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Trip from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

57m

Distance

47.8 mi

77 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 52m ★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m

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

community in Onslow County, North Carolina

Sneads Ferry, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 47.8 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Country Club Road, Highway 172, Sneads Ferry Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.47 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 47.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 57m drive with frequent turns across 47.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Country Club Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC is easy. At 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Country Club Road
Highway 172
Sneads Ferry Road
Wilmington Highway
John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
US 421
Ocean Highway East
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Country Club Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sneads Ferry, NC and Wilmington, NC.

1

Start on Country Club Road

0.6 mi · 47 sec · Country Club Road
2

Continue on Country Club Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Country Club Road
3

Turn left onto NC Highway 172

4.9 mi · 6 min · NC Highway 172
4

Continue on Sneads Ferry Road

453 ft · 7 sec · Sneads Ferry Road
5

Turn left onto Wilmington Highway

15 mi · 20 min · Wilmington Highway
6

Continue straight

8.1 mi · 12 min
7

Continue on John Jay Burney Jr Freeway

12 mi · 13 min · John Jay Burney Jr Freeway
8

Take the exit slight right toward US 421: Clinton, Carolina Beach

0.3 mi · 37 sec · US 421: Clinton, Carolina Beach
9

Turn right

3.9 mi · 5 min
10

Keep slight left

0.7 mi · 1 min
11

Merge slight left onto Ocean Highway East

0.4 mi · 31 sec · Ocean Highway East
12

Continue on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

0.8 mi · 1 min · Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
13

Turn left onto South 3rd Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · South 3rd Street
14

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 23.9 mi from Sneads Ferry, NC · 28m into the drive

Downtown Hampstead, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hampstead, NC

24 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.

Popular next leg

Hampstead, NC to Wilmington, NC

24.2 mi · 30m

Pacing Suggestions

Holly Ridge, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hampstead, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Sneads Ferry, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Wilmington, NC

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Wilmington, NC 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

$7.47 one way

$14.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $8.17 $16.35
premium $4.70 $8.85 $17.69
diesel $5.61 $10.55 $21.11

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.3 0 $5.02 $2.29
Efficient EV 12 0 $4.18 $1.91
EV Truck/SUV 19.1 0 $6.69 $3.06

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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

Sneads Ferry, NC

Evening in Sneads Ferry on Thursday

Local time

6:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Wilmington, NC

Evening in Wilmington on Thursday

Local time

6:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

71°F

Hampstead, NC

24 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

1 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

57m 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 Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC covers 47.8 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Country Club Road, Highway 172, Sneads Ferry Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.9 miles from Sneads Ferry, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.47 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.
The drive from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC is easy. At 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sneads Ferry, NC to Wilmington, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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