Origin
Wilmington, NC
Morning in Wilmington on Tuesday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to High Point, NC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 6m
Distance
209.9 mi
338 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$33
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 53m
★
6 AM
4h 6m
8 AM
4h 32m
10 AM
4h 15m
12 PM
4h 13m
3 PM
4h 17m
5 PM
4h 31m
8 PM
3h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
Wilmington, NC to High Point, NC is 209.9 miles and takes about 4h 6m via Andrew Jackson Highway and US 220, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to the same region. Expect a mix of highway driving and surface roads as you make your way inland. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short drive time, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion. It's a practical option for getting between these two points efficiently.
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
104.9 miles from Wilmington, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 80.3 mi | 1h 36m |
| US 220 | 62.7 mi | 1h 11m |
| American Indian Highway | 33.6 mi | 36m |
| I 74 | 15.4 mi | 17m |
| G R Kindley Freeway | 10.5 mi | 11m |
| US 17 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| East Green Drive | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| US 1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 80.3 mi, about 1h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and High Point, 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
60 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 74; NC 130
34 mi
·
36 min
·
American Indian Highway
6
Continue on US 74
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74
11 mi
·
11 min
·
G R Kindley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 311
Toward US 1: Rockingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto US 1
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1
Use the right lane.
10
Turn straight onto US 220
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
US 220
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 220
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
US 220
Use the left lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 220
58 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
US 220
Toward I 73 North, I 74 West, US 220 North: Asheboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74
15 mi
·
17 min
·
I 74
Exit 80
Toward I 74 West: High Point, Winston-Salem
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward Green Drive East
15
Turn left onto Triangle Lake Road
168 ft
·
3 sec
·
Triangle Lake Road
16
Continue on East Green Drive
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East Green Drive
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
South Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
South Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 6m estimated drive time, leaving Wilmington in the morning should allow you to reach High Point with plenty of daylight to spare. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point or where you transition from highway to surface roads. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move off the main highways, as services might become less frequent. The $33 fuel estimate is a good baseline for your budget. Since this is a manageable one-day trip, you have flexibility in your departure time and stop duration.
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 104.9 miles from Wilmington, NC, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.3 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 46 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.9 miles or 2h 4m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near High Point, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wilmington, 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 Wilmington, NC
This is one driving day of about 209.9 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Wilmington, 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 Andrew Jackson Highway for about 80.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
105 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 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 104.9 miles from Wilmington, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Andrew Jackson Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.3 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 192.2 — 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.
6
117.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 19m in
|
US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
128.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 30m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Rockingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 311
Toward US 1: Rockingham
8
134.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 39m in
|
US 220
Keep slight right at fork onto US 220 toward I 73 North, I 74 West, US 220 North: Asheboro
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 73 North, I 74 West, US 220 North: Ash...
9
192.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 44m in
|
I 74
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74 toward I 74 West: High Point, Winston-Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 80
Toward I 74 West: High Point, Winston-Salem
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.82 one way
$65.65 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
73 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $35.89 | $71.78 |
| premium | $4.70 | $38.85 | $77.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $46.34 | $92.69 |
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: 73.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 63 | 0 | $22.04 | $10.08 |
| Efficient EV | 52.5 | 0 | $18.37 | $8.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 84 | 1 | $29.39 | $13.43 |
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% 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
High Point, NC
Morning in High Point on Tuesday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Rockingham, NC
105 mi in
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
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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
About 44% of this drive is on highways. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on Andrew Jackson Highway, covering 80.3 miles. After this, expect a shift to more surface roads. This means you'll transition from potentially faster highway speeds to navigating roads with more frequent intersections and varied speed limits.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.3 mi on Andrew Jackson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 17; US 76; US 421.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 209.9 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 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 117.6 miles (US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 128.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Wilmington, NC to High Point, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Winston-Salem along the way.
Winston-Salem
192.2 mi in
|
~3h 44m
|
via I 74
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 High Point, NC
Full guide →High Point is part of the Piedmont Triad in North Carolina, along with Greensboro and Winston-Salem. High Point is often referred to as the furniture capital of the world due not only to the large number of furniture manufactures in the area, but also because of the International Home Furnishings Markets held each spring and fall. Over 8 million square feet of showroom space is used to draw over 70,000 people from all over the world to each market. This nearly doubles the population of High Point resulting in an economic boom to the entire Triad Area as hotel and motel rooms sell out and many residents rent out rooms, floors, or even their entire home for all or part of the 7 to 10 days during the market period.
Top landmarks
- • Highland Cotton Mills Village Historic District — historic district in High Point, North Carolina
- • Pickett Cotton Mills — historic industrial property at 1200 Redding Drive in southwestern High Point, N...
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 4h 6m. Total distance: 209.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 80.3 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. 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 High Point, 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 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 117.6 miles (US 74 / G R Kindley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 128.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 High Point, NC, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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