Jonesville to Wilmington is 266.5 miles and takes about 5h 15m via I 74 and Andrew Jackson Highway, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you across North Carolina, staying within the Southeast region. Expect a mixed drive with a significant portion on interstate highways, but also some time on state routes. Given the manageable distance and duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day journey. Plan for one recommended stop along the way to break up the approximately 5-hour drive.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
133.2 miles from Jonesville, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 74
89 mi
1h 39m
Andrew Jackson Highway
70.1 mi
1h 24m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
US 421
27.6 mi
31m
East Hamlet Avenue
12.8 mi
16m
I 77
8.1 mi
8m
I 40
7.3 mi
8m
US 220
4.8 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
I 74
— 89 mi, about 1h 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jonesville, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on US 21 BUS
62 ft·3 sec·Bridge Street
2
Turn straight onto NC 67
1.4 mi·2 min·Winston Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
4
Merge onto I 77; US 21 BYP
8.1 mi·8 min·I 77; US 21 BYP
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward US 421 South: Yadkinville, Winston-Salem
6
Merge onto US 421
28 mi·31 min·US 421
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Exit 238Toward I 40 East: GreensboroUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 40
7.3 mi·8 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto I 74
89 mi·1 hr 39 min·I 74
Exit 196Toward I 74 East: High PointUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto US 220
4.8 mi·6 min·US 220
Exit 22Toward US 220 South: RockinghamUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
2.5 mi·4 min·West Broad Avenue
12
Continue on US 74 BUS
3.5 mi·5 min·Hamlet Avenue
13
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
466 ft·11 sec·Raleigh Street
14
Turn right onto US 74 BUS
0.3 mi·41 sec·Spring Street
15
Turn slight left onto East Hamlet Avenue
13 mi·16 min·East Hamlet Avenue
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
10 mi·10 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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 266.5-mile trip, departing in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and avoid feeling rushed. With a total drive time of around 5 hours and 15 minutes, you can comfortably complete this in one day. The recommendation for one stop is a good guideline to keep you refreshed. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before embarking on the 89-mile stretch on I-74, as services can be more spread out on highways. This route is flexible enough that you can adjust your stop timing based on how you feel.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 133.2 miles from Jonesville, NC, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89 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 59 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133.2 miles or 2h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 15m
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 Jonesville, 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 Jonesville, NC
This is one driving day of about 266.5 miles and 5h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Jonesville, 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 I 74 for about 89 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 9.7 and 158.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
9.7 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward US 421 South: Yadkinville, Winston-Salem
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 421 South: Yadkinville, Winston-Salem
7
37.5 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East: Greensboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 238
Toward I 40 East: Greensboro
7
45.8 mi into trip|~54m in|I 74
Take the exit onto I 74 toward I 74 East: High Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward I 74 East: High Point
7
134.8 mi into trip|~2h 34m in|US 220
Take the exit onto US 220 toward US 220 South: Rockingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 22
Toward US 220 South: Rockingham
6
158.8 mi into trip|~3h 8m in|US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.67 one way
$83.35 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$45.57
$91.13
premium
$4.70
$49.32
$98.65
diesel
$5.61
$58.84
$117.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80
0
$27.98
$12.79
Efficient EV
66.6
0
$23.32
$10.66
EV Truck/SUV
106.6
1
$37.31
$17.06
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Jonesville, NC
Morning
in Jonesville on Tuesday
Local time
8:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Morning
in Wilmington on Tuesday
Local time
8:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Rockingham, NC
133 mi in
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
27 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
5h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 248.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a mixed profile, with 51% of the journey utilizing major highways. You'll encounter stretches on I-74, which offers consistent speed, and then transition to roads like Andrew Jackson Highway and American Indian Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 89 miles on I-74. As you progress, the character of the drive will shift from faster interstate travel to potentially more varied conditions on the state highways. Be prepared for this change in pace and road type.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89 mi on I 74.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 9.7 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 266.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.8 miles (I 74): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 15m. Total distance: 266.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 89 miles on I 74. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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, NC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.8 miles (I 74): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Wilmington, NC before the return drive.
