are attending a wedding in Charleston over the summer. We'll be driving down from DC and we're thinking of dividing the drive into 2 days with less to drive on the 2nd day so we are looking for a good place to stop and spend a night. DC is 500 miles from Charleston, so we were thinking somewhere along 95 in North Carolina or northern South Carolina. Since we'll be arriving during the evening, the location doesn't need to have a lot to do, just a nice hotel or B&B with a good restaurant nearby and maybe a downtown area to walk around. Anyone have any suggestions?

I assume you will be coming down I95. I suggest you take it to I40 in NC and go to Wilmington for the night. Then the next day drive down Route 17 to Charleston. it will be about a 3 hour drive, and will be an interesting one. It may make a slightly longer first day, but that will be all interstate so a bit easier/faster. Route 17 is 4 lane all the way, congested around Myrtle Beach but not a bad drive.

I hope you do find somewhere interesting to stay along the way. It will not be easy. We live in DC, have a beach house in Charleston and make this trip 4 or 5 times a year.

We have yet to find a good place to overnight. Our best experience so far has been a stopover in Pinehurst, NC, but it's a bit of a detour, adding an hour to the trip. The Pinehurst Inn is somewhat costly but has a great pool and good food nearby.

Another time we took I-85 south and stopped in Chapel Hill. Delightful but also added over an hour to the trip.

The logical places -- Wilson, Smithfield, Fayetteville -- leave much to be desired both in rooms and food. Please post back if you find something great.

I second Gretchen's suggestion. Route 95 to Route 40 just past Wilson. Route 40 to Wilmington. Next morning take Route 17 south to Charleston.

Yea, 50 years ago when they decided to build I-95, they chose not to put I-95 through a city or metro area. They chose I-85 for this purpose. Wilmington will be OK but somewhat out of the way for my tastes. I would go to Mrytle area and stay on the south side in one of the nice areas. Take 17 from there and you will be a couple hour and half away, 2 at the most.

You can go to Wilmington and go 17 but you will hit every stoplight between Wilmington and Charleston, but a nice drive.

I95exitguide.com is a useful website that tells you what is at each exit along that route.

But good luck - I made this same drive alone a few months back and since I was unable to leave DC area until mid-afternoon, I just wanted a safe, clean place to sleep with something to eat nearby. Could not find it. Stopped in Rocky Mount (since it had 3 exits off of I95 I thought it would be a reasonable stop).

Creepy and desolate. Stayed at some non-descript chain at first Rocky Point exit. Nothing to eat but fast food. Got back on highway and drove about 7 miles to next exit - not much more. Hotel was clean, but had exterior doorways to rooms and I was not comfortable there.

Could not find any downtowns anywhere along route. Subway above gives a reasonable explanation for why this is so. Do seems like you either make a detour or stay at some mediocre place.

Follow previous suggestions and stay in Wilmington. If it's not a Saturday or Sunday, drive further south through Carolina Beach (weekend traffic is bad) and take the ferry over to Southport. When you get to 17, be sure to take the bypass to skirt around Myrtle Beach (unless you love seeing chain restaurants and miniature golf/outlet malls). The first day drive will be long--but Wilmington is a charming city and the next day's drive will only be about 3 hours.

I'll come back and say to Subway that 17 is a pretty open road from south of the Wilmington beaches to MB where it is congested, as I said, and then very open to Charleston.
For a nice small side trip the OPs could go over to Pawley's Island's historic district--where the Charleston rice planters came for the summer to escape malaria. and then a bit down the road take a little tour of Georgetown's historic district from Revolutionary War times.

I second Wilmington. It's a neat little city, the waterfront is fun (restaurants, shopping, galleries).

And here's how to avoid Myrtle Beach traffic as you head south to Charleston. (My detailed explanation of the "bypass" TrvlMaven suggested.)

Take Hwy 17 South from Wilmington, then 9 North for a short time after you pass through Little River to get to Hwy 31 (the bypass TrvlMaven spoke of--but don't confuse it with Hwy 17 bypass which is no longer a bypass).

Take Hwy 31 south past MB either to its endpoint at Hwy 544 near Surfside beach (take the second exit & just keep going straight on 544 to get to Hwy 17 again, turn right heading south & follow it all the way to Charleston).

Alternatively, if you really want to avoid MB area traffic, do we what sometimes do heading to Charleston: Take Hwy 701 South to Georgetown and then reconnect to Hwy 17. To do this, you would still exit off Hwy 31 at its endpoint, but take the FIRST exit onto 544 heading toward Conway. Follow that all the way to the 501 bypass North exit, heading to Conway, and then follow the signs to get to 701 South (to Georgetown)--it's a little tricky, but you'll basically make two right turns at intersections. 701 truly bypasses all MB area traffic. The drive from Georgetown to Charleston on 17 is very easy (well, you'll hit traffic in Mt. Pleasant just north of Charleston, but no avoiding that). Stop in at McClellanville off Hwy 17 if you want a nice break--if you can make lunch at T.W. Graham's there, even better.

Thanks so much for the tips. Looks like it may be Wilmington for the night then up early for the rest of the drive to Charleston.
Thanks again.

Glad Beachdweller chimed in. That road has been open for a little while but because we don't really go that way, I couldn't put it together. It is WELL worth going that way from the north to the south.