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Trip from Newark, 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 13m

Distance

56.7 mi

91 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 7m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States

Newark, DE

Wikimedia Commons

town in Kent County, Delaware, United States

Felton, DE

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling from Newark to Felton covers 56.7 miles, a distance you can typically complete in about 1 hour and 13 minutes. This straightforward journey stays entirely within Delaware, moving you from the northeast corner of the state toward central Delaware. Given the manageable timeframe, it is easily achievable as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stay. You should budget approximately $9 for fuel to complete the transit. Whether you are heading south for business or a visit, this drive offers a practical connection between these two Delaware locales without the need for extensive planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway 34.2 mi 39m
South Dupont Highway 9.3 mi 11m
Wrangle Hill Road 3.6 mi 5m
Sunset Lake Road 2.5 mi 3m
Puncheon Run Connector 2.1 mi 2m
South College Avenue 1.7 mi 2m
South Chapel Street 1.4 mi 2m
East Chestnut Hill Road 0.9 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway — 34.2 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Newark, DE and Felton, DE.

1

Start on this road

229 ft · 19 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn right onto DE 273

0.2 mi · 43 sec · East Main Street
3

Turn left onto DE 896

1.7 mi · 2 min · South College Avenue
4

Turn left onto DE 4

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Chestnut Hill Road
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto DE 72

1.4 mi · 2 min · South Chapel Street
Use the right lane.
6

Continue on DE 72

2.5 mi · 3 min · Sunset Lake Road
7

Continue on DE 72

3.6 mi · 5 min · Wrangle Hill Road
8

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
9

Merge onto DE 1

3.1 mi · 3 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10

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.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll

28 mi · 32 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll

3.0 mi · 3 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
13

Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector

2.1 mi · 2 min · Puncheon Run Connector
Exit 97 Toward Salisbury, Norfolk
14

Turn left onto US 13

9.3 mi · 11 min · South Dupont Highway
15

Turn right onto DE 12

0.5 mi · 58 sec · East Main Street
16

Turn left

157 ft · 11 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Middletown, DE

28 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

Delaware City, DE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Clayton, DE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.3 miles from Newark, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | DE 273 / East Main Street

At end of road, turn right onto DE 273 / East Main Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

4
1.9 mi into trip | ~3m in | DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road

Turn left onto DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | DE 72 / South Chapel Street

Turn right onto DE 72 / South Chapel Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
13.7 mi into trip | ~21m in | DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
44.8 mi into trip | ~57m 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

$9.40 one way

$18.80 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $10.30 $20.59
premium $4.93 $11.00 $21.99
diesel $5.61 $12.52 $25.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17 0 $5.95 $2.72
Efficient EV 14.2 0 $4.96 $2.27
EV Truck/SUV 22.7 0 $7.94 $3.63

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 12, 2026

Origin

Newark, DE

Night in Newark on Saturday

Local time

9:27 PM

EDT

Current temp

39°F

Mostly Clear

N 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Felton, DE

Night in Felton on Saturday

Local time

9:27 PM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Clear

NE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

59°F

Middletown, DE

28 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

2 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

1h 13m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. Your journey relies on a mix of local roads, including Wrangle Hill Road and South Dupont Highway, to navigate the distance. You will spend the most significant portion of your time on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, which accounts for a 34.2-mile stretch of the trip. The road’s personality is defined by these varied local segments, requiring you to stay alert through the frequent turns that characterize the path to Felton.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.2 mi on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 early in the drive near DE 273 / East Main Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.7 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (DE 273 / East Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.9 miles (DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (DE 72 / South Chapel Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Newark, DE and Felton, DE, road signs point toward Beaches, Salisbury and Norfolk.

Beaches

10.2 mi in | ~16m

Salisbury

44.8 mi in | ~57m | via Puncheon Run Connector

Norfolk

44.8 mi in | ~57m | via Puncheon Run Connector

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 56.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m 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 34.2 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: near the start (DE 273 / East Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.9 miles (DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (DE 72 / South Chapel Street): Lane positioning matters here.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Newark, DE or browse trips ending in Felton, DE.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse DE road trips.