Origin
Elsmere, DE
Night in Elsmere on Saturday
Local time
9:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elsmere, DE to Felton, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
60.7 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elsmere, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Felton, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Elsmere to Felton, you are looking at a straightforward 60.7-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 16 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is short enough to handle in one go without the need for an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, South Dupont Highway, and the Puncheon Run Connector. Budgeting approximately $10 for fuel should cover your needs for this Northeast corridor drive. Because both ends of the trip reside within Delaware, you will remain in a familiar regional setting throughout the transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 41.2 mi | 47m |
| South Dupont Highway | 9.3 mi | 11m |
| Puncheon Run Connector | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 2 mi | 2m |
| South Dupont Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Newport Pike | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Maryland Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 41.2 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elsmere, DE and Felton, DE.
1
Start on DE 2
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
Robert Kirkwood Highway
2
Turn right onto DE 100
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Dupont Road
3
Turn right onto DE 4
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Maryland Avenue
4
Continue on DE 4
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Newport Pike
5
Continue on DE 4
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East Justis Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto North James Street
338 ft
·
13 sec
·
North James Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Turn left onto DE 4
94 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Market Street
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward DE 141 South: New Castle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto DE 141
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
DE 141
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 3B
Toward I 95 South: Newark, Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 95
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Delaware Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 4A
Toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
14
Merge onto DE 1
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
17
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
18
Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Puncheon Run Connector
Exit 97
Toward Salisbury, Norfolk
19
Turn left onto US 13
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
South Dupont Highway
20
Turn right onto DE 12
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
East Main Street
21
Turn left
157 ft
·
11 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Elsmere, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 48.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
North James Street
Turn left onto North James Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward DE 141 South: New Castle
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward DE 141 South: New Castle
8
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Newark, Baltimore
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 3B
Toward I 95 South: Newark, Baltimore
8
6.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4A
Toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover...
7
48.8 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Puncheon Run Connector
Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector toward Salisbury, Norfolk
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 97
Toward Salisbury, Norfolk
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.06 one way
$20.13 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.02 | $22.04 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.77 | $23.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.40 | $26.80 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Delaware Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.50 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Felton, DE
Night in Felton on Saturday
Local time
9:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Clear
NE 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
59°F
Middletown, DE
30 mi in
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
22 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
1h 16m 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 transitions through various road types rather than a monotonous interstate grind. While the route includes a 41.2-mile stretch on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, only 4% of the total distance is classified as highway driving. This makes the experience feel more integrated with the local landscape as you move away from the busier northern areas. You will find that the character of the road shifts as you navigate the connections between the major arteries. It is a practical drive that demands your attention at turns rather than allowing for long periods of high-speed cruising.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.2 mi on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near North James Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.7 miles you will encounter 15 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 2.9 miles (North James Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
99 ft
14 ft
Total Climb
138 ft
Total Descent
180 ft
Highest Point
99 ft
Elevation Range
85 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 Elsmere, DE and Felton, DE, road signs point toward Baltimore, Dover, Beaches, Salisbury and Norfolk.
Baltimore
3.5 mi in
|
~6m
Dover
6.3 mi in
|
~10m
Beaches
6.3 mi in
|
~10m
Salisbury
48.8 mi in
|
~1h
|
via Puncheon Run Connector
Norfolk
48.8 mi in
|
~1h
|
via Puncheon Run Connector
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m 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 41.2 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.14 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 Felton, 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 2.9 miles (North James Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 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 Felton, 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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