The drive from Fairfield Harbour, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 109.3 miles and takes about 2h 33m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, Wilmington Highway, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 43.9 miles on US 17.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.09 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
54.7 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 33m. Total distance: 109.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Fairfield Harbour, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 109.3 miles and takes about 2h 33m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 43.9 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 0.6 miles in near Caracara Drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 109.3 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 0.6 miles (Caracara Drive): Navigation decision point; at 17.9 miles (US 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.2 miles (US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~2m in|Caracara Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Caracara Drive
Navigation decision point
6
17.9 mi into trip|~31m in|US 17
Take the exit onto US 17 toward US 17 South: Jacksonville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 17 South: Jacksonville
6
52.2 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
103.2 mi into trip|~2h 24m in
Take the exit toward US 421: Clinton, Carolina Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 421: Clinton, Carolina Beach
6
103.4 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|US 421
Turn right onto US 421
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC to Wilmington, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Carolina Beach along the way.
Carolina Beach
103.2 mi in|~2h 24m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 17
43.9 mi
58m
Wilmington Highway
24.9 mi
34m
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
12.4 mi
13m
Freedom Memorial Bridge
6.8 mi
7m
Broad Creek Road
5.8 mi
13m
US 421
4.6 mi
6m
NC 55
4.2 mi
5m
North Marine Boulevard
4.1 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 43.9 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield Harbour, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on Pelican Drive
0.6 mi·2 min·Pelican Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto Caracara Drive
0.4 mi·1 min·Caracara Drive
3
Turn left onto Cassowary Lane
464 ft·25 sec·Cassowary Lane
4
Turn left onto Broad Creek Road
5.8 mi·13 min·Broad Creek Road
5
Turn left onto NC 55
0.9 mi·1 min·NC 55
6
Keep slight left at fork onto NC 55
3.3 mi·4 min·NC 55
7
Merge onto US 17; US 70; NC 55
6.8 mi·7 min·Freedom Memorial Bridge
8
Take the exit onto US 17
30 mi·37 min·US 17
Toward US 17 South: JacksonvilleUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 17
0.4 mi·40 sec·North Marine Boulevard
10
Continue on US 17 Business
3.7 mi·6 min·North Marine Boulevard
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 17 Business
25 mi·34 min·Wilmington Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on US 17; NC 210
5.6 mi·7 min·US 17; NC 210
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 17; NC 210
8.1 mi·12 min·US 17; NC 210
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on NC 140
12 mi·13 min·John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward US 421: Clinton, Carolina Beach
16
Turn right onto US 421
3.9 mi·5 min·US 421
Use the right lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto US 421
0.7 mi·1 min·US 421
18
Merge onto US 17; US 76; US 421
0.4 mi·31 sec·Ocean Highway East
19
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi·1 min·Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
20
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi·15 sec·South 3rd Street
21
Arrive at destination
US 17 Business
Trip Plan
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 54.7 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.9 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 24 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.7 miles or 1h 19m 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 9m
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 Fairfield Harbour, 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC
This is one driving day of about 109.3 miles and 2h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Fairfield Harbour, 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 US 17 for about 43.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 54.7 mi from Fairfield Harbour, NC
· 1h 19m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
Free
near mile 101.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.09 one way
$34.18 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$18.69
$37.38
premium
$4.70
$20.23
$40.46
diesel
$5.61
$24.13
$48.26
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.8
0
$11.48
$5.25
Efficient EV
27.3
0
$9.56
$4.37
EV Truck/SUV
43.7
0
$15.30
$7.00
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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 15, 2026
Origin
Fairfield Harbour, NC
Late night
in Fairfield Harbour on Friday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Late night
in Wilmington on Friday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Jacksonville, NC
55 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
1 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 33m 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 Fairfield Harbour, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 109.3 miles and takes about 2h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Wilmington Highway, John Jay Burney Jr Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 54.7 miles from Fairfield Harbour, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.09 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 109.3 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 0.6 miles (Caracara Drive): Navigation decision point; at 17.9 miles (US 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.2 miles (US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Fairfield Harbour, NC to Wilmington, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Carolina Beach along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Moores Creek National Battlefield.
