Origin
Kent Acres, DE
Late night in Kent Acres on Saturday
Local time
2:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kent Acres, DE to Wilmington, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
53.1 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kent Acres, DE
Noor Shalghen
Wilmington, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Kent Acres to Wilmington is 53.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Delaware, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a route characterized by frequent turns and local road segments, rather than a straightforward highway cruise. Given its relatively short duration and manageable distance, this trip is best suited for a single-day excursion, offering a practical way to navigate between these two locations without significant time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 53.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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
This route is best described as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 12% of the journey on highways. You'll spend most of your time navigating local roads, interspersed with stretches on the Wilmington Expressway and Puncheon Run Connector. The longest uninterrupted highway segment you'll encounter is 41.7 miles on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. This means you should anticipate frequent adjustments to your speed and direction as you transition between different road types and local traffic patterns.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 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 41.7 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 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.1 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.4 miles (DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward Wilmington, Delaware Memorial Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Wilmington, Delaware Memorial Bridge
8
39.4 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway toward DE 1 North: Wilmington, Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward DE 1 North: Wilmington, Baltimore
8
44.6 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Wilmington, Philadelphia
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 165B
Toward I 95 North: Wilmington, Philadelphia
6
47.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
I 95 / Wilmington Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 / Wilmington Expressway toward I 95, I 495: Wilmington, Philadelphia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95, I 495: Wilmington, Philadelphia
7
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward DE 52: Delaware Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward DE 52: Delaware Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kent Acres, DE and Wilmington, DE, road signs point toward Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Baltimore
39.4 mi in
|
~47m
|
via DE 1
Philadelphia
44.6 mi in
|
~53m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 41.7 mi | 48m |
| Wilmington Expressway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Puncheon Run Connector | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West 11th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Dupont Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Adams Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Woodbrook Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 41.7 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kent Acres, DE and Wilmington, DE.
1
Start on Steele Road
103 ft
·
9 sec
·
Steele Road
2
Turn left onto Saxton Road
289 ft
·
15 sec
·
Saxton Road
3
Turn right onto Edgewood Road
279 ft
·
14 sec
·
Edgewood Road
4
Turn right onto Woodbrook Road
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Woodbrook Road
5
Turn left onto Webbs Lane
292 ft
·
13 sec
·
Webbs Lane
6
Turn right onto US 13
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
South Dupont Highway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
Toward Wilmington, Delaware Memorial Bridge
8
Continue on Puncheon Run Connector
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Puncheon Run Connector
9
Merge onto DE 1 Toll
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto DE 1 Toll
28 mi
·
31 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto DE 1
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Toward DE 1 North: Wilmington, Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 165B
Toward I 95 North: Wilmington, Philadelphia
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 95
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Delaware Turnpike
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
Toward I 95, I 495: Wilmington, Philadelphia
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 202
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 7
Toward DE 52: Delaware Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn slight left onto North Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Adams Street
19
Turn right onto West 11th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 11th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Turn right onto US 13 Business
86 ft
·
2 sec
·
North King Street
21
Arrive at destination
US 13 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.6 mi from Kent Acres, DE · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 26.6 miles from Kent Acres, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Wilmington, DE
The final approach into Wilmington, DE 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
$8.80 one way
$17.61 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.64 | $19.28 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.30 | $20.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.72 | $23.45 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Delaware Turnpike
(1.8 mi)
$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 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 | $5.58 | $2.55 |
| Efficient EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.43 | $3.40 |
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
Wilmington, DE
Late night in Wilmington on Saturday
Local time
2:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1h 5m 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 Kent Acres, DE to Wilmington, DE covers 53.1 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wilmington Expressway, Puncheon Run Connector. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.6 miles from Kent Acres, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.80 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.1 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.4 miles (DE 1 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Kent Acres, DE and Wilmington, DE, road signs point toward Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Yes. Nearby national parks include First State National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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