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Trip from Columbia, SC to Allendale, SC

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 35m

Distance

76.6 mi

123 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 29m ★
6 AM
1h 36m
8 AM
1h 50m
10 AM
1h 41m
12 PM
1h 39m
3 PM
1h 42m
5 PM
1h 50m
8 PM
1h 31m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in South Carolina, United States

Allendale, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Columbia, SC to Allendale, SC covers 76.6 miles and takes about 1h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Savannah Highway, Carolina Highway, Burtons Ferry Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.7 miles on Savannah Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.98 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.

Midpoint

38.3 miles from Columbia, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 35m. Total distance: 76.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 35m drive with frequent turns across 76.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Savannah Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near Charleston Highway.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Columbia, SC to Allendale, SC is easy. At 1h 35m with 6% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (Charleston Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (SC 602 / D Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (Williams Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 5 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

3
2.4 mi into trip | ~4m in | Charleston Highway

Turn slight left onto Charleston Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
3
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | SC 602 / D Avenue

Turn right onto SC 602 / D Avenue

Navigation decision point

3
3.8 mi into trip | ~7m in | Williams Street

Turn left onto Williams Street

Navigation decision point

4
4.4 mi into trip | ~8m in | US 21; US 176; US 321 / Charleston Highway

Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321 / Charleston Highway

Navigation decision point

3
65.7 mi into trip | ~1h 21m in | US 301; US 321 / Main Highway

Merge onto US 301; US 321 / Main Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Savannah Highway 23.7 mi 26m
Carolina Highway 19.7 mi 22m
Burtons Ferry Highway 8.7 mi 11m
Charleston Highway 5.9 mi 7m
Highway 321 4.8 mi 5m
Southbound Road 4.1 mi 5m
North Main Street 2.1 mi 2m
Main Highway 1.9 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Savannah Highway — 23.7 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, SC and Allendale, SC.

1

Start on Gervais Street

434 ft · 17 sec · Gervais Street
2

Continue on US 1; US 378

1.2 mi · 2 min · Gervais Street
3

Continue on US 1; US 378

1.2 mi · 1 min · Meeting Street
4

Turn slight left onto Charleston Highway

0.4 mi · 39 sec · Charleston Highway
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto SC 602

297 ft · 7 sec · D Avenue
6

Continue on SC 602

1.0 mi · 1 min · Platt Springs Road
7

Turn left onto Williams Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Williams Street
8

Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321

5.6 mi · 6 min · Charleston Highway
9

Turn slight right onto US 321

4.8 mi · 5 min · Highway 321
10

Continue on US 321

2.1 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
11

Continue on US 321

4.1 mi · 5 min · Southbound Road
12

Continue on US 321

1.3 mi · 2 min · North Church Street
13

Continue on US 321

24 mi · 26 min · Savannah Highway
14

Continue on US 321

20 mi · 22 min · Carolina Highway
15

Merge onto US 301; US 321

1.9 mi · 2 min · Main Highway
16

Continue on US 301

8.7 mi · 11 min · Burtons Ferry Highway
17

Continue on US 278; US 301

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Main Street North
18

Arrive at destination

US 301

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.3 miles from Columbia, SC, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.7 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 17 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 38.3 miles or 50m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Allendale, SC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Columbia, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Columbia, SC

This is one driving day of about 76.6 miles and 1h 35m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Columbia, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Savannah Highway for about 23.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 38.3 mi from Columbia, SC · 50m into the drive

Downtown Gaston, SC, SC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gaston, SC

38 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

Gaston, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Denmark, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 38.3 miles from Columbia, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Allendale, SC

The final approach into Allendale, SC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.98 one way

$23.96 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $13.10 $26.19
premium $4.70 $14.18 $28.35
diesel $5.61 $16.91 $33.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 26.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 23 0 $8.04 $3.68
Efficient EV 19.2 0 $6.70 $3.06
EV Truck/SUV 30.6 0 $10.72 $4.90

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Columbia, SC

Evening in Columbia on Thursday

Local time

6:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Allendale, SC

Evening in Allendale on Thursday

Local time

6:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

89°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

39 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

1h 35m 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 Columbia, SC to Allendale, SC covers 76.6 miles and takes about 1h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Savannah Highway, Carolina Highway, Burtons Ferry Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 38.3 miles from Columbia, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.98 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.
The drive from Columbia, SC to Allendale, SC is easy. At 1h 35m with 6% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (Charleston Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (SC 602 / D Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (Williams Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Columbia, SC to Allendale, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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