The drive from Wilmington, NC to Goldsboro, NC covers 95.7 miles and takes about 1h 54m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Michael Jordan Highway, Faison Highway, Martin Luther King Jr Parkway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.6 miles on Michael Jordan Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.97 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.
Midpoint
47.8 miles from Wilmington, NC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 54m. Total distance: 95.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 54m drive with frequent turns across 95.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Michael Jordan Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 64.6 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
165 ft30 ft
Total Climb
157 ft
Total Descent
87 ft
Highest Point
165 ft
~82 mi in
Elevation Range
135 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Martin Luther King Jr Parkway.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 54m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Martin Luther King Jr Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (US 117; NC 132 / North College Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 95.3 miles (East Walnut Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
6.5 mi into trip|~10m in|US 117; NC 132 / North College Road
Turn left onto US 117; NC 132 / North College Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
95.3 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|East Walnut Street
Enter roundabout onto East Walnut Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
95.4 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|North John Street
Turn left onto North John Street
Navigation decision point
5
95.6 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|US 70 Business; US 117 Business / East Ash Street
Turn right onto US 70 Business; US 117 Business / East Ash Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Michael Jordan Highway
64.6 mi
1h 9m
Faison Highway
18.4 mi
24m
Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
4.7 mi
6m
US 13
2.4 mi
2m
South 3rd Street
1.7 mi
3m
South George Street
1.7 mi
2m
North College Road
1.2 mi
1m
North John Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Michael Jordan Highway
— 64.6 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Goldsboro, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business
1.7 mi·3 min·South 3rd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Keep slight right at fork onto Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
4.7 mi·6 min·Martin Luther King Jr Parkway
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto US 117; NC 132
1.2 mi·1 min·North College Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on I 40; US 117; NC 132
65 mi·1 hr 9 min·Michael Jordan Highway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward NC 403: Faison
6
Turn right onto US 117 Connector; NC 403
18 mi·24 min·Faison Highway
7
Continue on US 13; US 117 Connector
2.4 mi·2 min·US 13; US 117 Connector
8
Turn slight right onto US 117 Business
1.7 mi·2 min·South George Street
9
Turn right onto West Walnut Street
0.2 mi·27 sec·West Walnut Street
10
Enter roundabout onto East Walnut Street
154 ft·7 sec·East Walnut Street
11
Continue on East Walnut Street
465 ft·18 sec·East Walnut Street
12
Turn left onto North John Street
0.2 mi·31 sec·North John Street
13
Turn right onto US 70 Business; US 117 Business
496 ft·21 sec·East Ash Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 70 Business; US 117 Business
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 47.8 miles from Wilmington, NC, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.6 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 21 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.8 miles or 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Goldsboro, NC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wilmington, NC so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Wilmington, NC
This is one driving day of about 95.7 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Wilmington, NC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Michael Jordan Highway for about 64.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 47.8 mi from Wilmington, NC
· 55m into the drive
The midpoint is around 47.8 miles from Wilmington, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Michael Jordan Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.6 miles.
Arriving in Goldsboro, NC
The final approach into Goldsboro, NC 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.
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 23.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.97 one way
$29.93 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$16.36
$32.73
premium
$4.70
$17.71
$35.42
diesel
$5.61
$21.13
$42.26
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.7
0
$10.05
$4.59
Efficient EV
23.9
0
$8.37
$3.83
EV Truck/SUV
38.3
0
$13.40
$6.12
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Wilmington, NC
Evening
in Wilmington on Friday
Local time
6:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Goldsboro, NC
Evening
in Goldsboro on Friday
Local time
6:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 54m 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, NC to Goldsboro, NC covers 95.7 miles and takes about 1h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Michael Jordan Highway, Faison Highway, Martin Luther King Jr Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 47.8 miles from Wilmington, NC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.97 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 straightforward 1h 54m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Martin Luther King Jr Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (US 117; NC 132 / North College Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 95.3 miles (East Walnut Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Wilmington, NC to Goldsboro, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 30 ft to 165 ft elevation with about 157 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Moores Creek National Battlefield.
