Origin
Hilton Head Island, SC
Afternoon in Hilton Head Island on Sunday
Local time
4:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hilton Head Island, SC to Port Royal, SC
Drive Time
52m
Distance
37.8 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hilton Head Island, SC
Scott Platt
Port Royal, SC
Colon Freld
Trip Overview
The drive from Hilton Head Island, SC to Port Royal, SC covers 37.8 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Okatie Highway, Fording Island Road, William Hilton Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.2 miles on Okatie Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.05 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
18.9 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 28m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 52m drive with frequent turns across 37.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Okatie Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 37.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles (US 278 / William Hilton Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 278 / William Hilton Parkway
Merge onto US 278 / William Hilton Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
5
18.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
34.6 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
US 21 / Parris Island Gateway
At end of road, turn right onto US 21 / Parris Island Gateway
Navigation decision point
4
37.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Paris Avenue
Turn right onto Paris Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Okatie Highway | 12.2 mi | 13m |
| Fording Island Road | 9 mi | 13m |
| William Hilton Parkway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Cross Island Parkway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Marshland Road | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Savannah Highway | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Parris Island Gateway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Okatie Highway
— 12.2 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hilton Head Island, SC and Port Royal, SC.
1
Start on Allen Road
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Allen Road
2
Turn left onto Marshland Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Marshland Road
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
4
Merge onto US 278
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
5
Merge onto US 278
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
William Hilton Parkway
Use the none lane.
6
Continue on US 278
9.0 mi
·
13 min
·
Fording Island Road
Use the none lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
8
Keep slight right at fork
147 ft
·
4 sec
9
Merge onto SC 170
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Okatie Highway
10
Continue on SC 170
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge
11
Continue on SC 170
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
Robert Smalls Parkway
12
Turn right onto SC 128
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Savannah Highway
13
At end of road, turn right onto US 21
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Parris Island Gateway
14
Continue on US 21
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Russell Bell Bridge
15
Continue on US 21
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Ribaut Road
16
Turn right onto Paris Avenue
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Paris Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Paris Avenue
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 18.9 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC, or about 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.2 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 37.8 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 18.9 miles or 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Port Royal, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hilton Head Island, 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 Hilton Head Island, SC
This is one driving day of about 37.8 miles and 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Hilton Head Island, 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 Okatie Highway for about 12.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.9 mi from Hilton Head Island, SC · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.9 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Port Royal, SC
The final approach into Port Royal, 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 Port Royal, 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
$6.05 one way
$12.10 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $6.59 | $13.18 |
| premium | $4.78 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $8.40 | $16.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$6
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$31–$56
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Port Royal, SC
Afternoon in Port Royal on Sunday
Local time
4:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
1 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
52m 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 Hilton Head Island, SC to Port Royal, SC covers 37.8 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Okatie Highway, Fording Island Road, William Hilton Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.9 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.05 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 37.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.1 miles (US 278 / William Hilton Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Hilton Head Island, SC to Port Royal, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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