How far is Spencer, NC from Wilmington, NC?

The driving distance from Spencer, NC to Wilmington, NC is about 224.9 miles (362 km), with a travel time of about 03h 33m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 173.6 miles (279.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 07m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
224.96 mi
03h 33m
Flight
173.63 mi
279.43 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Spencer.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
173.63 mi
Kilometers
279.43 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
224.96 mi
Kilometers
362.04 km
Drive Time
03h 33m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 03h 33m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Wilmington
Wed, Apr 15, 4:02 PM EDT
Return by in Spencer
Wed, Apr 15, 7:36 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Spencer
2026-04-15T12:28
Arrive Wilmington
Wed, Apr 15, 4:02 PM EDT
Route Timing
03h 33m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:34 AM to 11:34 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:52 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Spencer
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Laurinburg
NC

City in and county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States

From Spencer
103.6 mi
01h 46m
To Wilmington
121.4 mi
01h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
91°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph SW
Destination
87°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 8:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Spencer and Wilmington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Spencer and Wilmington.

  1. 1

    Start on South Carolina Avenue

    15 m · 4 sec · South Carolina Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 3rd Street

    1295 ft · 1 min · 3rd Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Salisbury Avenue

    2518 ft · 1 min · South Salisbury Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto East Jefferson Street

    1339 ft · 39 sec · East Jefferson Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Andrews Street

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Andrews Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Old Union Church Road

    2.8 mi · 6 min · Old Union Church Road

  7. 7

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Goodman Lake Road

    1504 ft · 47 sec · Goodman Lake Road

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Bringle Ferry Road

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Bringle Ferry Road

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Providence Church Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Providence Church Road

  10. 10

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Stokes Ferry Road

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Stokes Ferry Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Liberty Road

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Liberty Road

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn left

    6.1 mi · 10 min

  13. 13

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    1624 ft · 42 sec · South Main Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Old Salisbury Road

    7.1 mi · 10 min · Old Salisbury Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Salisbury Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · Salisbury Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn right

    29.4 mi · 39 min

  17. 17

    Turn left onto W. Cliff Martin Highway

    2040 ft · 26 sec · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on Salisbury Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Salisbury Street

  19. 19

    Continue on West Caswell Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · West Caswell Street

  20. 20

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    10.2 mi · 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  22. 22

    Continue on G R Kindley Freeway

    14.9 mi · 16 min · G R Kindley Freeway

  23. 23

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    9.7 mi · 12 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  24. 24

    Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    10.3 mi · 11 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  25. 25

    Continue on American Indian Highway

    33.6 mi · 37 min · American Indian Highway

  26. 26

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    59.8 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  27. 27

    Continue on Ocean Highway East

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Ocean Highway East

  28. 28

    Continue on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

    1.2 km · 1 min · Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

  29. 29

    Turn left onto South 3rd Street

    551 ft · 15 sec · South 3rd Street

  30. 30

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South 3rd Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Spencer and Wilmington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
30 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Andrew Jackson Highway
91 mi · 40%
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi · 15%
G R Kindley Freeway
14.9 mi · 7%
Old Salisbury Road
7.08 mi · 3%
Liberty Road
4.28 mi · 2%
Ocean Highway East
3.11 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Andrew Jackson Highway

Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

59.8 mi · 01h 13m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 33m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+51.3 mi
173.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Laurinburg
01h 46m from Spencer
Leave By
9:52 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Spencer and Sunny near Wilmington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Spencer to Wilmington?

The road trip is about 224.9 miles (362 km) and usually takes 03h 33m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Laurinburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 103.6 miles from Spencer and 121.4 miles from Wilmington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 173.6 miles (279.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 51.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:52 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $31.45 one way or $62.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 70.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Spencer and Sunny near Wilmington.

Stop Ideas Near Laurinburg

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Laurinburg, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Laurinburg.

RAIL

Hamlet

25 mi away
West Main St. and North Bridges St.
RAIL

Dillon

40 mi away
100 North Railroad Avenue
RAIL

Southern Pines

45 mi away
235 Northwest Broad Street
RAIL

Fayetteville

61 mi away
472 Hay Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Spencer and Wilmington. Straight-line distance: 173.63 mi (279.43 km).

Spencer

#1 Spencer

Town in North Carolina

Population3,260
Coordinates35.6923600, -80.4347800
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Wilmington

#2 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Start: South Carolina Avenue (-80.434797, 35.692381)
End: South 3rd Street (-77.944833, 34.225717)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 362 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 48m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.94 gal
30.05 L · about $31.45
Round trip
$62.90
15.88 gal · 60.1 L
Estimated CO2
70.6 kg one way
Round trip: 141.1 kg / 311 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $31.45 $62.90
Mid-grade $4.43 $35.17 $70.33
Premium $4.78 $37.94 $75.87
Diesel $5.62 $44.65 $89.31

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in North Carolina · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Spencer and Wilmington. The current time is 12:28:49.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.