Trip from Wilmington, NC to Kinston, NC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 55m

Distance

87.3 mi

141 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

48 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min

4 AM

1h 47m ★

6 AM

1h 56m

8 AM

2h 13m

10 AM

2h 2m

12 PM

2h 0m

3 PM

2h 3m

5 PM

2h 12m

8 PM

1h 51m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Wilmington, NC to Kinston, NC covers 87.3 miles and takes about 1h 55m 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, NC 41, NC 11 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 34.8 miles on Michael Jordan Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.65 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

43.7 miles from Wilmington, NC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 87.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Wilmington, NC to Kinston, NC covers 87.3 miles and takes about 1h 55m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 15 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 34.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Martin Luther King Jr Parkway.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 87.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.7 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 42.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 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.

5

42.4 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville

5

87.3 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in | Walls Street

Turn left onto Walls Street

Navigation decision point

5

87.3 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

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 Wilmington, NC to Kinston, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Beulaville along the way.

Beulaville

42.4 mi in | ~49m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Michael Jordan Highway	34.8 mi	37m
NC 41	17.7 mi	25m
NC 11	12.3 mi	17m
NC 241	9.1 mi	12m
Martin Luther King Jr Parkway	4.7 mi	6m
Old Pink Hill Road	4.4 mi	7m
South 3rd Street	1.7 mi	3m
North College Road	1.2 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Michael Jordan Highway — 34.8 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Kinston, 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

35 mi · 37 min · Michael Jordan Highway

5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Toward NC 41: Wallace, Beulaville

6

Turn right onto NC 41

18 mi · 25 min · NC 41

7

Continue on NC 241

9.1 mi · 12 min · NC 241

8

Turn right onto NC 11

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Kinston Boulevard

9

Continue on NC 11

12 mi · 17 min · NC 11

10

Continue on NC 11; NC 55

4.4 mi · 7 min · Old Pink Hill Road

11

Turn left onto South Herritage Street

0.2 mi · 49 sec · South Herritage Street

12

Turn right onto West North Street

246 ft · 16 sec · West North Street

13

Turn left onto Walls Street

167 ft · 9 sec · Walls Street

14

Turn right

102 ft · 7 sec

15

Arrive at destination

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 43.7 miles from Wilmington, NC, or about 52m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.8 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 19 miles or 24m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 43.7 miles or 52m 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 35m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kinston, 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 87.3 miles and 1h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 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 34.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 43.7 mi from Wilmington, NC · 52m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Beulaville, NC

44 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

Castle Hayne, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wallace, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.7 miles from Wilmington, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Kinston, NC

The final approach into Kinston, 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 21.1

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.65 one way

$27.30 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.34	$14.93	$29.85
premium	$4.70	$16.16	$32.31
diesel	$5.61	$19.27	$38.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

48 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

Leland, North Carolina

Tesla

1 DCFC

EV Connect: 11 ChargePoint: 11 Blink: 9 Other: 7 Tesla: 4 Tesla Destination: 3 Electrify America: 1 Shell Recharge: 1 InCharge: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	26.2	$9.17	$4.19
Efficient EV	21.8	$7.64	$3.49
EV Truck/SUV	34.9	$12.22	$5.59

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Wilmington, NC

Night in Wilmington on Thursday

Local time

11:14 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kinston, NC

Night in Kinston on Thursday

Local time

11:14 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 55m 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 Kinston, NC covers 87.3 miles and takes about 1h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Michael Jordan Highway, NC 41, NC 11. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 43.7 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 $13.65 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 87.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.7 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 42.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from Wilmington, NC to Kinston, NC, road signs begin pointing toward Beulaville along the way.

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Trip from Wilmington, NC to Kinston, NC

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Who Is This Route For?

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Kinston, NC

National Parks Near This Route

Moores Creek National Battlefield

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Wilmington, NC

Kinston, NC

Same local time

3 degrees cooler at arrival

1h 55m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

Continue From Kinston, NC

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