How far is Wilmington, NC from Ocean Isle Beach, NC?

The driving distance from Wilmington, NC to Ocean Isle Beach, NC is about 42.5 miles (68.4 km), with a travel time of about 01h 05m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 35.9 miles (57.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 10m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
42.49 mi
01h 05m
Flight
35.85 mi
57.7 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Wilmington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
35.85 mi
Kilometers
57.7 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
42.49 mi
Kilometers
68.38 km
Drive Time
01h 05m

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 01h 05m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ocean Isle Beach
Fri, Nov 6, 5:36 PM EST
Return by in Wilmington
Fri, Nov 6, 6:41 PM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wilmington
2026-11-06T16:31
Arrive Ocean Isle Beach
Fri, Nov 6, 5:36 PM EST
Route Timing
01h 05m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:05 AM to 11:05 AM EST

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:20 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Wilmington
9:30 PM EST
Morning start is best

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
Bolivia
NC

Town in and county seat of Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States

From Wilmington
21.3 mi
00h 32m
To Ocean Isle Beach
21.3 mi
00h 32m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
68°F
Overnight

Patchy Fog

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 1:00 AM EST
Wind
3 mph S
Destination
Ocean Isle Beach Weather
NC
Live fallback forecast
78°F
Friday
Using Leland as the closest live forecast in the Brunswick County weather hub.

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 6:00 AM EST
Wind
5 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Wilmington and Ocean Isle Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington and Ocean Isle Beach.

  1. 1

    Start on South 3rd Street

    113 m · 14 sec · South 3rd Street

  2. 2

    Continue on South 3rd Street

    155 m · 23 sec · South 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right

    3.5 mi · 5 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right

    2844 ft · 41 sec

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    28.1 mi · 38 min

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1.8 mi · 4 min · Main Street

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Village Road

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Village Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Bricklanding Road Southwest

    1.5 km · 1 min · Bricklanding Road Southwest

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Bricklanding Road Southwest

    71 m · 5 sec · Bricklanding Road Southwest

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout onto Bricklanding Road Southwest

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Bricklanding Road Southwest

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Beach Drive Southwest

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Beach Drive Southwest

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Causeway Drive

    65 m · 4 sec · Causeway Drive

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto Causeway Drive

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Causeway Drive

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East 2nd Street

    1.1 km · 3 min · East 2nd Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Anson Street

    1219 ft · 54 sec · Anson Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Anson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Wilmington and Ocean Isle Beach.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
16 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
0 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
37.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South 3rd Street
28.8 mi · 68%
Bricklanding Road Southwest
2.65 mi · 6%
Beach Drive Southwest
2.19 mi · 5%
Main Street
1.77 mi · 4%
Village Road
1.5 mi · 4%
Causeway Drive
1.16 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

South 3rd Street

Continue straight

28.1 mi · 00h 38m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 05m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.6 mi
35.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bolivia
00h 32m from Wilmington
Leave By
4:20 PM EST
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog leaving Wilmington and Showers And Thunderstorms near Ocean Isle Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Wilmington to Ocean Isle Beach?

The road trip is about 42.5 miles (68.4 km) and usually takes 01h 05m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Bolivia is a useful midpoint, sitting about 21.3 miles from Wilmington and 21.3 miles from Ocean Isle Beach.

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

The direct path is about 35.9 miles (57.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.6 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:20 PM EST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.02 one way or $10.04 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 13.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog around Wilmington and Showers And Thunderstorms near Ocean Isle Beach.

Stop Ideas Near Bolivia

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Bolivia, 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 Bolivia.

BUS

Wilmington, NC

32 mi away
505 Cando St
BUS

Jacksonville, NC

101 mi away
850 New Bridge Street
RAIL

Dillon

119 mi away
100 North Railroad Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wilmington and Ocean Isle Beach. Straight-line distance: 35.85 mi (57.7 km).

Wilmington

#1 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Ocean Isle Beach

Human settlement in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States of America

Population709
Coordinates33.8943400, -78.4266700
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Start: Wilmington (-77.94471, 34.22573)
End: Ocean Isle Beach (-78.42667, 33.89434)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 68 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 03m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 50m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 42m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 36m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 31m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.5 gal
5.68 L · about $5.02
Round trip
$10.04
3 gal · 11.36 L
Estimated CO2
13.3 kg one way
Round trip: 26.7 kg / 59 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.35 $5.02 $10.04
Mid-grade $3.80 $5.69 $11.39
Premium $4.23 $6.34 $12.68
Diesel $5.49 $8.23 $16.46

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 · Nov 06, 2026

There is no time difference between Wilmington and Ocean Isle Beach. The current time is 16:31:08.

Distance to Other Cities

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