Origin
Wilmington, NC
Morning in Wilmington on Saturday
Local time
9:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wilmington, NC to Saint James, NC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
31.7 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint James, NC
Jo Kassis
Trip Overview
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Saint James, NC covers 31.7 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, Midway Road Southeast, Middleton Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.9 miles on US 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.96 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 31.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Saint James, NC covers 31.7 miles and takes about 52m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 17; US 76; US 421.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Wilmington, NC to Saint James, NC is easy. At 52m with 53% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 17.6 miles (US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 17; US 76; US 421
Turn right onto US 17; US 76; US 421
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
3.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
17.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway
Turn left onto US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway
Navigation decision point
6
31.4 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
St James Drive Southeast
Enter roundabout onto St James Drive Southeast
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
31.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 16.9 mi | 23m |
| Midway Road Southeast | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Middleton Street | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| St James Drive Southeast | 2.8 mi | 10m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Old Ocean Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Trailwood Drive Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 16.9 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington, NC and Saint James, NC.
1
Start on US 17 Business
372 ft
·
14 sec
·
South 3rd Street
2
Continue on US 17 Business
508 ft
·
23 sec
·
South 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto US 17; US 76; US 421
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
US 17; US 76; US 421
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
5
Continue on US 17
13 mi
·
19 min
·
US 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto US 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Old Ocean Highway
7
Continue on US 17 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
8
Continue on US 17 Business
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Old Ocean Highway
9
Turn left onto NC 906
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Midway Road Southeast
10
Continue on NC 906
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Middleton Street
11
Turn slight left onto St James Drive Southeast
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
St James Drive Southeast
12
Continue on St James Drive Southeast
1.9 mi
·
7 min
·
St James Drive Southeast
13
Continue on Trailwood Drive Southeast
365 ft
·
16 sec
·
Trailwood Drive Southeast
14
Continue on St James Drive Southeast
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
St James Drive Southeast
15
Enter roundabout onto St James Drive Southeast
245 ft
·
11 sec
·
St James Drive Southeast
16
Continue on St James Drive Southeast
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
St James Drive Southeast
17
Turn left
118 ft
·
8 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.8 mi from Wilmington, NC · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.8 miles from Wilmington, NC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Saint James, NC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Saint James, 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
$4.96 one way
$9.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.42 | $10.84 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.87 | $11.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Saint James, NC
Morning in Saint James on Saturday
Local time
9:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°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
4 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
52m 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 Saint James, NC covers 31.7 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Midway Road Southeast, Middleton Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.8 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 $4.96 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 Wilmington, NC to Saint James, NC is easy. At 52m with 53% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 17; US 76; US 421): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 17.6 miles (US 17 Business / Old Ocean Highway): Navigation decision point.
The route from Wilmington, NC to Saint James, NC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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