Origin
Tabor City, NC
Afternoon in Tabor City on Sunday
Local time
12:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tabor City, NC to Wilmington, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
65.4 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tabor City, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Tabor City to Wilmington, you are facing a straightforward 65.4-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Because of the manageable duration, this trip is perfectly suited as a simple day trip, meaning you do not need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via East 5th Street, James B White Highway South, and South Madison Street to cross the Southeast region of North Carolina. Budgeting roughly $10 for fuel should be sufficient to cover the distance in a standard vehicle. This route is ideal for those who prefer a direct, local connection over the congestion of major interstates, providing a practical way to reach the coast.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 42.2 mi | 54m |
| James B White Highway South | 12.8 mi | 17m |
| Ocean Highway East | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| East 5th Street | 2 mi | 2m |
| South J K Powell Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Powell Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Cape Fear Memorial Bridge | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Madison Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 42.2 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tabor City, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on NC 904
40 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto US 701; NC 410
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
4
Continue on US 701
13 mi
·
17 min
·
James B White Highway South
5
Continue on US 701
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Madison Street
6
Continue on US 701 Bypass; NC 130
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South J K Powell Boulevard
7
Continue on US 701 Bypass; NC 130
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
South Powell Boulevard
8
Continue on US 701 Bypass; NC 130
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jk Powell Boulevard
9
Continue on US 701 Bypass; NC 130
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Powell Boulevard
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Merge onto US 74; US 76
42 mi
·
54 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Ocean Highway East
13
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
14
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
South 3rd Street
15
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.7 miles from Tabor City, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 65.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904 / East 5th Street
Turn left onto US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904 / East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
18.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
19.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
US 74; US 76 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Merge onto US 74; US 76 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
65.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
|
US 421; US 17 Business / South 3rd Street
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business / South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.23 one way
$20.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.18 | $22.36 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.10 | $24.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.44 | $28.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.72 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.16 | $4.19 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Afternoon in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
12:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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 28m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 sprint, as this route features zero highway miles. You will spend your time navigating local roads, which keeps the experience engaging and requires your full attention at the wheel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on East 5th Street, emphasizing that this path demands frequent navigation and maneuvering through the local landscape. Because the entire 65.4 miles are composed of surface roads, you can anticipate a driving environment that changes rhythmically as you transition between the segments of James B White Highway South and South Madison Street.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.2 mi on Andrew Jackson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904 / East 5th Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Tabor City, NC to Wilmington, NC is easy. At 1h 28m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904 / East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Wilmington, NC
Full guide →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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 65.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.2 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. 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: near the start (US 701 Business; NC 410; NC 904 / East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 701; NC 410 / East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 18.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
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.
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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