Origin
Smyrna, DE
Evening in Smyrna on Thursday
Local time
5:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Smyrna, DE to Lewes, DE
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
51.7 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Smyrna, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Lewes, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Smyrna, DE to Lewes, DE covers 51.7 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Coastal Highway, Bay Road, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway 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 $8.57 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 51.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m 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 12m drive with frequent turns across 51.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 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 around 1.4 miles in.
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 51.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles (DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward DE 1 Toll: Dover, Beaches, Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 Toll: Dover, Beaches, Wilmington
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward DE 1 Toll South: Dover, Beaches
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 Toll South: Dover, Beaches
4
9.8 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
12.7 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
29 mi into trip
|
~37m 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.
On the drive from Smyrna, DE to Lewes, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Rehoboth Beach along the way.
Rehoboth Beach
29 mi in
|
~37m
|
via DE 1
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Highway | 17.9 mi | 24m |
| Bay Road | 14.7 mi | 19m |
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| Savannah Road | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| Milford Bypass | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| South Dupont Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Coastal Highway
— 17.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smyrna, DE and Lewes, DE.
1
Start on East South Street
44 ft
·
8 sec
·
East South Street
2
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
South Main Street
3
Merge onto US 13
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Dupont Boulevard
4
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward DE 1 Toll: Dover, Beaches, Wilmington
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward DE 1 Toll South: Dover, Beaches
6
Merge onto DE 1 Toll
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
9
Continue on DE 1
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Bay Road
10
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Milford Bypass
Toward DE 1 South: Lewes, Rehoboth Beach
11
Continue on DE 1
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Coastal Highway
12
Keep left at fork onto US 9 BUS
459 ft
·
6 sec
·
Savannah Road
13
Continue on US 9 BUS
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Savannah Road
14
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
92 ft
·
4 sec
·
West 3rd Street
15
Arrive at destination
West 3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.8 mi from Smyrna, DE · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.8 miles from Smyrna, 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
$8.57 one way
$17.14 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.39 | $18.77 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.03 | $20.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.41 | $22.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.43 | $2.48 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.24 | $3.31 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Lewes, DE
Evening in Lewes on Thursday
Local time
5:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Spring Hill, DE
26 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 12m 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 Smyrna, DE to Lewes, DE covers 51.7 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Coastal Highway, Bay Road, Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.8 miles from Smyrna, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.57 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles (DE 1 Toll / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Smyrna, DE to Lewes, DE, road signs begin pointing toward Rehoboth Beach along the way.
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