Origin
Yadkinville, NC
Morning in Yadkinville on Sunday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yadkinville, NC to Wilmington, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 55m
Distance
249 mi
401 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 42m
★
6 AM
4h 56m
8 AM
5h 23m
10 AM
5h 5m
12 PM
5h 2m
3 PM
5h 6m
5 PM
5h 21m
8 PM
4h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yadkinville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Yadkinville, NC to Wilmington, NC is 249 miles and takes about 4h 55m via I 74 and Andrew Jackson Highway, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Carolina, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast coast. It offers a mixed drive experience, making it a manageable one-day journey. You'll encounter a blend of highway and local road travel, making it a practical choice for a direct trip to the coast.
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
124.5 miles from Yadkinville, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 25m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 74 | 89 mi | 1h 39m |
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 70.1 mi | 1h 24m |
| American Indian Highway | 33.6 mi | 36m |
| US 421 | 18.6 mi | 21m |
| East Hamlet Avenue | 12.8 mi | 16m |
| I 40 | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| US 220 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Hamlet Avenue | 3.5 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
I 74
— 89 mi, about 1h 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yadkinville, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on East Main Street
46 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 601
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South State Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
4
Merge onto US 421
19 mi
·
21 min
·
US 421
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 238
Toward I 40 East: Greensboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 40
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto I 74
89 mi
·
1 hr 39 min
·
I 74
Exit 196
Toward I 74 East: High Point
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto US 220
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
US 220
Exit 22
Toward US 220 South: Rockingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
West Broad Avenue
10
Continue on US 74 BUS
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Hamlet Avenue
11
Turn left onto US 74 BUS
466 ft
·
11 sec
·
Raleigh Street
12
Turn right onto US 74 BUS
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Spring Street
13
Turn slight left onto East Hamlet Avenue
13 mi
·
16 min
·
East Hamlet Avenue
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 74
34 mi
·
36 min
·
American Indian Highway
16
Continue on US 74; NC 130
60 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Ocean Highway East
18
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
19
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
South 3rd Street
20
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 55m duration, it's best to depart Yadkinville in the morning to ensure you reach Wilmington with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated around $39, planning your fuel is straightforward. Keep an eye on the road signs as you transition between I 74 and the other named highways to stay on course. This is a route you can easily complete in a single day, offering flexibility for when you choose to start your journey.
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 124.5 miles from Yadkinville, NC, or about 2h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89 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 55 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.5 miles or 2h 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wilmington, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yadkinville, 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 Yadkinville, NC
This is one driving day of about 249 miles and 4h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Yadkinville, 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 I 74 for about 89 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 124.5 miles from Yadkinville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 74 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 89 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 141.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 421
Merge onto US 421
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
20 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East: Greensboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 238
Toward I 40 East: Greensboro
7
28.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 74
Take the exit onto I 74 toward I 74 East: High Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward I 74 East: High Point
7
117.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 15m in
|
US 220
Take the exit onto US 220 toward US 220 South: Rockingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 22
Toward US 220 South: Rockingham
6
141.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 49m in
|
US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.94 one way
$77.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
87 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $42.58 | $85.15 |
| premium | $4.70 | $46.08 | $92.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $54.98 | $109.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74.7 | 0 | $26.15 | $11.95 |
| Efficient EV | 62.3 | 0 | $21.79 | $9.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 99.6 | 1 | $34.86 | $15.94 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Wilmington, NC
Morning in Wilmington on Sunday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Rockingham, NC
125 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
7 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
4h 55m 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.
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 231.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a mixed drive, with 48% of it on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 74, experiencing a longest uninterrupted stretch of 89 miles. As you progress, the drive transitions, incorporating parts of Andrew Jackson Highway and American Indian Highway, which will offer a different feel than the interstate. Expect a varied driving experience that balances efficient highway travel with more local road segments.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 89 mi on I 74.
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 1.4 miles in near 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 12 significant decision points across 249 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 1.4 miles (US 421): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.2 miles (I 74): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 4h 55m. Total distance: 249 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 89 miles on I 74. 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 Wilmington, 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 1.4 miles (US 421): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.2 miles (I 74): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Wilmington, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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