Origin
Wilmington, NC
Afternoon in Wilmington on Thursday
Local time
4:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to Rose Hill, NC
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h
Distance
49.9 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Rose Hill, NC covers 49.9 miles and takes about 1h 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, Martin Luther King Jr Parkway, South 3rd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 40 miles on Michael Jordan Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.80 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 49.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h drive with frequent turns across 49.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 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 40 miles.
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 Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h drive. You will face about 5 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 47.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese 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
47.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward Rose Hill, Greenevers
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Rose Hill, Greenevers
4
48 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
West Charity Road
Turn left onto West Charity Road
Navigation decision point
3
49.5 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
US 117 / South Sycamore Street
Turn right onto US 117 / South Sycamore Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jordan Highway | 40 mi | 42m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Parkway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| South 3rd Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West Charity Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| North College Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| South Sycamore Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Sycamore Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Michael Jordan Highway
— 40 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Rose Hill, 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
40 mi
·
42 min
·
Michael Jordan Highway
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Rose Hill, Greenevers
6
Turn left onto West Charity Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West Charity Road
7
Turn right onto US 117
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Sycamore Street
8
Arrive at destination
US 117
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25 mi from Wilmington, NC · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 miles from Wilmington, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Rose Hill, NC
The final approach into Rose Hill, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.80 one way
$15.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.53 | $17.06 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.24 | $18.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.02 | $22.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 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 | 15 | 0 | $5.24 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $6.99 | $3.19 |
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.
Destination
Rose Hill, NC
Afternoon in Rose Hill on Thursday
Local time
4:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
30 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 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 Rose Hill, NC covers 49.9 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Michael Jordan Highway, Martin Luther King Jr Parkway, South 3rd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25 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 $7.80 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 drive. You will face about 5 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 47.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Wilmington, NC to Rose Hill, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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