Origin
Bethlehem, NC
Evening in Bethlehem on Tuesday
Local time
7:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethlehem, NC to Wilmington, NC
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
5h 23m
Distance
251.3 mi
404 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 10m
★
6 AM
5h 23m
8 AM
5h 50m
10 AM
5h 33m
12 PM
5h 30m
3 PM
5h 34m
5 PM
5h 49m
8 PM
5h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethlehem, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Bethlehem, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 251.3 miles and takes about 5h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Andrew Jackson Highway, American Indian Highway, NC 16 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 91 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
125.6 miles from Bethlehem, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 55m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Bethlehem, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 251.3 miles and takes about 5h 23m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Andrew Jackson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 91 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 9.2 miles in near West 1st Street.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 251.3 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 9.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.7 miles (NC 16 / Brookshire Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
West 1st Street
At end of road, turn left onto West 1st Street
Navigation decision point
6
47.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
NC 16 / Brookshire Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 16 / Brookshire Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
54.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 2B
Toward US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Bou...
9
67.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 39m in
|
US 74 BYP / Monroe Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74 BYP / Monroe Expressway toward US 74 Toll Bypass East: Rockingham, Wilmington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 255
Toward US 74 Toll Bypass East: Rockingham, Wilm...
6
143.6 mi into trip
|
~3h 16m 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.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson Highway | 91 mi | 1h 50m |
| American Indian Highway | 33.6 mi | 36m |
| NC 16 | 30.2 mi | 39m |
| Monroe Expressway | 18.7 mi | 21m |
| G R Kindley Freeway | 14.9 mi | 16m |
| W. Cliff Martin Highway | 12.8 mi | 17m |
| East Independence Expressway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Independence Boulevard | 4.5 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 91 mi, about 1h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethlehem, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on Telephone Exchange Road
123 ft
·
12 sec
·
Telephone Exchange Road
2
Turn left onto NC 127
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
NC 127
3
Turn left onto Cloninger Mill Road Northeast
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Cloninger Mill Road Northeast
4
Continue on Kool Park Road Northeast
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Kool Park Road Northeast
5
At end of road, turn right onto Springs Road Northeast
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Springs Road Northeast
6
Turn left onto Section House Road Northeast
3.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Section House Road Northeast
7
At end of road, turn left onto West 1st Street
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West 1st Street
8
Turn straight onto US 70
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Conover Boulevard East
9
Turn right onto NC 16
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Thornburg Drive Southeast
10
Turn left onto Mt Olive Church Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Mt Olive Church Road
11
Continue on Mount Olive Church Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mount Olive Church Road
12
Turn right onto Bethany Church Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Bethany Church Road
13
Turn left onto NC 16
30 mi
·
39 min
·
NC 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto NC 16
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Brookshire Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on NC 16
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Brookshire Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 2B
Toward US 74 East, NC 27 East: Independence Boulevard
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
17
Merge onto US 74; NC 27
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East Independence Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
357 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Independence Boulevard
Toward US 74 East
19
Continue on US 74
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Independence Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on US 74
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East Independence Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on US 74
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Independence Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74 BYP
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Monroe Expressway
Exit 255
Toward US 74 Toll Bypass East: Rockingham, Wilmington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Merge onto US 74
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
Use the straight lane.
24
Continue on US 74
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
West Marshville Boulevard
25
Continue on US 74
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Carroll M. Edwards Highway
26
Continue on US 74
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
Use the straight lane.
27
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
W. Cliff Martin Highway
28
Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Salisbury Street
29
Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Caswell Street
30
Continue on US 74
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
31
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Toward US 74 East: Lumberton
32
Continue on US 74
15 mi
·
16 min
·
G R Kindley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on US 74
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
34
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Continue on US 74
34 mi
·
36 min
·
American Indian Highway
36
Continue on US 74; NC 130
60 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
37
Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Ocean Highway East
38
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
39
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
South 3rd Street
40
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Trip Plan
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 125.6 miles from Bethlehem, NC, or about 2h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91 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 80 miles or 1h 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.6 miles or 2h 55m 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 27m
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 Bethlehem, 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 Bethlehem, NC
This is one driving day of about 251.3 miles and 5h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bethlehem, 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 91 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 125.6 mi from Bethlehem, NC · 2h 55m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
126 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 125.6 miles from Bethlehem, 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 91 miles.
Arriving in Wilmington, NC
The final approach into Wilmington, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Wilmington, NC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.30 one way
$78.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
88 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $42.97 | $85.94 |
| premium | $4.70 | $46.51 | $93.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $55.48 | $110.97 |
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: 87.9 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 | 75.4 | 0 | $26.39 | $12.06 |
| Efficient EV | 62.8 | 0 | $21.99 | $10.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100.5 | 1 | $35.18 | $16.08 |
Gas CO2
88 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
Evening in Wilmington on Tuesday
Local time
7:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
4 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
5h 23m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bethlehem, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 251.3 miles and takes about 5h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Andrew Jackson Highway, American Indian Highway, NC 16. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 125.6 miles from Bethlehem, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $39.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 251.3 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.7 miles (NC 16 / Brookshire Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 54.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Bethlehem, NC to Wilmington, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Wilmington, NC
More from Bethlehem, NC
More trips to Wilmington, NC
Explore more options from Bethlehem, NC or browse trips ending in Wilmington, NC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.
Explore maps for Bethlehem, NC or Wilmington, NC on MapSof.net.