Origin
Wilmington, DE
Afternoon in Wilmington on Thursday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, DE to Highland Acres, DE
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
53.7 mi
86 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 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wilmington, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Highland Acres, DE
Ylanite Koppens
Trip Overview
The drive from Wilmington, DE to Highland Acres, DE covers 53.7 miles and takes about 1h 7m 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, Wilmington Expressway, Puncheon Run Connector for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41.2 miles on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.90 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 53.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m 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 7m drive with frequent turns across 53.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 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 41.2 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 around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 95 South: Baltimore
8
7.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4A
Toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover...
6
7.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
6
18.8 mi into trip
|
~25m 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.
7
49.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
Puncheon Run Connector
Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector toward Salisbury, Norfolk
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 97
Toward Salisbury, Norfolk
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Wilmington, DE and Highland Acres, DE, road signs point toward Dover, Beaches, Salisbury and Norfolk.
Dover
7.3 mi in
|
~11m
Beaches
7.3 mi in
|
~11m
Salisbury
49.9 mi in
|
~1h 1m
|
via Puncheon Run Connector
Norfolk
49.9 mi in
|
~1h 1m
|
via Puncheon Run Connector
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway | 41.2 mi | 47m |
| Wilmington Expressway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Puncheon Run Connector | 2 mi | 2m |
| Delaware Turnpike | 2 mi | 2m |
| South State Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| North King Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Old Mill Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Boulevard | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 41.2 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, DE and Highland Acres, DE.
1
Start on US 13 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North King Street
2
Turn straight onto US 13 Business
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 95 South: Baltimore
Use the slight left lane.
5
Merge onto I 95; US 202
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Wilmington Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Continue on I 95
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Delaware Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 4A
Toward DE 1 South, DE 7 South: Mall Road, Dover, Beaches
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
Toward DE 1 South: Dover, Beaches
9
Merge onto DE 1
10 mi
·
12 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
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 1 Toll
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto Puncheon Run Connector
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Puncheon Run Connector
Exit 97
Toward Salisbury, Norfolk
14
Turn sharp right onto US 13
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Dupont Highway
15
Take the exit
464 ft
·
13 sec
16
Turn slight right onto South State Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South State Street
17
Turn right onto North Old Mill Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Old Mill Road
18
Turn right onto Candlewicke Drive
478 ft
·
20 sec
·
Candlewicke Drive
19
Arrive at destination
Candlewicke Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.9 mi from Wilmington, DE · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Wilmington, DE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Highland Acres, DE
The final approach into Highland Acres, 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
$8.90 one way
$17.81 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.75 | $19.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.41 | $20.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.86 | $23.71 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Delaware Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Highland Acres, DE
Afternoon in Highland Acres on Thursday
Local time
4:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Middletown, DE
27 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
1h 7m 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 Wilmington, DE to Highland Acres, DE covers 53.7 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, Wilmington Expressway, Puncheon Run Connector. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.9 miles from Wilmington, DE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.90 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 53.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Wilmington, DE and Highland Acres, DE, road signs point toward Dover, Beaches, Salisbury and Norfolk.
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