Greensboro to Wilmington NC drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC drive are Durham NC, Raleigh NC and the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site. The distance from Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC is 205 miles, with a 3h3m driving time.
Planning a Greensboro to Wilmington road trip itinerary
The Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC drive connects urban North Carolina to the coast.
Greensboro NC has a handful of strong cultural attractions. The first port of call should be the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, which houses the original FW Woolworth’s lunch counter. This was where four college freshmen staged a sit-in at the whites-only venue – a key moment of non-violent direct action in the Civil Rights struggle.
There are more backstories at the Greensboro History Museum, and the Guildford Courthouse National Military Park focuses on a Revolutionary War turning point.
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Wilmington NC is a port city that acts as a gateway to the beaches of Cape Fear. Wrightsville Beach is the best known of these. Attractions in the city itself include Battleship North Carolina, which took part in every major WWII Pacific offensive. Visitors can now go on board and explore.
For historic homes, you can try the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens or the Bellamy Mansion. And, on a sunny day, the Airlie Gardens and the Wilmington Riverwalk are a delight.
Good Wilmington experiences include nighttime ghost walks, history and architecture walking tours, e-bike tours and sunset sailing cruises.
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Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC is 205 miles. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and three minutes. The quickest route is along the I-40.
The best stops to add to a Durham NC to Wilmington NC road trip itinerary are Durham NC, Raleigh NC and the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site.
For more suggestions, check out the guides to the Greensboro to Raleigh drive and Raleigh to Wilmington drive.
Best stops between Greensboro NC and Wilmington NC: Durham NC
Durham NC is a big tech research center, and home to Duke University. The latter is home to the Nasher Museum of Art and the soaring Gothic Duke Chapel.
Nature-lovers can go walking through the Sarah P Duke Gardens and take a tour of the Duke Lemur Center. The biggest crowd-pleaser, however, is the Museum of Life and Science. There are several sections to this, both indoor and outdoor. It’s mainly button-pushing, kid-friendly science indoors and black bears, butterflies and red wolves outside.
The best-rated Durham NC accommodation options are the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club and the Hampton Inn and Suites at the University Medical Center.
Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC road trip attractions: Raleigh NC
Raleigh NC offers a series of high quality museums. The North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina Museum of Art are the three big-hitters. Meanwhile, the Mordecai Historic Park is where you’ll find Raleigh’s oldest house and the William B Umstead State Park is the top spot for outdoorsy pursuits.
Top Raleigh activities include trolley pub tours and ghost tours.
For Raleigh accommodation, the Marriott is the prime address downtown and the Store is a gorgeous guesthouse.
Greensboro NC to Wilmington NC drive: Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site
The Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site covers the location of the biggest battle ever fought in North Carolina. Fought from March 19-21 in 1965, this was the last tactical offensive launched by the Confederate Army in the Civil War. You can tackle it via a 10 mile self-driving tour, or along the six miles of walking trails. There is also a video presentation in the Visitor Center, while tours of Harper House show off the former field hospital.
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