Top 5 Exits between Charlotte and Greensboro on I85 in NC

Interstate 85 is the second longest highway in North Carolina, but it is debatably the most important one - connecting the three largest areas in the state with a relatively direct route. On the way between, you’ll find some memorable exits and some you’ll try to forget. Here are the top 5 exits on I85 in North Carolina, between Charlotte and Greensboro.

5. Exit 49, in Concord

Possibly the most over rated exit on this list, Exit 49 is the home of what many high people consider to be a travel destination of its own; Concord Mills, an outlet mall that is well over a million square feet in size. Despite it not even being the biggest mall in the state, it is North Carolina’s largest single-site destination tourist attraction. Additionally, Exit 49 is the closest exit to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, yet another tourist attraction.

The exit does have the regular, baseline, exit amenities; gas station, places to eat, etc. Nothing that stands out but enough to get your to where you’re going. The exit ramp and the stop light at the top creates a genuine obstacle. Multiple lights may go by before you get a chance to turn. However, what Exit 49 lacks in convenience, it makes up for in quality. You can go to the AMC theater on the weekends and watch a movie for less than six dollars or you can experience the thrill of indoor sky diving at iFly. Exit 49 also has its location going for it. Not only is it just down the road from Charlotte but it is only a couple of exits away from a local college that coincidentally goes by “the 49ers.”

4. Exit 119, just outside Greensboro

This is easily the most controversial claim on this list. According to the sign it is a Greensboro exit, so it might not fit under the “between Charlotte and Greensboro” category. However, it is technically just a couple of miles outside of the Greensboro city limits so I’m counting it. On the surface, it also looks like a bare bone exit with nothing but a single gas station at the top of the ramp. However, the exit’s significance goes beyond its options.

This exit, which has a smooth and fast exit ramp and breif stoplight, is memorable. It creates its own unique skyline; the bridge raising it above the highway to frame it, the gas station filling in the body, and the distinguishing abandoned sign that is now just a hollowed-out monolith. From a distance, you can make out this shape and just before that you can spot the monolithic rusting arch peeking over the hills. No matter which direction you’re headed or where you are going, once you see exit 119, you’ll know where you’re are.

3. Exit 103, in Thomasville

Now we are getting into the more serious exits. Exit 103 is about fifteen minutes into the drive from Greensboro to Charlotte and represents what all of North Carolina’s exits should strive to be.

As you pull up, you won’t even notice the ramp or stoplight as they’re too seamless to draw any attention. From there you will have your picking of food and gas stations. The nearest one is a large, well maintained Exxon that’s perched on a hill that gives you a view to enjoy while you fill up. Alternatively, you could drive down the road some to find a Sheetz; the top of the gas station food chain. As important as a Sheetz is to a great exit, one isn’t fully complete without a Taco Bell – which is quick to access here. Other options include Cook Out, KFC, Ruby Tuesday’s, and McDonalds. Altogether, this is the textbook definition of a good I85 exit. Other exits should look up to Exit 103 with admiration.

2. Exit 111, in Archdale

Exit 111? Really? Absolutely. This sleeper hit is what the last entry is but elevated to an even higher standard. It is one of the most under apricate exits on all of I85 (just behind Exit 119, of course) and deserves more recognition.

The ramp and light are standard and of high quality but once you pull up, you’re greeted with a water tower with “ARCHDALE” written in all capital letters across the side – even in the distance the scale is mesmerizing. After you look away you turn and see all of your options. First, you’ll see a gas station with a quick turnaround time for any time sensitive trip.

If you continue down the slightly curvy road you will notice a couple of buildings. One stoplight later and those few buildings have grown into several. Seconds later you will see it is: Tarheel Plaza. A shopping center that even your home town might envy. Sheetz, Taco Bell, Grocery Stores, Goodwill, drug stores… everything you could possibly need on a trip. Even a hospital in case of an emergency. It is a super exit that checks all of the boxes and then adds a couple more. Additionally, it is one of the few palindromic exits and one of the two flippable exits. The only down side is its proximity to Greensboro. It’s just barely outside of the city so there is rarely a reason to stop there when traveling that route. That said, there is a lot going for it which is why it secures its spot at number two.

Honorable Mention: Rest Stop at the 100-mile marker

While it isn’t an exit, this rest stop serves a similar purpose but with a unique twist. Instead of refilling you physically with food, drinks, or gas for your car it offers an emotional cool down. There is a short path that circles around the Rest Stop, that creates the perfect antidote for a long car ride. The entire area is far more wooded than any exit you might fight so you can really feel isolated and enjoy nature before you get into you 2012 Nissan Versa and drive for another half our on a government funded interstate.

1. Exit 91, in Lexington

There is no close second, Exit 91 is the best exit on I85 between Charlotte and Greensboro. Despite there not being a Sheetz, it blows Exit 103 and Exit 111 out of the water.

First, the surface layer qualities: it has what is easily the best Taco Bell in the state of North Carolina, a homey feeling gas station, and the great Lexington Parkway Plaza. Much like Exit 119, the Plaza off this exit tell you immediately where you are. It sneaks up on you and then pops out to let you know you’re on the right path. It is the only exit on this stretch that has the trinity of fast food restaurants: Taco Bell, Cook Out, and Chick-fil-a. It only misses a couple of check boxes but the ticks it has are in bold.

The placement of this exit is flawless. It is in between Charlotte and Greensboro, just skewed towards the latter. The drive from Greensboro to Exit 91 is approximately one play through of Paul Baribeau’s self-titled album. When you listen to it enough on the same journey you will start to know what song is associated with what landscape you see when you look off to the side. Right towards the end when Paul says, “don’t expect it could’ve gone any better, don’t believe it could have got any worse,” you know how you’re be able to take a break in a place know nothing about. Mixing the anonymity of going to a city you’ll never call home with the warmness of a city welcoming you home lets you rest in a new way.

Exit 91 is also the perfect place to meet up with you mom after you first semester of college. If you look past what comes up on Google to find a place to eat, you’ll run into an old Sothern diner that will make your family feel at home and you only a little uncomfortable. It is filled with random places you might not have noticed on your first pass through, such as the overstock store Ollie’s that sells items that larger retailers deemed outdate. Anything you want, Exit 91 has and it wants to make sure you enjoy it.

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