Origin
Wilmington, NC
Late night in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
12:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to Oak Island, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
30.2 mi
49 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Island, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Wilmington, NC to Oak Island, NC is 30.2 miles and takes about 43 minutes via US 17, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within North Carolina's Southeast region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a convenient option if you're looking for a quick transfer between coastal areas without a significant time commitment. The route is primarily surface roads, making it easy to navigate.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 16.9 mi | 23m |
| Midway Road Southeast | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Middleton Street | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Old Ocean Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Middleton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 16.9 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Oak Island, 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
13 mi
·
19 min
·
US 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto US 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Old Ocean Highway
7
Continue on US 17 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
8
Continue on US 17 Business
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Old Ocean Highway
9
Turn left onto NC 906
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Midway Road Southeast
10
Continue on NC 906
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Middleton Street
11
Continue on NC 906
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Middleton Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
NC 906
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 19.3 — 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
17.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway
Turn left onto US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway
Navigation decision point
3
19.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
NC 906 / Midway Road Southeast
Turn left onto NC 906 / Midway Road Southeast
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.72 one way
$9.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.16 | $10.33 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.59 | $11.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.67 | $13.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.17 | $1.45 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Oak Island, NC
Late night in Oak Island on Sunday
Local time
12:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
30 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
43m 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?
This drive is about 56% highway, with the longest stretch on US 17 measuring 16.9 miles. You'll encounter mixed highway and surface road conditions throughout the 30.2-mile trip. Expect a transition from more developed highway driving to local surface streets as you approach your destination.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.9 mi on US 17.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Oak Island, NC is easy. At 43m with 56% 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 17.6 miles (US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway): 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 43m. Total distance: 30.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.9 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 17.6 miles (US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway): Navigation decision point.
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 Oak Island, 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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