This straightforward 81.4-mile drive from Mount Olive to Wilmington, North Carolina, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 37 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Primarily utilizing I-40, you'll experience a highway-focused journey with a comfortable fuel cost estimated at $13. The route stays within North Carolina's Southeast region, offering a direct path to your destination. With no recommended stops, this trip is designed for efficiency, allowing you to reach Wilmington without needing an overnight stay. It's an uncomplicated option for getting from point A to point B.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.7 miles from Mount Olive, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
64.6 mi
1h 9m
US 117 Connector
7.4 mi
9m
Market Street
2.3 mi
4m
North College Road
1.2 mi
1m
Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
1.1 mi
1m
Lees Country Club Road
1 mi
1m
Wooster Street
1 mi
2m
North Kerr Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 64.6 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Olive, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on Northwest Center Street
442 ft·21 sec·Northwest Center Street
2
Turn right onto West Main Street
362 ft·21 sec·West Main Street
3
Turn left onto South Chestnut Street
0.3 mi·46 sec·South Chestnut Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto West Kornegay Street
111 ft·9 sec·West Kornegay Street
5
Turn left onto South Chestnut Street
0.3 mi·40 sec·South Chestnut Street
6
Turn straight onto US 117 Alternate
0.3 mi·41 sec·South Breazeale Avenue
7
Turn right onto Lees Country Club Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Lees Country Club Road
8
Turn left onto US 117 Connector
7.4 mi·9 min·US 117 Connector
9
Turn left
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 40
10
Merge onto I 40
65 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 40
11
Continue on US 117; NC 132
1.2 mi·1 min·North College Road
12
Turn right onto US 74
1.1 mi·1 min·Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
13
Turn left onto North Kerr Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·North Kerr Avenue
14
Turn right onto US 17 Business
2.3 mi·4 min·Market Street
15
Turn left onto South 16th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·South 16th Street
16
Turn right onto US 17; US 76
1.0 mi·2 min·Wooster Street
17
Turn right onto US 17 Business
92 ft·2 sec·South 3rd Street
18
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Trip Plan
Given its short duration of under two hours, this route offers flexibility; you can depart at your convenience. The estimated fuel cost of $13 means you likely won't need frequent refueling stops, but it's always wise to check your tank before leaving Mount Olive. Since there are no mandatory stops suggested, plan your breaks based on personal need. Keep an eye on traffic conditions as you approach Wilmington, as Market Street can become busy. This direct drive is ideal for a quick transit, so focus on a smooth and timely arrival.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.7 miles from Mount Olive, NC, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.6 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 18 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.7 miles or 48m 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 18m
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 Mount Olive, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Mount Olive, NC
This is one driving day of about 81.4 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Mount Olive, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 40 for about 64.6 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 0.1 and 80.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West Main Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Chestnut Street
Turn left onto South Chestnut Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|West Kornegay Street
At end of road, turn right onto West Kornegay Street
Navigation decision point
4
9.5 mi into trip|~14m in
Turn left toward I 40
Navigation decision point
Toward I 40
4
80.4 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|US 17; US 76 / Wooster Street
Turn right onto US 17; US 76 / Wooster Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.73 one way
$25.46 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$13.92
$27.84
premium
$4.70
$15.07
$30.13
diesel
$5.61
$17.97
$35.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.4
0
$8.55
$3.91
Efficient EV
20.4
0
$7.12
$3.26
EV Truck/SUV
32.6
0
$11.40
$5.21
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (64% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Mount Olive, NC
Late night
in Mount Olive on Sunday
Local time
3:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Late night
in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
3:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Clear
SW 8 mph0% chanceLive 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
8 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 37m 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.
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 56.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a largely highway-focused experience on this route, with 90% of the drive taking place on major roads like I-40. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 64.6 miles on I-40, providing a consistent pace. The journey transitions through US 117 Connector and Market Street closer to Wilmington, offering a slight change in scenery and road type. This drive is characterized by its speed and directness, minimizing complex navigation and maximizing forward progress.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.6 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 117 Connector. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 37m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (South Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (West Kornegay Street): Navigation decision point.
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.
The longest stretch is about 64.6 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (South Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (West Kornegay Street): Navigation decision point.
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.
