The drive from Raleigh, NC to Silver Lake, NC covers 133.4 miles and takes about 2h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, North College Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 109.4 miles on I 40.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.86 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
66.7 miles from Raleigh, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 34m. Total distance: 133.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 34m highway drive covering 133.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 109.4 miles on I 40.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 109.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Thomas Bradshaw Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 133.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 11.9 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in|I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge onto I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
3.7 mi into trip|~6m in|I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway toward I 40 East: Wilmington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
6
11.9 mi into trip|~15m in|I 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14 mi into trip|~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland Rd
5
15.7 mi into trip|~19m in|I 40
Merge onto I 40 toward I 40 East: Benson, Wilmington
Merge point - match speed before joining. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East: Benson, Wilmington
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 Raleigh, NC to Silver Lake, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Wilmington along the way.
Wilmington
15.7 mi in|~19m|via I 40
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
109.4 mi
1h 57m
Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
10.3 mi
11m
North College Road
5.1 mi
8m
Independence Boulevard
1.7 mi
3m
Carolina Beach Road
1.6 mi
2m
Shipyard Boulevard
1.3 mi
2m
Hammond Road
0.7 mi
1m
South Blount Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 109.4 mi, about 1h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh, NC and Silver Lake, NC.
1
Start on East South Street
506 ft·21 sec·East South Street
2
Turn right onto South Blount Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Blount Street
3
Continue on Hammond Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Hammond Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
5
Merge onto I 40; US 64
2.2 mi·2 min·Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 40
8.1 mi·9 min·Thomas Bradshaw Freeway
Toward I 40 East: Wilmington
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40
2.1 mi·2 min·I 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
1.7 mi·1 min
Toward SR 42: Fuquay-Varina, Cleveland RdUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 40
107 mi·1 hr 55 min·I 40
Toward I 40 East: Benson, Wilmington
10
Continue on US 117; NC 132
5.1 mi·8 min·North College Road
11
Turn slight right onto US 117
1.3 mi·2 min·Shipyard Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto Independence Boulevard
1.7 mi·3 min·Independence Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto US 421
1.6 mi·2 min·Carolina Beach Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto Silver Terra Drive
0.3 mi·1 min·Silver Terra Drive
15
Turn right onto Ilex Drive
513 ft·27 sec·Ilex Drive
16
Turn left onto Carya Drive
439 ft·21 sec·Carya Drive
17
Turn right onto Cornus Drive
0.2 mi·47 sec·Cornus Drive
18
Turn right onto Yulan Drive
33 ft·1 sec·Yulan Drive
19
Arrive at destination
Yulan Drive
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 66.7 miles from Raleigh, NC, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.4 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 29 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.7 miles or 1h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Silver Lake, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Raleigh, 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 Raleigh, NC
This is one driving day of about 133.4 miles and 2h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Raleigh, 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 I 40 for about 109.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 66.7 mi from Raleigh, NC
· 1h 14m 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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 110.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.86 one way
$41.72 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$22.81
$45.62
premium
$4.70
$24.69
$49.38
diesel
$5.61
$29.45
$58.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
43 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
EV Connect Charging Station
Wilmington, North Carolina
EV Connect
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
EV Connect
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Wilmington, North Carolina
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Wilmington, North Carolina
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Wilmington, North Carolina
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Wilmington, North Carolina
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Wilmington, North Carolina
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Wilmington, North Carolina
Tesla
1 DCFC
EV Connect: 10
ChargePoint: 10
Blink: 9
Other: 6
Tesla Destination: 3
Tesla: 3
Electrify America: 1
InCharge: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40
0
$14.01
$6.40
Efficient EV
33.4
0
$11.67
$5.34
EV Truck/SUV
53.4
0
$18.68
$8.54
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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
Raleigh, NC
Late night
in Raleigh on Saturday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Silver Lake, NC
Late night
in Silver Lake on Saturday
Local time
5:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2h 34m 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 Raleigh, NC to Silver Lake, NC covers 133.4 miles and takes about 2h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, Thomas Bradshaw Freeway, North College Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 66.7 miles from Raleigh, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.86 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.
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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 133.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (I 40; US 64 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 40 / Thomas Bradshaw Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 11.9 miles (I 40): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Raleigh, NC to Silver Lake, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Wilmington 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
