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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Smithfield-Selma
Stop for half a day off I-95, not a base: Ava Gardner Museum, a $4 film at the Howell, outlet mall, then drive on.
Smithfield and Selma are two adjacent Johnston County towns on I-95, about 30 minutes south of Raleigh. They are a road-trip pause, not a destination: a small museum pair, a 1920s movie house, an outlet mall and cheap interstate hotels. Most travellers see them in three to five hours between Raleigh and Fayetteville or the coast.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and humidity)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–170 excl. bed · High $170+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Museum entry (Ava Gardner Museum) | $7 adults, $6 seniors/students/military, $5 children |
| Movie ticket at the Howell Theatre | $4, $2.50 matinees |
| Casual Mexican plate | $10–18 |
| Interstate motel double, one night | $70–180 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RDU · Raleigh-Durham International
- About 45–55 min by car via I-40 and I-95; no direct rail link.
Typical fares
- Amtrak Selma → Raleigh
- about $8–12, roughly 30–40 min (check)
- Amtrak Selma → Washington, DC
- about $60–110, roughly 5–6 h (check)
- Taxi or rideshare, Smithfield → Selma
- about $12–20 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is the only practical way: the two towns sit either side of I-95 and the sights are 3–6 km (1.9–3.7 mi) apart. Selma has an Amtrak stop (Carolinian and Palmetto) but no local buses, so arriving by train leaves you walking or calling a taxi. Greyhound stops on the Smithfield outskirts at 2104 S Brightleaf Blvd.A car is the only practical way: the two towns sit either side of I-95 and the sights are 1.9–3.7 mi (3–6 km) apart. Selma has an Amtrak stop (Carolinian and Palmetto) but no local buses, so arriving by train leaves you walking or calling a taxi. Greyhound stops on the Smithfield outskirts at 2104 S Brightleaf Blvd.
See and do
Known for
- Ava Gardner Museum
- Howell Theatre
- Carolina Premium Outlets
- I-95 stop between Raleigh and Fayetteville
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | US 70 west, about 30 min by car | About 40 min |
| Durham, North Carolina | I-40 west via Raleigh, about 50 min | About 1 h |
| Hillsborough, North Carolina | I-40 west then NC 86, about 1 h 10 min | About 1 h 20 min |
| Pittsboro | US 64 west then US 15-501, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min |
| Sanford, North Carolina | US 301 south then US 1, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Fayetteville | I-95 south, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- I-95 exit 95 (Industrial Park Dr)
- Chain motels and the outlet mall; the practical choice for one night with a car.
- Uptown Selma
- Small historic core near the Amtrak station; a few independent stays, quiet at night.
- Downtown Smithfield
- Walkable to both Market Street museums and the Howell Theatre; limited rooms.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the Amtrak station? | Where is the Amtrak station? |
| Is this the road to I-95? | Is this the road to I-95? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Do you have a table for two? | Do you have a table for two? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Without a car you are stranded: no local bus network, taxis are call-only.
- Summer afternoons are hot and humid; plan museum time for midday.
- Small museums keep short, odd hours — check before you drive out.
Low-risk small towns; the real hazards are I-95 traffic, summer heat and the lack of pavements or lighting outside the two downtowns. Standard US advice applies: 911 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Smithfield-Selma yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ava Gardner Museum
- Howell Theatre
- Carolina Premium Outlets
- I-95 stop between Raleigh and Fayetteville
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Johnston County Visitors Bureau: www.johnstoncountync.org/
- Amtrak: www.amtrak.com
- Wikivoyage: Smithfield-Selma, revision 4976086 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4976086
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Smithfield-Selma
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies here; consulates and embassies are in Washington, DC and Atlanta (check).
English is the only language you need.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/smithfield-selma). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.