Wilmington, NC to Rockingham, NC is 127 miles and takes about 2h 34m via Andrew Jackson Highway, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. It's a straightforward drive that primarily utilizes surface roads, making it a good option if you prefer to avoid the interstate. With a duration under three hours and a low fuel cost, this route is easily manageable for a single day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
63.5 miles from Wilmington, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway
80.3 mi
1h 36m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
US 17
3.5 mi
4m
West Hamlet Avenue
3.5 mi
5m
US 74 BUS
2.9 mi
4m
Broad Avenue
2.2 mi
3m
Spring Street
0.3 mi
<1m
South Lee Street
0.2 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 Rockingham, 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 right at fork onto US 74 BUS
2.9 mi·4 min·US 74 BUS
Exit 321Toward US 74 Business: HamletUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
380 ft·6 sec
9
Turn straight onto US 74 BUS
0.3 mi·41 sec·Spring Street
10
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
466 ft·11 sec·Raleigh Street
11
Turn right onto US 74 BUS
3.5 mi·5 min·West Hamlet Avenue
12
Continue on US 74 BUS
2.2 mi·3 min·Broad Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto South Lee Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·South Lee Street
14
Turn right onto West Washington Street
184 ft·7 sec·West Washington Street
15
Continue on West Washington Street
108 ft·3 sec·West Washington Street
16
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
Trip Plan
Given the short 2h 34m drive time, you have plenty of flexibility with your departure. Leaving Wilmington in the morning should get you to Rockingham with ample daylight remaining. The route has only one recommended stop, so you can decide if you need a break based on your personal comfort. Keep an eye on your fuel as you'll be on surface roads for most of the trip; the estimated fuel cost is $20. Since this is a single-day drive, you can easily adjust your timing if needed.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.5 miles from Wilmington, NC, or about 1h 18m 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 28 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63.5 miles or 1h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rockingham, 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 127 miles and 2h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 121 — 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.
8
117.6 mi into trip|~2h 19m in|US 74 BUS
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74 BUS toward US 74 Business: Hamlet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 321
Toward US 74 Business: Hamlet
4
120.5 mi into trip|~2h 23m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
120.9 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|US 74 BUS / Raleigh Street
Turn left onto US 74 BUS / Raleigh Street
Navigation decision point
4
121 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|US 74 BUS / West Hamlet Avenue
Turn right onto US 74 BUS / West Hamlet Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.86 one way
$39.72 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$21.72
$43.43
premium
$4.70
$23.51
$47.01
diesel
$5.61
$28.04
$56.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.1
0
$13.33
$6.10
Efficient EV
31.8
0
$11.11
$5.08
EV Truck/SUV
50.8
0
$17.78
$8.13
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Wilmington, NC
Late night
in Wilmington on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Rockingham, NC
Late night
in Rockingham on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
2h 34m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
In the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Loyalist forces charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 17.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 127-mile route is mostly surface roads, with only about 5% on highways. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on local roads like Andrew Jackson Highway and American Indian Highway. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 80.3 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. Expect a more rural cruising experience with fewer exits than you'd find on an interstate.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 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?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 17; US 76; US 421.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 34m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow 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 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 120.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 120.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Rockingham, NC before heading back.
