Origin
Dover, DE
Morning in Dover on Friday
Local time
6:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dover, DE to Delaware City, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
39.8 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dover, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Delaware City, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dover, DE to Delaware City, DE covers 39.8 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wrangle Hill Road, East Division Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.9 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 39.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 51m drive with frequent turns across 39.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 32.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near DE 8 / East Division Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 39.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (DE 8 / East Division Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 35.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
DE 8 / East Division Street
Merge onto DE 8 / East Division Street
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
Navigation decision point
Toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
8
35.4 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward DE 72: Delaware City, Newark
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 152
Toward DE 72: Delaware City, Newark
7
35.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
35.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
US 13; DE 72 / Wrangle Hill Road
Merge onto US 13; DE 72 / Wrangle Hill Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Dover, DE to Delaware City, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Newark along the way.
Newark
35.4 mi in
|
~43m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 32.9 mi | 37m |
| Wrangle Hill Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| East Division Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Little Creek Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Clinton Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Kings Highway | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 32.9 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dover, DE and Delaware City, DE.
1
Start on Kings Highway
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kings Highway
2
Merge onto DE 8
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Division Street
3
Continue on DE 8
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Little Creek Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward DE 1 Toll North: Wilmington
5
Merge onto DE 1 Toll
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto DE 1 Toll
28 mi
·
31 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 152
Toward DE 72: Delaware City, Newark
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
498 ft
·
12 sec
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto US 13; DE 72
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Wrangle Hill Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on DE 9
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
12
Turn left onto Clinton Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clinton Street
13
Arrive at destination
Clinton Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.9 mi from Dover, DE · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Dover, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Delaware City, DE
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Delaware City, DE if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.60 one way
$13.20 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.23 | $14.45 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.72 | $15.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.79 | $17.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.48 | $1.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.57 | $2.55 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Delaware City, DE
Morning in Delaware City on Friday
Local time
6:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Clayton, DE
20 mi in
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
13 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
51m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Dover, DE to Delaware City, DE covers 39.8 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wrangle Hill Road, East Division Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.9 miles from Dover, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.60 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 39.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (DE 8 / East Division Street): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 35.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Dover, DE to Delaware City, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Newark along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include First State National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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