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Trip from Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 39m

Distance

83.4 mi

134 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 32m ★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 55m
10 AM
1h 45m
12 PM
1h 44m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 54m
8 PM
1h 35m

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

county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States

Florence, SC

Wikimedia Commons

city in Lexington County, South Carolina, United States of America

West Columbia, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC covers 83.4 miles and takes about 1h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Cheves Street, Warley Street, West Evans Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.04 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

41.7 miles from Florence, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 39m. Total distance: 83.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 39m drive with frequent turns across 83.4 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.
East Cheves Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

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.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC is easy. At 1h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East Cheves Street
Warley Street
West Evans Street
West David H McLeod Boulevard
J Strom Thurmond Freeway
SC 277 South
I
Bull Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: East Cheves Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on the route

49 ft · 9 sec · the route
2

Turn left

131 ft · 15 sec
3

At the end of the road, turn left onto East Cheves Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Cheves Street
4

Turn right onto Warley Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Warley Street
5

Turn left onto West Evans Street

2.4 mi · 4 min · West Evans Street
6

Turn right onto West David H McLeod Boulevard

1.5 mi · 2 min · West David H McLeod Boulevard
7

Continue on J Strom Thurmond Freeway

69 mi · 1 hr 15 min · J Strom Thurmond Freeway
8

Take the exit slight right toward SC 277 South: Downtown, Columbia

1.1 mi · 2 min · SC 277 South: Downtown, Columbia
9

Merge slight left onto I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway

4.8 mi · 5 min · I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway
10

Continue on Bull Street

0.7 mi · 56 sec · Bull Street
11

Turn right onto Elmwood Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · Elmwood Avenue
12

Take the exit slight left toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Huger Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · US 21, US 176, US 321: Huger Street
13

Turn right onto Taylor Street

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Taylor Street
14

Continue on Hampton Street

0.3 mi · 26 sec · Hampton Street
15

Continue on Jarvis Klapman Boulevard

1.2 mi · 1 min · Jarvis Klapman Boulevard
16

Turn right onto North 12th Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · North 12th Street
17

Turn right

272 ft · 20 sec
18

Arrive at your destination

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 41.7 miles from Florence, SC, or about 49m into the drive.

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 18 miles or 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 41.7 miles or 49m 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 24m

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

Before You Leave

+

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

Day 1

Settle into the route from Florence, SC

This is one driving day of about 83.4 miles and 1h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Florence, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 41.7 mi from Florence, SC · 49m into the drive

city in South Carolina, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Camden, SC

42 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

Suggs Crossroads, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Camden, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 41.7 miles from Florence, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in West Columbia, SC

The final approach into West Columbia, 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

$13.04 one way

$26.08 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 29 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $14.26 $28.52
premium $4.70 $15.44 $30.87
diesel $5.61 $18.41 $36.83

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25 0 $8.76 $4.00
Efficient EV 20.9 0 $7.30 $3.34
EV Truck/SUV 33.4 0 $11.68 $5.34

Gas CO2

29 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Florence, SC

Late night in Florence on Saturday

Local time

5:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

West Columbia, SC

Late night in West Columbia on Saturday

Local time

5:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

89°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

Camden, SC

42 mi in

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

15 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 39m 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 West Columbia, SC covers 83.4 miles and takes about 1h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East Cheves Street, Warley Street, West Evans Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 41.7 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 $13.04 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 Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC is easy. At 1h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Florence, SC to West Columbia, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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