The drive from Mount Pleasant, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 189.6 miles and takes about 3h 55m 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, US 52 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 91 miles on Andrew Jackson Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.65 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
94.8 miles from Mount Pleasant, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 2m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 55m. Total distance: 189.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Mount Pleasant, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 189.6 miles and takes about 3h 55m, 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 18 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 91 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 13.8 miles in near NC 73 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 55m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.8 miles (NC 73 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 42.6 miles (US 52; US 74; NC 742 / W. Cliff Martin Highway): Navigation decision point; at 56.3 miles (US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
13.8 mi into trip|~20m in|NC 73 / West Main Street
Turn left onto NC 73 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
42.6 mi into trip|~59m in|US 52; US 74; NC 742 / W. Cliff Martin Highway
Turn left onto US 52; US 74; NC 742 / W. Cliff Martin Highway
Navigation decision point
5
56.3 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway toward US 74 East: Lumberton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 74 East: Lumberton
6
81.9 mi into trip|~1h 48m in|US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
189.5 mi into trip|~3h 54m in|US 421; US 17 Business / South 3rd Street
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business / South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Andrew Jackson Highway
91 mi
1h 50m
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi
36m
US 52
28.6 mi
38m
G R Kindley Freeway
14.9 mi
16m
NC 73
12.6 mi
18m
Ocean Highway East
3.1 mi
4m
West Caswell Street
2.4 mi
4m
West Franklin Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Andrew Jackson Highway
— 91 mi, about 1h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Pleasant, NC and Wilmington, NC.
1
Start on NC 73
1.2 mi·2 min·West Franklin Street
2
Continue on NC 73
13 mi·18 min·NC 73
3
Turn left onto NC 73
0.2 mi·34 sec·West Main Street
4
Continue on US 52; NC 73
29 mi·38 min·US 52; NC 73
5
Turn left onto US 52; US 74; NC 742
0.4 mi·26 sec·W. Cliff Martin Highway
6
Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742
0.7 mi·1 min·Salisbury Street
7
Continue on US 52; US 74; NC 742
2.4 mi·4 min·West Caswell Street
8
Continue on US 74
10 mi·13 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 74
1.1 mi·1 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Toward US 74 East: Lumberton
10
Continue on US 74
15 mi·16 min·G R Kindley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 74
9.7 mi·11 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 74
10 mi·10 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on US 74
34 mi·36 min·American Indian Highway
14
Continue on US 74; NC 130
60 mi·1 hr 13 min·Andrew Jackson Highway
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 17; US 74; US 76
3.1 mi·4 min·Ocean Highway East
16
Continue on US 17; US 76; US 421
0.8 mi·1 min·Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
17
Turn left onto US 421; US 17 Business
0.1 mi·15 sec·South 3rd Street
18
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 94.8 miles from Mount Pleasant, NC, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91 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 42 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.8 miles or 2h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 12m
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 Mount Pleasant, 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 Mount Pleasant, NC
This is one driving day of about 189.6 miles and 3h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Mount Pleasant, 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 91 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 94.8 mi from Mount Pleasant, NC
· 2h 2m 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...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 176.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.65 one way
$59.30 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$32.42
$64.84
premium
$4.70
$35.09
$70.18
diesel
$5.61
$41.86
$83.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.9
0
$19.91
$9.10
Efficient EV
47.4
0
$16.59
$7.58
EV Truck/SUV
75.8
0
$26.54
$12.13
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% 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
Mount Pleasant, NC
Afternoon
in Mount Pleasant on Friday
Local time
1:19 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wilmington, NC
Afternoon
in Wilmington on Friday
Local time
1:19 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Rockingham, NC
95 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
3 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
3h 55m 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 Mount Pleasant, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 189.6 miles and takes about 3h 55m 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, US 52. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 94.8 miles from Mount Pleasant, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.65 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 55m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.8 miles (NC 73 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 42.6 miles (US 52; US 74; NC 742 / W. Cliff Martin Highway): Navigation decision point; at 56.3 miles (US 74 / Andrew Jackson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Mount Pleasant, NC to Wilmington, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Moores Creek National Battlefield.
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.
