Origin
Wilmington, NC
Late night in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
12:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to Chadbourn, 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 10m
Distance
54.4 mi
88 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
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chadbourn, NC
Mark Stebnicki
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from the coast into the inland Southeast, this 54.4-mile trip from Wilmington to Chadbourn is a straightforward option. You can comfortably complete the journey in about 1 hour and 10 minutes, making it a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $9, it is an economical route for a short getaway. You will navigate primarily via South 3rd Street, Andrew Jackson Highway, and Joe Brown Highway North. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region of North Carolina, the transition between them is smooth and familiar. Overall, this is a practical drive for travelers looking for a direct route without the need for complex planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 48.1 mi | 1h |
| US 17 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| US 76 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| North Brown Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Joe Brown Highway North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Railroad Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 48.1 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Chadbourn, 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
Continue on US 74; US 76
48 mi
·
1 hr
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit onto US 76
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
US 76
6
Turn left onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410
489 ft
·
8 sec
·
Joe Brown Highway North
7
Continue on US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Brown Street
8
Turn right onto West Railroad Avenue
149 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Railroad Avenue
9
Arrive at destination
West Railroad Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 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
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 54.4 — 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
51.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
US 76
Take the exit onto US 76
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
53.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410 / Joe Brown Highway North
Turn left onto US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410 / Joe Brown Highway North
Navigation decision point
4
54.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
West Railroad Avenue
Turn right onto West Railroad Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.51 one way
$17.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.30 | $18.60 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.07 | $20.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.01 | $24.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Chadbourn, NC
Late night in Chadbourn on Sunday
Local time
12:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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 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 10m 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 cruise on this route. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a steady pace through local corridors rather than high-speed travel. The road transitions through various local stretches, requiring your full attention as you navigate the turns. Since there are no designated stops on this 54.4-mile trek, you will likely find yourself behind the wheel for the entire duration without major interruptions. This path is ideal if you prefer local roads that offer a more grounded, hands-on experience behind the wheel compared to the typical highway grind.
Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.1 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 around 0.2 miles in near US 17; US 76; US 421.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Chadbourn, NC is easy. At 1h 10m with 10% 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 51.8 miles (US 76): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 53.4 miles (US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410 / Joe Brown Highway North): Navigation decision point.
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.
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 10m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (10%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48.1 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: at 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 51.8 miles (US 76): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 53.4 miles (US 74 Business; US 76 Business; NC 130; NC 410 / Joe Brown Highway North): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chadbourn, 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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