The drive from Forest Acres, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC covers 111.4 miles and takes about 2h 40m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 95, Boonehill Road, Coosaw Scenic Drive for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.5 miles on I 95.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.42 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
55.7 miles from Forest Acres, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 26m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 40m. Total distance: 111.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Forest Acres, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC covers 111.4 miles and takes about 2h 40m, 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 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Farrell Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 111.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.2 miles (Farrell Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 17 Alternate / South Live Oak Drive): Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles (SC 165 / Berlin Myers Parkway): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Farrell Street
Turn right onto Farrell Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip|~6m in|US 17 Alternate / South Live Oak Drive
At end of road, turn right onto US 17 Alternate / South Live Oak Drive
Navigation decision point
4
8.6 mi into trip|~17m in|SC 165 / Berlin Myers Parkway
Turn left onto SC 165 / Berlin Myers Parkway
Navigation decision point
5
42.5 mi into trip|~1h 9m in|US 17 Alt; SC 63 / South Jefferies Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto US 17 Alt; SC 63 / South Jefferies Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
46 mi into trip|~1h 15m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 South: Savannah
Navigation decision point
Toward I 95 South: Savannah
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
24.5 mi
26m
Boonehill Road
20.2 mi
29m
Coosaw Scenic Drive
9.6 mi
13m
Fording Island Road
9.3 mi
12m
Lowcountry Drive
7.9 mi
10m
Berlin G Myers Parkway
5.3 mi
9m
North Main Street
4.6 mi
7m
Okatie Highway
4.2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 24.5 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Acres, SC and Hilton Head Island, SC.
1
Start on Gross Avenue
0.2 mi·42 sec·Gross Avenue
2
Turn right onto Farrell Street
1.5 mi·5 min·Farrell Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 17 Alternate
2.3 mi·3 min·South Live Oak Drive
4
Continue on US 17 Alternate
4.6 mi·7 min·North Main Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto SC 165
0.4 mi·35 sec·Berlin Myers Parkway
6
Continue on SC 165
2.0 mi·3 min·Berlin G Myers Parkway
7
Continue on SC 165
3.3 mi·5 min·Berlin G Myers Parkway
8
Continue on US 17 Alt
1.9 mi·2 min·South Main Street
9
Continue on US 17 Alt
20 mi·29 min·Boonehill Road
10
Continue on US 17 Alternate
4.1 mi·5 min·Cottageville Highway
11
Turn left onto SC 64
0.8 mi·1 min·Robertson Boulevard
12
Turn right onto SC 64 Business
1.2 mi·2 min·Hampton Street
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 17 Alt; SC 63
3.5 mi·6 min·South Jefferies Boulevard
14
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 95 South: Savannah
15
Merge onto I 95
25 mi·26 min·I 95
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward SC 462: Coosawhatchie
17
Turn left onto SC 462
9.6 mi·13 min·Coosaw Scenic Drive
18
Continue on SC 462
7.9 mi·10 min·Lowcountry Drive
19
Turn right onto SC 170
4.2 mi·4 min·Okatie Highway
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
21
Merge onto US 278
9.3 mi·12 min·Fording Island Road
22
Continue on US 278
3.8 mi·4 min·William Hilton Parkway
23
Keep slight left at fork onto US 278
2.4 mi·2 min·Cross Island Parkway
24
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
25
Turn left onto Marshland Road
2.3 mi·5 min·Marshland Road
26
Turn right onto Allen Road
0.2 mi·38 sec·Allen Road
27
Arrive at destination
Allen Road
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 55.7 miles from Forest Acres, SC, or about 1h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.5 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 25 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.7 miles or 1h 26m 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 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hilton Head Island, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Forest Acres, 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 Forest Acres, SC
This is one driving day of about 111.4 miles and 2h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Forest Acres, 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 I 95 for about 24.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 55.7 mi from Forest Acres, SC
· 1h 26m into the drive
The midpoint is around 55.7 miles from Forest Acres, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Hilton Head Island, SC
The final approach into Hilton Head Island, 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 Hilton Head Island, SC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Coffee Stop
Corner Perk Hilton Head
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Near the end, short detour
1.4 mi from route
~3 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 111.4
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Reconstruction era,1861-1900 the historic period in which the United States grappled with the question of how to integrate millions of newly freed African Americans into social, political, economi...
14 mi from route
~34 min detour
Free
near mile 103.7
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.42 one way
$34.84 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$19.05
$38.10
premium
$4.70
$20.62
$41.24
diesel
$5.61
$24.60
$49.19
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.4
0
$11.70
$5.35
Efficient EV
27.9
0
$9.75
$4.46
EV Truck/SUV
44.6
0
$15.60
$7.13
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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 16, 2026
Origin
Forest Acres, SC
Afternoon
in Forest Acres on Friday
Local time
1:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hilton Head Island, SC
Afternoon
in Hilton Head Island on Friday
Local time
1:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
S 10 mph0% chanceLive 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
4 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 40m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Forest Acres, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC covers 111.4 miles and takes about 2h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 95, Boonehill Road, Coosaw Scenic Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 55.7 miles from Forest Acres, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.42 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 111.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.2 miles (Farrell Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 17 Alternate / South Live Oak Drive): Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles (SC 165 / Berlin Myers Parkway): Navigation decision point.
The route from Forest Acres, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Reconstruction Era National Historical Park and 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
