Origin
Garden City Beach, SC
Evening in Garden City Beach on Monday
Local time
6:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Garden City Beach, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC
Drive Time
46m
Distance
28.8 mi
46 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Garden City Beach, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC covers 28.8 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 17, North Kings Highway, US Highway 17 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.8 miles on Highway 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.61 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
14.4 miles from Garden City Beach, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 22m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 46m highway drive covering 28.8 miles, with most of the trip on Highway 17 and North Kings Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.8 miles on Highway 17.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 17 and North Kings Highway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near S-26-155 / South Waccamaw Drive.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 28.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (S-26-155 / South Waccamaw Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Garden City Connector): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (Garden City Connector): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
S-26-155 / South Waccamaw Drive
Turn left onto S-26-155 / South Waccamaw Drive
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Garden City Connector
Turn left onto Garden City Connector
Navigation decision point
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Garden City Connector
Enter roundabout onto Garden City Connector
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 17 / Highway 17
Turn right onto US 17 / Highway 17
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
27.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
14th Avenue South
Turn right onto 14th Avenue South
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 17 | 16.8 mi | 22m |
| North Kings Highway | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| US Highway 17 South | 3.2 mi | 6m |
| US Highway 17 Bypass South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Garden City Connector | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Atlantic Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Drive South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| US 17 Business | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 17
— 16.8 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garden City Beach, SC and North Myrtle Beach, SC.
1
Start on Cedar Avenue
301 ft
·
18 sec
·
Cedar Avenue
2
Turn left onto S-26-155
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Waccamaw Drive
3
Turn left onto S-26-51
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Atlantic Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
US 17 Business
5
Turn left onto Garden City Connector
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden City Connector
6
Enter roundabout onto Garden City Connector
142 ft
·
4 sec
·
Garden City Connector
7
Continue on Garden City Connector
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
Garden City Connector
8
Turn right onto US 17
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Highway 17
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 17
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 17 Bypass South
10
Continue on US Highway 17 Bypass South
12 mi
·
16 min
·
US Highway 17 Bypass South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 17
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
North Kings Highway
12
Continue on US 17
3.2 mi
·
6 min
·
US Highway 17 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto 14th Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
14th Avenue South
14
Turn left onto S-26-360
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Hillside Drive South
15
Turn right onto S-26-358
304 ft
·
8 sec
·
6th Avenue South
16
Arrive at destination
S-26-358
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 14.4 miles from Garden City Beach, SC, or about 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 16.8 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 28.8 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 14.4 miles or 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Myrtle Beach, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Garden City Beach, 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 Garden City Beach, SC
This is one driving day of about 28.8 miles and 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Garden City Beach, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Highway 17 for about 16.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 14.4 mi from Garden City Beach, SC · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
14 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 28.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 14.4 miles from Garden City Beach, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in North Myrtle Beach, SC
The final approach into North Myrtle Beach, 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 North Myrtle Beach, SC.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.61 one way
$9.22 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $5.02 | $10.04 |
| premium | $4.78 | $5.42 | $10.84 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $6.40 | $12.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Evening in North Myrtle Beach on Monday
Local time
6:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
3 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
46m 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 Garden City Beach, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC covers 28.8 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 17, North Kings Highway, US Highway 17 South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.4 miles from Garden City Beach, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.61 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 28.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (S-26-155 / South Waccamaw Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Garden City Connector): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (Garden City Connector): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Garden City Beach, SC to North Myrtle Beach, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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