Best stops on I-440 in North Carolina

All 21 exits ranked by what a road-tripper actually needs: real food choice, easy gas, 24-hour service, and the stops worth a detour. Winners below.

1. Exit 12 — Brentwood Rd

Milepost 12 · 15 places to eat · 10 gas stations · 10 hotels · ♥ Marbles Kids Museum, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

2. Exit 3C-B-A — Wade Avenue;Hillsborough Street

Milepost 3 · 21 places to eat · 10 gas stations · 11 hotels · ♥ North Carolina Museum of Art, East Building

3. Exit 1B — RDU Airport;Durham

Milepost 1 · 29 places to eat · 14 gas stations · 21 hotels · ♥ Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve

4. Exit 2 — Cary;NC State University

Milepost 2 · 29 places to eat · 16 gas stations · 9 hotels · ♥ Carousel

5. Exit 5 — Lake Boone Trail

Milepost 5 · 29 places to eat · 6 gas stations · 10 hotels · ♥ William B. Umstead State Park

6. Exit 10 — Wake Forest Rd

Milepost 10 · 29 places to eat · 17 gas stations · 18 hotels

7. Exit 11 — Wake Forest;Louisburg;Capital Blvd

Milepost 11 · 23 places to eat · 12 gas stations · 10 hotels

8. Exit 11A — Downtown;Capital Blvd

Milepost 11 · 29 places to eat · 15 gas stations · 15 hotels

9. Exit 11B — Wake Forest;Louisburg;Capital Blvd

Milepost 11 · 21 places to eat · 11 gas stations · 17 hotels

10. Exit 13B — Knightdale;New Bern Avenue

Milepost 13 · 29 places to eat · 16 gas stations · 16 hotels

← Every I-440 exit in North Carolina