Origin
Cheswold, DE
Night in Cheswold on Saturday
Local time
9:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cheswold, DE to Elsmere, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
43.2 mi
70 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cheswold, DE
Vladislovas Sketerskis
Elsmere, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Cheswold to Elsmere, expect a straightforward journey covering 43.2 miles. You can comfortably complete this drive in about 56 minutes, making it a perfect one-day excursion. Budgeting around $7 for fuel should cover your needs for the entire trip. Since the drive is relatively short and contained entirely within Delaware, you won't need to worry about overnight lodging. Navigating this route involves a mix of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, South Dupont Boulevard, and the Kirkwood Highway. It is a practical, efficient way to travel between these two points in the Northeast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 31.3 mi | 36m |
| Kirkwood Highway | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| South Dupont Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Stanton Christiana Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| North Dupont Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Limestone Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Mitch Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 31.3 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cheswold, DE and Elsmere, DE.
1
Start on DE 42
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 13
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dupont Highway
3
Continue on US 13
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Dupont Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
524 ft
·
13 sec
Toward DE 1 Toll: Dover, Beaches, Wilmington
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
6
Merge onto DE 1 Toll
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto DE 1
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Toward DE 1 North: Wilmington, Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on DE 7
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Stanton Christiana Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on DE 7; DE 4
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Mitch Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on DE 7
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Limestone Road
12
Turn right onto DE 2
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Kirkwood Highway
Use the right lane.
13
Arrive at destination
DE 2
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Cheswold, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 4.8 and 39.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward DE 1 Toll: Dover, Beaches, Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 Toll: Dover, Beaches, Wilmington
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
4
24.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
8
31.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway toward DE 1 North: Wilmington, Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward DE 1 North: Wilmington, Baltimore
4
39.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
DE 2 / Kirkwood Highway
Turn right onto DE 2 / Kirkwood Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.16 one way
$14.32 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.84 | $15.69 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.38 | $16.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.54 | $19.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Elsmere, DE
Night in Elsmere on Saturday
Local time
9:24 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
SW 5 to 10 mph
30% chance
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
56m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. While you will spend a significant portion of your time on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 31.3 miles, the route is not a monotonous highway grind. Because the highway share is 0%, the character of the road is defined by local transitions rather than long-distance interstate cruising. You will experience a blend of thoroughfares as you maneuver toward your destination. Be prepared for a variety of road types that require your full attention as the environment shifts during the 56-minute transit.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.3 mi on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.2 miles you will encounter 6 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 24.6 miles (DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
113 ft
20 ft
Total Climb
210 ft
Total Descent
131 ft
Highest Point
113 ft
~41.4 mi in
Elevation Range
93 ft
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.
Between Cheswold, DE and Elsmere, DE, road signs point toward Beaches, Wilmington and Baltimore.
Beaches
4.8 mi in
|
~7m
Wilmington
4.8 mi in
|
~7m
Baltimore
31.1 mi in
|
~38m
|
via DE 1
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 43.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.3 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Elsmere, 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 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 24.6 miles (DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Elsmere, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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