Origin
Bear, DE
Morning in Bear on Tuesday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bear, DE to Wilmington, DE
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
12.7 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bear, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Wilmington, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward commute, the 12.7-mile connection between Bear and Wilmington is an ideal short-distance trip. You can expect to spend about 18 minutes on the road, making this a perfect day trip for those heading into the city. Since the entire route takes place within Delaware, you will stay comfortably within the Northeast region for the duration of your travel. Budgeting is simple here, as the fuel cost for the trip is estimated at just $2. Because of the short duration, there is no need for an overnight stay or complex planning, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington Expressway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 3 mi | 3m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West 11th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Pulaski Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bear Corbitt Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Adams Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Old Hamburg Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Wilmington Expressway
— 4.6 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bear, DE and Wilmington, DE.
1
Start on Old Hamburg Road
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Old Hamburg Road
2
Turn right onto DE 7
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Bear Corbitt Road
3
Turn right onto US 40
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Pulaski Highway
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
Toward DE 1 North: Christiana, Wilmington
5
Merge onto DE 1
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 165B
Toward I 95 North: Wilmington, Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 95
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Delaware Turnpike
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
Toward I 95, I 495: Wilmington, Philadelphia
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 202
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 7
Toward DE 52: Delaware Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn slight left onto North Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Adams Street
12
Turn right onto West 11th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 11th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Turn right onto US 13 Business
86 ft
·
2 sec
·
North King Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 13 Business
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 11.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward DE 1 North: Christiana, Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 North: Christiana, Wilmington
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
4.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Wilmington, Philadelphia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 165B
Toward I 95 North: Wilmington, Philadelphia
6
7.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 95 / Wilmington Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Wilmington Expressway toward I 95, I 495: Wilmington, Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95, I 495: Wilmington, Philadelphia
7
11.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward DE 52: Delaware Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward DE 52: Delaware Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.11 one way
$4.21 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.31 | $4.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.46 | $4.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.80 | $5.61 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Delaware Turnpike
(1.8 mi)
$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.33 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.81 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Wilmington, DE
Morning in Wilmington on Tuesday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
18m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition between major thoroughfares and local connectors. You will spend roughly 50% of your time on highways, utilizing the Wilmington Expressway, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, and the Delaware Turnpike. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Wilmington Expressway, which covers 4.6 miles of your journey. This balance ensures you get a mix of higher-speed highway driving and the transition into city traffic as you approach Wilmington. It is a functional drive that trades scenic variety for direct, efficient transit between these two points.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.6 mi on Wilmington Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 12.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bear, DE to Wilmington, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Philadelphia along the way.
Philadelphia
4.2 mi in
|
~6m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 12.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.6 miles on Wilmington Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.12 in tolls one way, starting with Delaware Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Wilmington, DE before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — First State National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wilmington, DE before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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