Origin
Jacksonville, NC
Evening in Jacksonville on Friday
Local time
8:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jacksonville, NC to Masonboro, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
52.9 mi
85 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jacksonville, NC
Wikimedia Commons
Masonboro, NC
Michael Ken
Trip Overview
The drive from Jacksonville, NC to Masonboro, NC covers 52.9 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Wilmington Highway, US 17, South College Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.9 miles on Wilmington Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 52.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Jacksonville, NC to Masonboro, NC covers 52.9 miles and takes about 1h 22m, 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 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Wilmington Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 22m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles (US 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~1m 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.
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
US 17
Take the exit onto US 17 toward US 17 Business South: Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward US 17 Business South: Wilmington
4
46.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
47.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
US 117; NC 132 / South College Road
Merge onto US 117; NC 132 / South College Road
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
52.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington Highway | 24.9 mi | 34m |
| US 17 | 20.8 mi | 33m |
| South College Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Pine Grove Drive | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Marine Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Masonboro Sound Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Oleander Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Wilmington Highway
— 24.9 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, NC and Masonboro, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business; NC 24 Business
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Marine Boulevard
2
Keep slight left at fork onto US 17 Business
25 mi
·
34 min
·
Wilmington Highway
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on US 17; NC 210
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
US 17; NC 210
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on US 17; NC 210
8.1 mi
·
12 min
·
US 17; NC 210
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit onto US 17
7.1 mi
·
12 min
·
US 17
Toward US 17 Business South: Wilmington
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
7
Merge onto US 117; NC 132
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
South College Road
8
Turn left onto US 17; US 76
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Oleander Drive
9
Turn slight right onto Pine Grove Drive
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Pine Grove Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Masonboro Sound Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Masonboro Sound Road
11
Turn right
35 ft
·
2 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.5 mi from Jacksonville, NC · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Masonboro, NC
The final approach into Masonboro, NC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.27 one way
$16.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.05 | $18.09 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.79 | $19.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.68 | $23.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.55 | $2.54 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.41 | $3.39 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Masonboro, NC
Evening in Masonboro on Friday
Local time
8:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Hampstead, NC
26 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
19 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
1h 22m 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 Jacksonville, NC to Masonboro, NC covers 52.9 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Wilmington Highway, US 17, South College Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.5 miles from Jacksonville, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.27 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 straightforward 1h 22m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (US 17 Business / Wilmington Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles (US 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Jacksonville, NC to Masonboro, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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