Washington DC to Wilmington NC drive: Distance, time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Washington DC to Wilmington NC drive are Richmond VA, the Halifax State Historic Site and Rose Hill NC. The distance from Washington DC to Wilmington NC is 364 miles, with a 5h50m driving time.
Planning a Washington DC to Wilmington NC road trip itinerary
The Washington DC to Wilmington NC drive takes you from the national capital to the North Carolina coast.
Washington DC has an enormous range of tours, experiences and attractions available. You could happily spend weeks in the Smithsonian Museums alone. Top choices, however, include the nighttime monuments and memorials tour, small group guided visits to the Capitol and National Library of Congress and Lincoln assassination tours that visit Fords Theatre.
Memorable Washington DC accommodation options include the Willard, where Martin Luther King Jr wrote his I Have A Dream speech. There’s also the Watergate Hotel, a luxurious conversion of the offices from the Watergate scandal.
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.
For Wilmington accommodation deals, search here.
Washington DC to Wilmington NC distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Washington DC to Wilmington NC is 364 miles. You can expect a driving time of around five hours and 50 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-95 and I-40.
The best stops to add to a Washington DC to Wilmington NC road trip itinerary are Richmond VA, the Halifax State Historic Site and Rose Hill NC.
For more suggestions, check out the guides to the individual legs of the journey.
Washington DC to Wilmington NC road trip attractions: Richmond VA
Once the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond VA is not entirely weighed down by its history. The surprisingly wild James River runs through it, and the west end feels energetic and more of the North than the South.
The top attraction, though, is the huge American Civil War Museum at the historic Tredegar Ironworks. After that, walk the suspension bridge to Belle Isle in the middle of the James River, see the dubious Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue, or see the grandiose tombs of the Hollywood Cemetery.
Other good Richmond experiences include food tours of the Arts District or Church Hill, Segway tours of the city landmarks, nighttime ghost walks and guided hikes along the James River.
For Richmond accommodation, the Moxy Richmond Downtown brims with fun, youthful energy. The Residence Inn by Marriott, meanwhile, is a short walk from the lively Shockoe Bottom neighbourhood.
Washington DC to Wilmington NC drive: Halifax State Historic Site
In 1776, North Carolina became the first colony to recommend independence from England. The congress leading to this took place in Halifax NC.
The museum at the Halifax State Historic Site covers this story and more. Meanwhile, self-guided tours of the restored small town are pepped up by craft demonstrations and costumed interpreters. Highlights include the 18th century tavern, 19th century jail and an Underground Railroad Trail.
Best stops between Washington DC and Wilmington NC: Rose Hill NC
The town square of Rose Hill NC offers one of those gloriously silly attractions that road trips are all about. The World’s Largest Frying Pan is 15ft wide, and can cook 365 whole chickens simultaneously.
Also in Rose Hill is the Duplin Winery, which is known for its sweet wines. It claims to be the biggest wine-making facility on the East Coast, and both tours and tastings are available for visitors.
More Washington DC road trips
Washington DC to Asheville | Atlanta to Washington DC | Washington DC to Baltimore | Boston to Washington DC | Washington DC to Charlotte | Chicago to Washington DC | Dallas to Washington DC | Durham NC to Washington DC | Fort Lauderdale to Washington DC | Fredericksburg to Washington DC | Greensboro to Washington DC | Hartford to Washington DC | Houston to Washington DC | Washington DC to Knoxville | Washington DC to Myrtle Beach | New Haven to Washington DC | New York City to Washington DC | Philadelphia to Washington DC | Washington DC to Pittsburgh | Raleigh NC to Washington DC | Washington DC to Richmond VA | St Louis to Washington DC | Washington DC to Tampa.
More Wilmington NC road trips
Asheville to Wilmington NC | Atlanta to Wilmington NC | Boston to Wilmington NC | Charlotte to Wilmington NC | Columbia SC to Wilmington NC | Durham NC to Wilmington NC | Greensboro to Wilmington NC | Greenville SC to Wilmington NC | Wilmington NC to Myrtle Beach | Nashville to Wilmington NC | New York City to Wilmington NC | Philadelphia to Wilmington NC | Raleigh to Wilmington NC | Richmond VA to Wilmington NC | Winston-Salem to Wilmington NC.