Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 3m
Distance
88.4 mi
142 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jacksonville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Whiteville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Jacksonville, NC to Whiteville, NC covers 88.4 miles and takes about 2h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Burgaw Highway, Andrew Jackson Highway, NC 11 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.6 miles on Burgaw Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
44.2 miles from Jacksonville, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Burgaw Highway | 30.6 mi | 43m |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 21.5 mi | 26m |
| NC 11 | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| Borough Road | 8.7 mi | 13m |
| Malpass Corner Road | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| East Wilmington Street | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| US 74 Business | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Richlands Highway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, NC and Whiteville, NC.
Start on US 17 Business; NC 24 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto US 258; NC 24 Business
Continue on NC 53
Turn straight onto US 117 Business; NC 53
Turn left onto US 117 Business; NC 53
Turn right onto NC 53
Turn left onto Malpass Corner Road
Continue on NC 210
Turn left onto NC 11
Merge onto US 74; US 76
Take the exit onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business
Turn left onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business
Arrive at destination
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.
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 19 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44.2 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whiteville, NC than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, NC
This is one driving day of about 88.4 miles and 2h 3m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 44.2 miles from Jacksonville, NC, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 63.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto US 117 Business; NC 53 / North Walker Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto NC 53 / East Wilmington Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Malpass Corner Road
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 74; US 76 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$13.55 one way
$27.09 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $14.86 | $29.73 |
| premium | $4.64 | $16.14 | $32.28 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $19.49 | $38.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.28 | $4.24 |
| Efficient EV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.74 | $3.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35.4 | 0 | $12.38 | $5.66 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Jacksonville on Saturday
Local time
6:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Whiteville on Saturday
Local time
6:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
88.4 mi in 2h 3m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 3m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (US 258; NC 24 Business / Richlands Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 33.3 miles (US 117 Business; NC 53 / North Walker Street): Navigation decision point; at 33.4 miles (NC 53 / East Wilmington Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
195 ft
Total Descent
110 ft
Highest Point
99 ft
~88.4 mi in
Elevation Range
90 ft
Founded 1757
Jacksonville is the county seat of Onslow County, North Carolina. The home of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. Jacksonville is in North Carolina's Inner Banks region, approximately a one hour away from the "Port City" Wilmington.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 3m. Total distance: 88.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (15%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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