Origin
Aiken, SC
Afternoon in Aiken on Sunday
Local time
4:10 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aiken, SC to Clemson, SC
Drive Time
2h 52m
Distance
117.8 mi
190 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 41m
★
6 AM
2h 52m
8 AM
3h 14m
10 AM
3h 0m
12 PM
2h 58m
3 PM
3h 1m
5 PM
3h 13m
8 PM
2h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aiken, SC
Diego Santacruz
Clemson, SC
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Aiken, SC to Clemson, SC covers 117.8 miles and takes about 2h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 25, Abbeville Highway, Highway 28 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.1 miles on US 25. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
58.9 miles from Aiken, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Aiken, SC to Clemson, SC covers 117.8 miles and takes about 2h 52m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 25 is the longest continuous segment at about 27.1 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
810 ft
409 ft
Total Climb
779 ft
Total Descent
571 ft
Highest Point
810 ft
~103.1 mi in
Elevation Range
401 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 117.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 24.4 miles (US 25): Navigation decision point; at 103.8 miles (SC 28): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest
Turn right onto SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
4
24.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 25
At end of road, turn left onto US 25
Navigation decision point
5
103.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 29m in
|
SC 28
Take the exit onto SC 28 toward US 76, SC 28
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 76, SC 28
5
104 mi into trip
|
~2h 29m in
|
SC 28
Keep slight left at fork onto SC 28
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
117.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 51m in
|
SC 133 / College Avenue
Turn left onto SC 133 / College Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 25 | 27.1 mi | 37m |
| Abbeville Highway | 12.3 mi | 18m |
| Highway 28 | 11.4 mi | 16m |
| Edgefield Highway | 10.1 mi | 15m |
| SC 72 | 9.8 mi | 14m |
| Highway 76 | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Augusta Road | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Pearman Dairy Road | 4.5 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
US 25
— 27.1 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aiken, SC and Clemson, SC.
1
Start on SC 19
387 ft
·
13 sec
·
Chesterfield Street South
2
Continue on SC 19
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Chesterfield Street South
3
Turn left onto US 1; US 78; SC 19
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Richland Avenue West
4
Turn right onto SC 19
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
Laurens Street Northwest
5
Continue on SC 19
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Laurens Street Northwest
6
Continue on SC 19
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Edgefield Highway
7
Continue on SC 19
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Highway 19
8
Continue on SC 19
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Augusta Road
9
Turn straight onto US 25 Truck
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Bauskett Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 25
27 mi
·
37 min
·
US 25
11
Turn left onto SC 225
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
Scotch Cross Road West
12
Continue on SC 225
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 225
13
Continue on SC 225
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Street
14
Continue on SC 225
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Nixon Circle
15
Continue on SC 225
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Taggart Avenue
16
Continue on SC 225
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
State Highway 225
17
Turn left onto SC 72 Business
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 72
18
At end of road, turn left onto SC 72
9.8 mi
·
14 min
·
SC 72
19
Turn right onto SC 20; SC 203 Truck
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Main Street
20
Continue on SC 20
463 ft
·
9 sec
·
Court Square
21
Continue on SC 20
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Main Street
22
Keep slight left at fork onto North Main Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
23
Continue on SC 28
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Highway 28
24
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 28
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Highway 28
25
Continue on SC 28
12 mi
·
18 min
·
Abbeville Highway
26
Turn left onto SC 28
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
State Highway 28
27
Continue on SC 28
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Pearman Dairy Road
28
Continue on SC 28
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Highway 28 Bypass
29
Continue on SC 28
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Pearman Dairy Road
30
Take the exit onto SC 28
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
SC 28
Toward US 76, SC 28
31
Keep slight left at fork onto SC 28
204 ft
·
13 sec
·
SC 28
32
Continue on US 76; SC 28
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Clemson Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
33
Continue on US 76; SC 28
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Clemson Highway
34
Continue on US 76; SC 28
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Clemson Boulevard
35
Continue on US 76; SC 28
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Highway 76
36
Turn left onto US 76; US 123; SC 28
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Tiger Boulevard
37
Turn left onto SC 133
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
College Avenue
Use the left lane.
38
Arrive at destination
SC 133
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 58.9 miles from Aiken, SC, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.9 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clemson, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Aiken, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Aiken, SC
This is one driving day of about 117.8 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Aiken, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 25 for about 27.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 58.9 mi from Aiken, SC · 1h 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
59 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 58.9 miles from Aiken, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clemson, SC
The final approach into Clemson, SC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Clemson, SC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.85 one way
$37.71 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
41 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $20.54 | $41.08 |
| premium | $4.78 | $22.16 | $44.32 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $26.17 | $52.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.3 | 0 | $12.37 | $5.65 |
| Efficient EV | 29.5 | 0 | $10.31 | $4.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.1 | 0 | $16.49 | $7.54 |
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Clemson, SC
Afternoon in Clemson on Sunday
Local time
4:10 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 52m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Aiken, SC to Clemson, SC covers 117.8 miles and takes about 2h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 25, Abbeville Highway, Highway 28. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 58.9 miles from Aiken, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 117.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 24.4 miles (US 25): Navigation decision point; at 103.8 miles (SC 28): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Aiken, SC to Clemson, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 409 ft to 810 ft elevation with about 779 ft of total climbing.
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