This 213.6-mile drive from Reidsville, NC, to Wilmington, NC, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 4 hours and 6 minutes. You'll primarily be on I-40, with portions of NC 87 and Sam Hunt Freeway contributing to the journey. Given the relatively short duration and highway-focused profile, it's a straightforward transit between two points within the Southeast region. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $33, making it an economical option. This route is best suited for those prioritizing efficiency and a direct path to their destination.
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
106.8 miles from Reidsville, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
149.2 mi
2h 43m
NC 87
17.5 mi
20m
Sam Hunt Freeway
14.3 mi
16m
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
11.3 mi
12m
West Webb Avenue
4.7 mi
6m
Barnes Street
4.5 mi
6m
Market Street
2.3 mi
4m
North College Road
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 149.2 mi, about 2h 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reidsville, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on South Scales Street
0.6 mi·56 sec·South Scales Street
2
Turn left onto Richardson Drive
0.7 mi·1 min·Richardson Drive
3
Turn right onto Barnes Street
4.5 mi·6 min·Barnes Street
4
Continue on NC 87
17 mi·20 min·NC 87
5
Turn left onto NC 87; NC 100
4.7 mi·6 min·West Webb Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on NC 87
0.3 mi·27 sec·West Elm Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto NC 49; NC 54; NC 87
0.9 mi·1 min·West Harden Street
Use the left lane.
8
Enter roundabout onto NC 54
78 ft·1 sec·East Harden Street
9
Continue on NC 54
0.8 mi·1 min·East Harden Street
10
Turn left
0.2 mi·31 sec
11
Merge onto I 40; I 85
14 mi·16 min·Sam Hunt Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
30 mi·34 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: RaleighUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
9.5 mi·10 min·I 40
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on I 40; US 64
3.2 mi·3 min·Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
8.1 mi·9 min·Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi·2 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
1.7 mi·1 min
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland RdUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Merge onto I 40
107 mi·1 hr 55 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: Benson, Wilmington
19
Continue on US 117; NC 132
1.2 mi·1 min·North College Road
20
Turn right onto US 74
1.1 mi·1 min·Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
21
Turn left onto North Kerr Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·North Kerr Avenue
22
Turn right onto US 17 Business
2.3 mi·4 min·Market Street
23
Turn left onto South 16th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·South 16th Street
24
Turn right onto US 17; US 76
1.0 mi·2 min·Wooster Street
25
Turn right onto US 17 Business
92 ft·2 sec·South 3rd Street
26
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour, 6-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Reidsville to maximize your day in Wilmington. Since the route is primarily highway and fits comfortably within a single day, flexibility with stops is key; plan for one brief stop to stretch your legs or refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 149.2-mile stretch on I-40, as services might be less frequent in certain sections. The $33 fuel cost is an estimate, so factoring in a little extra is always wise.
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 106.8 miles from Reidsville, NC, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 149.2 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 47 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 106.8 miles or 2h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 19m
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 Reidsville, 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 Reidsville, NC
This is one driving day of about 213.6 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Reidsville, 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 40 for about 149.2 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 23.2 and 97.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
23.2 mi into trip|~28m in|NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue
Turn left onto NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
44.4 mi into trip|~55m in|I 40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Raleigh
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 40 East: Raleigh
6
74.7 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
95.5 mi into trip|~1h 54m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
97.6 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.40 one way
$66.80 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$36.52
$73.04
premium
$4.70
$39.53
$79.07
diesel
$5.61
$47.16
$94.32
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 74.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.1
0
$22.43
$10.25
Efficient EV
53.4
0
$18.69
$8.54
EV Truck/SUV
85.4
1
$29.90
$13.67
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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 15, 2026
Origin
Reidsville, NC
Morning
in Reidsville on Sunday
Local time
7:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Morning
in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
7:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
21 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
4h 6m 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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 191.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a drive that is 90% highway, meaning you'll spend the majority of your time on faster-paced roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 149.2 miles on I-40, so be prepared for extended periods of consistent speed. This highway-focused profile suggests a generally efficient, though potentially less varied, driving experience. While you'll encounter other major roads like NC 87 and Sam Hunt Freeway, the overall character is geared towards covering distance quickly.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 149.2 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and NC 87. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 23.2 miles in near NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 213.6 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 23.2 miles (NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 44.4 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Reidsville is a city of 14,000 people (2018) near Greensboro, North Carolina. Reidsville offers two public lakes for recreation, trails, greenways, parks, historic homes, and a farmer's market. Reidsville thrived in the 19th century growing tobacco and manufacturing cigarettes. Later, many textile mills were established in the town's but as those industries have declined, the town's economy has diversified.
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 4h 6m. Total distance: 213.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 149.2 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 23.2 miles (NC 87; NC 100 / West Webb Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 44.4 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.7 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Wilmington, NC, but most travelers stay overnight.
