Origin
Newark, DE
Evening in Newark on Friday
Local time
6:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Newark, DE to Clayton, DE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
33.6 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Newark, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Clayton, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Newark, DE to Clayton, DE covers 33.6 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wrangle Hill Road, Sunset Lake Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.2 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.57 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 33.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m 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 46m drive with frequent turns across 33.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 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 19.2 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 273 / East Main Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 33.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (DE 273 / East Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.9 miles (DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (DE 72 / South Chapel Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
DE 273 / East Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto DE 273 / East Main Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road
Turn left onto DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
DE 72 / South Chapel Street
Turn right onto DE 72 / South Chapel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
10.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the ramp toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
6
13.7 mi into trip
|
~21m 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. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Newark, DE to Clayton, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Beaches along the way.
Beaches
10.2 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 19.2 mi | 22m |
| Wrangle Hill Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Sunset Lake Road | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| South College Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South Chapel Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Dupont Parkway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Glenwood Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East Chestnut Hill Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 19.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Newark, DE and Clayton, DE.
1
Start on this road
229 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto DE 273
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Turn left onto DE 896
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South College Avenue
4
Turn left onto DE 4
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chestnut Hill Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto DE 72
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Chapel Street
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on DE 72
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Sunset Lake Road
7
Continue on DE 72
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Wrangle Hill Road
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
9
Merge onto DE 1
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward US 13: Rest Area
13
Turn left onto US 13
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Dupont Parkway
14
Continue on US 13
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Dupont Boulevard
15
Turn right onto DE 300
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Glenwood Avenue
16
Turn slight right onto DE 6
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Smyrna Clayton Boulevard
17
Continue on DE 6
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
18
Turn right onto Clayton Avenue
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
Clayton Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Clayton Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.8 mi from Newark, DE · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.8 miles from Newark, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clayton, DE
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Clayton, DE if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.57 one way
$11.14 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.10 | $12.20 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.52 | $13.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.42 | $14.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Clayton, DE
Evening in Clayton on Friday
Local time
6:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
13 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
46m 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 Newark, DE to Clayton, DE covers 33.6 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wrangle Hill Road, Sunset Lake Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.8 miles from Newark, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.57 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 33.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (DE 273 / East Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.9 miles (DE 4 / East Chestnut Hill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (DE 72 / South Chapel Street): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Newark, DE to Clayton, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Beaches along the way.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Clayton, DE
Explore more options from Newark, DE or browse trips ending in Clayton, DE.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse DE road trips.