Trip from Middletown, DE to Lewes, DE

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

1h 28m

Distance

64.2 mi

103 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min

4 AM

1h 22m ★

6 AM

1h 29m

8 AM

1h 42m

10 AM

1h 34m

12 PM

1h 32m

3 PM

1h 34m

5 PM

1h 42m

8 PM

1h 25m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

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Trip Overview

The drive from Middletown, DE to Lewes, DE covers 64.2 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Coastal Highway, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Bay Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.9 miles on Coastal Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.64 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 64.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 28m drive with frequent turns across 64.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Coastal Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.9 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 early in the drive near DE 71 / South Broad Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.2 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (DE 71 / South Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.3 miles (DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

4

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | DE 71 / South Broad Street

Turn left onto DE 71 / South Broad Street

Navigation decision point

6

10.3 mi into trip | ~15m in

Turn left toward DE 1 Toll South: Dover, Beaches

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward DE 1 Toll South: Dover, Beaches

4

22.3 mi into trip | ~29m in | DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

4

25.2 mi into trip | ~33m in | DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6

41.5 mi into trip | ~54m in | DE 1 / Milford Bypass

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 / Milford Bypass toward DE 1 South: Lewes, Rehoboth Beach

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward DE 1 South: Lewes, Rehoboth Beach

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Middletown, DE and Lewes, DE, road signs point toward Beaches and Rehoboth Beach.

Beaches

10.3 mi in | ~15m

Rehoboth Beach

41.5 mi in | ~54m | via DE 1

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Coastal Highway	17.9 mi	24m
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway	16.2 mi	18m
Bay Road	14.7 mi	19m
Summit Bridge Road	4.9 mi	7m
South Dupont Parkway	4.5 mi	6m
Savannah Road	2.7 mi	6m
Milford Bypass	2.1 mi	2m
South Broad Street	0.9 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Coastal Highway — 17.9 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, DE and Lewes, DE.

1

Start on DE 299

99 ft · 11 sec · East Main Street

2

Turn left onto DE 71

0.9 mi · 1 min · South Broad Street

3

Continue on DE 71

4.7 mi · 7 min · Summit Bridge Road

4

Take the ramp onto DE 71

0.1 mi · 20 sec · Summit Bridge Road

5

Merge onto US 13

4.5 mi · 6 min · South Dupont Parkway

6

Turn left

0.4 mi · 45 sec

Toward DE 1 Toll South: Dover, Beaches

7

Merge onto DE 1 Toll

12 mi · 13 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

8

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll

3.0 mi · 3 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

9

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll

1.6 mi · 1 min · Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

10

Continue on DE 1

15 mi · 19 min · Bay Road

11

Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1

2.1 mi · 2 min · Milford Bypass

Toward DE 1 South: Lewes, Rehoboth Beach

12

Continue on DE 1

18 mi · 24 min · Coastal Highway

13

Keep left at fork onto US 9 BUS

459 ft · 6 sec · Savannah Road

14

Continue on US 9 BUS

2.6 mi · 6 min · Savannah Road

15

Turn left onto West 3rd Street

92 ft · 4 sec · West 3rd Street

16

Arrive at destination

West 3rd Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32.1 mi from Middletown, DE · 42m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Camden, DE

32 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

Smyrna, DE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Camden, DE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.1 miles from Middletown, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lewes, DE

The final approach into Lewes, 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

$10.64 one way

$21.29 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.61	$11.66	$23.31
premium	$4.93	$12.45	$24.90
diesel	$5.61	$14.17	$28.35

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	19.3	$6.74	$3.08
Efficient EV	16.1	$5.62	$2.57
EV Truck/SUV	25.7	$8.99	$4.11

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Middletown, DE

Late night in Middletown on Friday

Local time

1:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lewes, DE

Late night in Lewes on Friday

Local time

1:07 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

63°F

Camden, DE

32 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

4 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

1h 28m 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 Middletown, DE to Lewes, DE covers 64.2 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Coastal Highway, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Bay Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 32.1 miles from Middletown, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.64 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 64.2 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (DE 71 / South Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.3 miles (DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Between Middletown, DE and Lewes, DE, road signs point toward Beaches and Rehoboth Beach.

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