Origin
Wilmington, NC
Late night in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to Calabash, 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 5m
Distance
48 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Calabash, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 48-mile drive from Wilmington, NC, to Calabash, NC, will take you about 1 hour and 5 minutes to complete. Since it's entirely within North Carolina and the Southeast region, you won't be crossing any state lines. With a modest fuel cost of around $8, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. The route is characterized by frequent turns rather than long stretches on highways, making it a more engaged driving experience. You'll primarily be on local roads like South 3rd Street, Thomasboro Road, and Beach Drive Southwest, so plan for a more intimate journey through the area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 43.6 mi | 57m |
| Thomasboro Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| South 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Beach Drive Southwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| River Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 43.6 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Calabash, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business
372 ft
·
14 sec
·
South 3rd Street
2
Continue on US 17 Business
508 ft
·
23 sec
·
South 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto US 17; US 76; US 421
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
US 17; US 76; US 421
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
5
Continue on US 17
40 mi
·
52 min
·
US 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
407 ft
·
11 sec
7
Continue on SR 1165
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Thomasboro Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto NC 179
406 ft
·
16 sec
·
Beach Drive Southwest
9
Turn left onto River Road
34 ft
·
1 sec
·
River Road
10
Arrive at destination
River Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24 miles from Wilmington, 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 0.2 and 48 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 17; US 76; US 421
Turn right onto US 17; US 76; US 421
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
3.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
44.3 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
47.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
NC 179 / Beach Drive Southwest
At end of road, turn right onto NC 179 / Beach Drive Southwest
Navigation decision point
5
48 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
River Road
Turn left onto River Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.51 one way
$15.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.21 | $16.41 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.88 | $17.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.60 | $21.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.72 | $3.07 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Calabash, NC
Late night in Calabash on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°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
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 5m 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' for this 48-mile journey. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating a network of local roads for the entire trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the profile suggests you'll be making frequent adjustments to your course. This means you'll be more actively involved in steering and monitoring your navigation compared to cruising on an interstate. The road character will likely shift as you move from more urban areas in Wilmington to the coastal surroundings as you approach Calabash.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.6 mi on US 17.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and Thomasboro Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 17; US 76; US 421.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Calabash, NC is easy. At 1h 5m with 91% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 44.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Starting 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.
Arriving in Calabash, NC
Full guide →Calabash is a coastal community of 2,000 people (2020) in North Carolina, bordering South Carolina. Billed as "The Seafood Capital of the World", Calabash is famous for its seafood, prepared with the namesake "Calabash Style" cooking. It's worth visiting for more than the food, the town offers an abundance of shops, golf courses, and opportunities for maritime recreation, including charter fishing and boat tours.
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 5m. Total distance: 48 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.6 miles on US 17. 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 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 44.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Calabash, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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