How far is Wrightsville Beach, NC from Wilmington, NC?

The driving distance from Wrightsville Beach, NC to Wilmington, NC is about 9.6 miles (15.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 8.6 miles (13.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 36m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
9.66 mi
00h 18m
Flight
8.56 mi
13.77 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Wrightsville Beach.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
8.56 mi
Kilometers
13.77 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
9.66 mi
Kilometers
15.55 km
Drive Time
00h 18m

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 00h 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Wilmington
Sun, Apr 19, 2:06 PM EDT
Return by in Wrightsville Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 2:24 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wrightsville Beach
2026-04-19T13:48
Arrive Wilmington
Sun, Apr 19, 2:06 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:18 AM to 7:18 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:54 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Wrightsville Beach
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Seagate
NC

Census-designated place in the U.

From Wrightsville Beach
4.8 mi
00h 09m
To Wilmington
4.8 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 16 mph W
Destination
86°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 14 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington.

  1. 1

    Start on Causeway Drive

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Causeway Drive

  2. 2

    Continue on Wrightsville Avenue

    1274 ft · 31 sec · Wrightsville Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Eastwood Road

    677 ft · 22 sec · Eastwood Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Wrightsville Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · Wrightsville Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Military Cutoff Road

    611 ft · 12 sec · Military Cutoff Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Oleander Drive

    6.1 mi · 11 min · Oleander Drive

  7. 7

    Continue on Wooster Street

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Wooster Street

  8. 8

    Turn right onto South 3rd Street

    28 m · 2 sec · South 3rd Street

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South 3rd Street

Car Route Details

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

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
9 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
92.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Oleander Drive
6.09 mi · 63%
Wrightsville Avenue
1.11 mi · 12%
Wooster Street
1.11 mi · 12%
Causeway Drive
1.09 mi · 11%
Eastwood Road
0.13 mi · 1%
Military Cutoff Road
0.12 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Oleander Drive

Continue on Oleander Drive

6.09 mi · 00h 11m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 18m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1 mi
8.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Seagate
00h 09m from Wrightsville Beach
Leave By
7:54 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers leaving Wrightsville Beach and Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Wilmington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Wrightsville Beach to Wilmington?

The road trip is about 9.6 miles (15.5 km) and usually takes 00h 18m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Seagate is a useful midpoint, sitting about 4.8 miles from Wrightsville Beach and 4.8 miles from Wilmington.

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

The direct path is about 8.6 miles (13.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:54 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.35 one way or $2.69 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers around Wrightsville Beach and Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Wilmington.

Stop Ideas Near Seagate

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Seagate and the surrounding midpoint area.
Founders Park
Scenic stop 8.4 mi away

Founders Park

Leland , NC
113 Town Hall Dr, Leland, NC 28451
Rating 4.5/5 56 reviews Tourist attraction,Park
Kure Beach Community Center
Practical stop 14.6 mi away

Kure Beach Community Center

Kure Beach , NC
118 N 3rd Ave, Kure Beach, NC 28449
Rating 5.0/5 1 reviews City government office,Emergency services
Lanier Parking
Meeting point 3.5 mi away

Lanier Parking

Wrightsville Beach , NC
321 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Rating 2.4/5 13 reviews City Hall
Stop photo coming soon
Nearby stop 8.4 mi away

Leland Police-Animal Control

Leland , NC
102 Town Hall Dr, Leland, NC 28451
Rating 4.2/5 12 reviews Police department

Transit and Meeting Points

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

BUS

Wilmington, NC

5 mi away
505 Cando St
BUS

Jacksonville, NC

72 mi away
850 New Bridge Street
BUS

Havelock, NC

113 mi away
201 Tourist Center Drive
BUS

Kinston, NC

117 mi away
101 East New Bern Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington. Straight-line distance: 8.56 mi (13.77 km).

Wrightsville Beach

#1 Wrightsville Beach

City in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States of America

Population2,516
Coordinates34.2085000, -77.7963700
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Wilmington

#2 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Start: Causeway Drive (-77.796416, 34.208447)
End: South 3rd Street (-77.944833, 34.225717)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 16 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 14m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 11m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 09m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 08m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.34 gal
1.29 L · about $1.35
Round trip
$2.69
0.68 gal · 2.58 L
Estimated CO2
3 kg one way
Round trip: 6 kg / 13 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $1.35 $2.69
Mid-grade $4.43 $1.51 $3.01
Premium $4.78 $1.62 $3.25
Diesel $5.62 $1.91 $3.82

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington. The current time is 13:48:21.

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.