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Trip from Forest City, NC to Wilmington, NC

Drive Time

5h 25m

Distance

262.4 mi

422 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$42

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Forest City, NC, NC

Forest City, NC

Nino Souza

Trip Overview

The drive from Forest City, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 262.4 miles and takes about 5h 25m 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, Monroe Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 92.9 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.99 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

131.2 miles from Forest City, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 52m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 25m drive with frequent turns across 262.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 41 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 92.9 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,015 ft 36 ft

Total Climb

429 ft

Total Descent

1,408 ft

Highest Point

1,015 ft

~32.8 mi in

Elevation Range

979 ft

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 34.7 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 262.4 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 34.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 61.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 61.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 20 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

8
34.7 mi into trip | ~46m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte
8
61.6 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in

Take the exit toward NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Charlotte

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 36 Toward NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Ch...
9
61.8 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brookshire Boulevard, Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left / right lanes. Toward NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brooksh...
8
65.8 mi into trip | ~1h 24m 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
78.6 mi into trip | ~1h 42m 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...

Towns Along This Route

Between Forest City, NC and Wilmington, NC, road signs point toward Spartanburg, Charlotte and Bank Of America Stadium.

Spartanburg

34.6 mi in | ~46m

Charlotte

34.7 mi in | ~46m

Bank Of America Stadium

61.8 mi in | ~1h 18m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway 92.9 mi 1h 53m
American Indian Highway 33.6 mi 36m
Monroe Expressway 18.7 mi 21m
Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway 17.6 mi 21m
G R Kindley Freeway 14.9 mi 16m
W. Cliff Martin Highway 12.8 mi 17m
West Dixon Boulevard 12.4 mi 17m
Solon David Smart Memorial Highway 11.7 mi 13m
Longest stretch: Andrew Jackson Highway — 92.9 mi, about 1h 53m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Forest City, NC and Wilmington, NC.

1

Start on Cherry Mountain Street

54 ft · 3 sec · Cherry Mountain Street
2

Turn left onto US 74 Business; US 221A

0.2 mi · 53 sec · East Main Street
3

Turn right onto US 221A

1.4 mi · 3 min · South Broadway Street
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 22 sec
5

Merge onto US 74

12 mi · 13 min · Solon David Smart Memorial Highway
6

Take the exit onto US 74

12 mi · 17 min · West Dixon Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
7

Continue on US 74

1.8 mi · 2 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
8

Continue on US 74

6.8 mi · 7 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 7 sec
Toward I 85, US 29 South: Charlotte, Spartanburg
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 85 North: Gastonia, Charlotte Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 85

18 mi · 21 min · Senator Marshall Arthur Rauch Highway
Use the straight lane.
12

Continue on I 85

8.5 mi · 10 min · Cameron Morrison Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 36 Toward NC 16: Brookshire Boulevard, Downtown Charlotte Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight right at fork

386 ft · 11 sec
Toward NC 16 South: Downtown Charlotte, Brookshire Boulevard, Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium Use the left / right lanes.
15

Merge onto NC 16

0.3 mi · 21 sec · Brookshire Boulevard
16

Continue on NC 16

3.6 mi · 5 min · Brookshire Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

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.
18

Merge onto US 74; NC 27

3.3 mi · 4 min · East Independence Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Keep slight right at fork onto US 74

357 ft · 4 sec · East Independence Boulevard
Toward US 74 East
20

Continue on US 74

2.1 mi · 2 min · East Independence Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Continue on US 74

2.4 mi · 3 min · East Independence Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
22

Continue on US 74

4.5 mi · 6 min · Independence Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
23

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.
24

Merge onto US 74

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Carroll M. Edwards Highway
Use the straight lane.
25

Continue on US 74

2.9 mi · 5 min · West Marshville Boulevard
26

Continue on US 74

2.5 mi · 3 min · Carroll M. Edwards Highway
27

Continue on US 74

6.1 mi · 8 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway
Use the straight lane.
28

Keep slight right at fork onto US 74

6.7 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway
29

Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742

0.7 mi · 1 min · Salisbury Street
30

Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742

2.4 mi · 4 min · West Caswell Street
31

Continue on US 74

10 mi · 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
32

Keep slight left at fork onto US 74

1.1 mi · 1 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
Toward US 74 East: Lumberton
33

Continue on US 74

15 mi · 16 min · G R Kindley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34

Continue on US 74

9.7 mi · 11 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
35

Keep slight right at fork onto US 74

10 mi · 10 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36

Continue on US 74

34 mi · 36 min · American Indian Highway
37

Continue on US 74; NC 130

60 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
38

Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76

3.1 mi · 4 min · Ocean Highway East
39

Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421

0.8 mi · 1 min · Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
40

Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business

0.1 mi · 15 sec · South 3rd Street
41

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 131.2 miles from Forest City, NC, or about 2h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 92.9 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 80 miles or 1h 43m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 131.2 miles or 2h 52m 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 Forest City, 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 Forest City, NC

This is one driving day of about 262.4 miles and 5h 25m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Forest City, 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 92.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 131.2 mi from Forest City, NC · 2h 52m into the drive

Downtown Charlotte, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Charlotte, NC

131 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.

Popular next leg

Charlotte, NC to Wilmington, NC

197.6 mi · 3h 13m

Pacing Suggestions

Charlotte, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fayetteville, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 131.2 miles from Forest City, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Andrew Jackson Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 92.9 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Moores Creek National Battlefield

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 244.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$41.99 one way

$83.99 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 92 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $45.75 $91.51
premium $4.78 $49.36 $98.72
diesel $5.64 $58.30 $116.59

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$42

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$67–$92

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 91.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 78.7 0 $27.55 $12.60
Efficient EV 65.6 0 $22.96 $10.50
EV Truck/SUV 105 1 $36.74 $16.79

Gas CO2

92 kg

EV CO2

31 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 26 minutes ago

Origin

Forest City, NC

Afternoon in Forest City on Sunday

Local time

2:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Sunny

SSE 7 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Destination

Wilmington, NC

Afternoon in Wilmington on Sunday

Local time

2:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

77°F

Sunny

SE 10 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 12 at 3:43AM EDT until April 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

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

5 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

5h 25m 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 Forest City, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 262.4 miles and takes about 5h 25m 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, Monroe Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 131.2 miles from Forest City, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.99 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 20 significant decision points across 262.4 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 34.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 61.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 61.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Forest City, NC and Wilmington, NC, road signs point toward Spartanburg, Charlotte and Bank Of America Stadium.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 36 ft to 1,015 ft elevation with about 429 ft of total climbing.

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