Wrightsville Beach to Hanby Beach is 20.7 miles and takes about 36 minutes via Carolina Beach Road, South College Road, and Oleander Drive, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within North Carolina's Southeast region, making it a convenient local excursion. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and navigating through developed areas rather than open highway. It's a straightforward trip, perfect for a quick change of scenery without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Carolina Beach Road
6.1 mi
9m
South College Road
4.9 mi
8m
Oleander Drive
3.6 mi
6m
Dow Road North
1.9 mi
2m
Wrightsville Avenue
1.1 mi
2m
Causeway Drive
1.1 mi
2m
Ocean Boulevard
0.8 mi
1m
South Lake Park Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Carolina Beach Road
— 6.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wrightsville Beach, NC and Hanby Beach, NC.
1
Start on US 76
1.1 mi·2 min·Causeway Drive
2
Continue on US 74; US 76
0.2 mi·30 sec·Wrightsville Avenue
3
Continue on US 74; US 76
0.1 mi·22 sec·Eastwood Road
4
Turn left onto Wrightsville Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·Wrightsville Avenue
5
Turn left onto US 17; US 76
0.1 mi·12 sec·Military Cutoff Road
6
Continue on US 17; US 76
3.6 mi·6 min·Oleander Drive
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto US 117; NC 132
4.9 mi·8 min·South College Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on NC 132
6.1 mi·9 min·Carolina Beach Road
9
Continue on US 421
0.4 mi·48 sec·North Lake Park Boulevard
10
Turn right onto Dow Road North
1.9 mi·2 min·Dow Road North
11
Turn left onto Ocean Boulevard
0.8 mi·1 min·Ocean Boulevard
12
Turn right onto US 421
0.5 mi·1 min·South Lake Park Boulevard
13
Turn right onto Ocean View Avenue
298 ft·10 sec·Ocean View Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Ocean View Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 20.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.5 mi into trip|~3m in|Wrightsville Avenue
Turn left onto Wrightsville Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road
Turn left onto US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road
Navigation decision point
5
6 mi into trip|~11m in|US 117; NC 132 / South College Road
Turn left onto US 117; NC 132 / South College Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
19.3 mi into trip|~33m in|Ocean Boulevard
Turn left onto Ocean Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
20.1 mi into trip|~35m in|US 421 / South Lake Park Boulevard
Turn right onto US 421 / South Lake Park Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.29 one way
$6.58 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg7 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$3.59
$7.18
premium
$4.78
$3.89
$7.79
diesel
$5.35
$4.36
$8.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 71% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
6.2
0
$2.17
$0.99
Efficient EV
5.2
0
$1.81
$0.83
EV Truck/SUV
8.3
0
$2.90
$1.32
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 May 27, 2026
Origin
Wrightsville Beach, NC
Evening
in Wrightsville Beach on Wednesday
Local time
5:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 3:39AM EDT until May 27 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 3:00AM EDT until May 27 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC
Destination
Hanby Beach, NC
Evening
in Hanby Beach on Wednesday
Local time
5:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 12 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 3:39AM EDT until May 27 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 27 at 3:00AM EDT until May 27 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC
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
1 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
36m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is characterized by its turn-heavy local feel, with no highway driving involved (0% highway share). The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.1 miles along Carolina Beach Road. As you progress, you'll transition through different local roads like South College Road and Oleander Drive, each presenting its own set of intersections and traffic patterns. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires constant attention to navigation and road conditions.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.1 mi on Carolina Beach Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 1.5 miles in near Wrightsville Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 36m 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 1.5 miles (Wrightsville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road): Navigation decision point; at 6 miles (US 117; NC 132 / South College Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
42 ft3 ft
Total Climb
68 ft
Total Descent
60 ft
Highest Point
42 ft
~5.9 mi in
Elevation Range
39 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.1 miles on Carolina Beach Road. 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 1.5 miles (Wrightsville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road): Navigation decision point; at 6 miles (US 117; NC 132 / South College Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Hanby Beach, NC before heading back.
