Origin
Folly Beach, SC
Late night in Folly Beach on Saturday
Local time
5:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Folly Beach, SC to South Santee, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
54.6 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Folly Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
South Santee, SC
Hilary Halliwell
Trip Overview
The drive from Folly Beach, SC to South Santee, SC covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, Folly Road, Johnnie Dodds Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.1 miles on US 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 54.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 19m highway drive covering 54.6 miles, with most of the trip on US 17 and Folly Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 33.1 miles on US 17.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 33.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and Folly Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 19m drive. You will face about 7 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; at 0.1 miles (East Ashley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SC 171 / Center Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese 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
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Ashley Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East Ashley Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SC 171 / Center Street
Turn right onto SC 171 / Center Street
Navigation decision point
3
7.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
SC 30
Turn right onto SC 30 toward SC 30 East: Downtown
Navigation decision point
Toward SC 30 East: Downtown
5
12.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Merge onto US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 33.1 mi | 41m |
| Folly Road | 6.6 mi | 12m |
| Johnnie Dodds Boulevard | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| SC 30 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Calhoun Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Bay Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Center Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 33.1 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Folly Beach, SC and South Santee, SC.
1
Start on East Arctic Avenue
214 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Arctic Avenue
2
Turn left
200 ft
·
19 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto East Ashley Avenue
272 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Ashley Avenue
4
Turn right onto SC 171
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Center Street
5
Continue on SC 171
6.6 mi
·
12 min
·
Folly Road
6
Turn right onto SC 30
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
SC 30
Toward SC 30 East: Downtown
7
Continue on Calhoun Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Calhoun Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto East Bay Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Bay Street
9
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 17 North
10
Merge onto US 17
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 17
6.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on US 17
33 mi
·
41 min
·
US 17
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 17
192 ft
·
11 sec
·
US 17
14
Arrive at destination
US 17
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.3 mi from Folly Beach, SC · 45m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.3 miles from Folly Beach, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in South Santee, SC
The final approach into South Santee, 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
$8.51 one way
$17.03 round trip
$3.96/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $9.52 | $19.04 |
| premium | $4.78 | $10.27 | $20.54 |
| diesel | $5.62 | $12.09 | $24.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
South Santee, SC
Late night in South Santee on Saturday
Local time
5:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
20 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 19m 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 Folly Beach, SC to South Santee, SC covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Folly Road, Johnnie Dodds Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.3 miles from Folly Beach, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.51 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.
This is a straightforward 1h 19m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Ashley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SC 171 / Center Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Folly Beach, SC to South Santee, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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