The drive from Florence, SC to Johnston, SC covers 130.1 miles and takes about 2h 45m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on J Strom Thurmond Freeway, Highway 23, Fairview Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 102.9 miles on J Strom Thurmond Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.34 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
65.1 miles from Florence, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 17m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 45m. Total distance: 130.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 45m highway drive covering 130.1 miles, with most of the trip on J Strom Thurmond Freeway and Highway 23. The longest continuous stretch is about 102.9 miles on J Strom Thurmond Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
J Strom Thurmond Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 102.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on J Strom Thurmond Freeway and Highway 23. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 45m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (East Cheves Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Warley Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Cheves Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Cheves Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Warley Street
Turn right onto Warley Street
Navigation decision point
8
107.6 mi into trip|~2h 5m in
Take the exit toward US 178: Batesburg-Leesville, Wagener
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39
Toward US 178: Batesburg-Leesville, Wagener
5
107.8 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Florence, SC to Johnston, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Wagener along the way.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Congaree National Park
National Park
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 67.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.34 one way
$40.69 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$22.25
$44.49
premium
$4.70
$24.08
$48.16
diesel
$5.61
$28.72
$57.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39
0
$13.66
$6.24
Efficient EV
32.5
0
$11.38
$5.20
EV Truck/SUV
52
0
$18.21
$8.33
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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
Florence, SC
Late night
in Florence on Saturday
Local time
2:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Johnston, SC
Late night
in Johnston on Saturday
Local time
2:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
25 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 45m 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 Florence, SC to Johnston, SC covers 130.1 miles and takes about 2h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are J Strom Thurmond Freeway, Highway 23, Fairview Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65.1 miles from Florence, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.34 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 is a straightforward 2h 45m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (East Cheves Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Warley Street): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Florence, SC to Johnston, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Wagener along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Congaree National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
