Foxfire, NC to Wilmington, NC is 138.6 miles and takes about 2h 56m via Andrew Jackson Highway/US 15, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, traveling through the Southeast region. Expect a route that primarily uses surface roads, making it a more relaxed drive than a pure interstate trip. With just one recommended stop and a duration under three hours, it's a straightforward journey perfect for a single day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
69.3 miles from Foxfire, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway
64.4 mi
1h 18m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
US 15
14.5 mi
19m
Hoffman Road
6.4 mi
9m
Thunder Road
4.8 mi
11m
Addor Road
4.1 mi
5m
Ocean Highway East
3.1 mi
4m
Highland Road
3 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 64.4 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Foxfire, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on Hoffman Road
6.4 mi·9 min·Hoffman Road
2
Turn left onto Thunder Road
4.8 mi·11 min·Thunder Road
3
Continue on Addor Road
1.6 mi·2 min·Addor Road
4
Continue on Addor Road
2.5 mi·3 min·Addor Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto Ashemont Road
0.4 mi·45 sec·Ashemont Road
6
Enter roundabout onto US 15;US 501
27 ft·0 sec·US 15;US 501
7
Continue on US 15;US 501
199 ft·3 sec·US 15;US 501
8
Turn straight onto US 15; US 501
14 mi·19 min·US 15; US 501
9
Enter roundabout
120 ft·2 sec
10
Continue
105 ft·1 sec
11
Turn straight onto US 15; US 501
1.2 mi·1 min·Aberdeen Road
12
Turn slight left onto McFarland Road
1.8 mi·2 min·McFarland Road
13
Continue on Highland Road
3.0 mi·4 min·Highland Road
14
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
0.9 mi·1 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
15
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
16
Merge onto US 74
3.7 mi·4 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
17
Continue on US 74
34 mi·36 min·American Indian Highway
18
Continue on US 74; NC 130
60 mi·1 hr 13 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76
3.1 mi·4 min·Ocean Highway East
20
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi·1 min·Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
21
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi·15 sec·South 3rd Street
22
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Trip Plan
For this 138.6-mile drive, starting in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and allow for a leisurely pace. The total drive time is under 3 hours, so you won't need to split it, giving you flexibility. With a fuel cost estimated at $22, plan to fill up before you leave Foxfire to avoid searching for stations on the surface roads. Keep an eye out for the transition points between the named highways, as this often indicates a change in the local road conditions.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69.3 miles from Foxfire, NC, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 30 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 69.3 miles or 1h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wilmington, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Foxfire, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Foxfire, NC
This is one driving day of about 138.6 miles and 2h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Foxfire, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Andrew Jackson Highway for about 64.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.4 and 36.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
6.4 mi into trip|~9m in|Thunder Road
Turn left onto Thunder Road
Navigation decision point
4
15.3 mi into trip|~26m in|Ashemont Road
At end of road, turn left onto Ashemont Road
Navigation decision point
4
15.7 mi into trip|~26m in|US 15;US 501
Enter roundabout onto US 15;US 501
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
30.2 mi into trip|~46m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
36.3 mi into trip|~55m in|US 74 BUS / Andrew Jackson Highway
Turn left onto US 74 BUS / Andrew Jackson Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.67 one way
$43.35 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg49 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$23.70
$47.40
premium
$4.70
$25.65
$51.30
diesel
$5.61
$30.60
$61.20
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
41.6
0
$14.55
$6.65
Efficient EV
34.7
0
$12.13
$5.54
EV Truck/SUV
55.4
0
$19.40
$8.87
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Foxfire, NC
Afternoon
in Foxfire on Tuesday
Local time
12:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Afternoon
in Wilmington on Tuesday
Local time
12:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
24 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
2h 56m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 124.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with only about 10% on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 64.4 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway before transitioning to American Indian Highway and US 15. Given the profile, anticipate more frequent intersections and lower average speeds compared to interstate travel. This means you'll likely notice a more rural cruising feel for much of the trip.
Only 10% 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: 64.4 mi on Andrew Jackson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 6.4 miles in near Thunder Road.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Foxfire, NC to Wilmington, NC is easy. At 2h 56m with 10% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.4 miles (Thunder Road): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (Ashemont Road): Navigation decision point; at 15.7 miles (US 15;US 501): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Wilmington is a city in the southeastern part of North Carolina. It is the county seat of New Hanover County, and home to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Memorial, the Cape Fear Museum, Airlie Gardens, and a large historic district. It is convenient to nearby beaches, and is a relatively short drive from the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, SC, and the I-95 corridor.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.4 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.4 miles (Thunder Road): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (Ashemont Road): Navigation decision point; at 15.7 miles (US 15;US 501): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. 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, NC before heading back.
