Origin
Hilton Head Island, SC
Morning in Hilton Head Island on Friday
Local time
7:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hilton Head Island, SC to Arial, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 18m
Distance
270.5 mi
435 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 5m
★
6 AM
5h 19m
8 AM
5h 46m
10 AM
5h 28m
12 PM
5h 26m
3 PM
5h 30m
5 PM
5h 44m
8 PM
5h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hilton Head Island, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Arial, SC
Nino Souza
Trip Overview
The drive from Hilton Head Island, SC to Arial, SC covers 270.5 miles and takes about 5h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Marshland Road, Cross Island Parkway, William Hilton Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
135.3 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 39m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 18m. Total distance: 270.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 18m 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 5h 18m drive with frequent turns across 270.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Marshland Road 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
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 5h 18m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hilton Head Island, SC to Arial, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Marshland Road | — | — |
| Cross Island Parkway | — | — |
| William Hilton Parkway | — | — |
| Fording Island Road | — | — |
| Okatie Highway | — | — |
| Lowcountry Drive | — | — |
| Coosaw Scenic Drive | — | — |
| I 95 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Marshland Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hilton Head Island, SC and Arial, SC.
1
Start on Allen Road
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Allen Road
2
Turn left onto Marshland Road
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Marshland Road
3
Take the ramp right
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Cross Island Parkway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
5
Merge slight left onto William Hilton Parkway
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
William Hilton Parkway
6
Continue on Fording Island Road
9.0 mi
·
13 min
·
Fording Island Road
7
Take the exit slight right
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
8
Keep slight right
148 ft
·
4 sec
9
Merge slight left onto Okatie Highway
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Okatie Highway
10
Take the exit slight left
489 ft
·
14 sec
11
Continue on Lowcountry Drive
7.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Lowcountry Drive
12
Continue on Coosaw Scenic Drive
9.4 mi
·
12 min
·
Coosaw Scenic Drive
13
Take the ramp slight right toward I 95 North, US 17 North: Florence
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
I 95 North, US 17 North: Florence
14
Merge slight left
57 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 26 West: Columbia
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 26 West: Columbia
16
Merge slight left
117 mi
·
2 hr 6 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on I 385 North: Laurens, Greenville
30 mi
·
32 min
·
I 385 North: Laurens, Greenville
18
Keep slight right to continue on I 185, US 276: Atlanta, Mauldin, Anderson
0.5 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 185, US 276: Atlanta, Mauldin, Anderson
19
Take the exit slight left toward I 185: Atlanta, Anderson
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 185: Atlanta, Anderson
20
Merge slight left onto Southern Connector
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Southern Connector
21
Take the exit slight right toward Easley, Clemson
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Easley, Clemson
22
Keep slight right to continue on Easley, Clemson
512 ft
·
12 sec
·
Easley, Clemson
23
Merge slight left onto Highway 153
6.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Highway 153
24
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward the route
26 ft
·
1 sec
·
the route
25
Exit the roundabout
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
26
Merge slight left onto Calhoun Memorial Highway
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Calhoun Memorial Highway
27
Turn slight right onto East Main Street
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Main Street
28
Continue on Gentry Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Gentry Memorial Highway
29
Turn right onto Rice Road
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Rice Road
30
Turn right onto Arial Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Arial Street
31
Turn left onto Cobb Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Cobb Street
32
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 135.3 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC, or about 2h 39m 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 60 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.3 miles or 2h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arial, 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 270.5 miles and 5h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Hilton Head Island, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 135.3 mi from Hilton Head Island, SC · 2h 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
135 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 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 135.3 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arial, SC
The final approach into Arial, 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 Arial, 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
$42.30 one way
$84.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
95 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $46.25 | $92.50 |
| premium | $4.70 | $50.06 | $100.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.72 | $119.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.1 | 1 | $28.40 | $12.98 |
| Efficient EV | 67.6 | 0 | $23.67 | $10.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108.2 | 1 | $37.87 | $17.31 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Arial, SC
Morning in Arial on Friday
Local time
7:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
12 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
5h 18m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Arial, SC covers 270.5 miles and takes about 5h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Marshland Road, Cross Island Parkway, William Hilton Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 135.3 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 $42.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 18m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hilton Head Island, SC to Arial, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Hilton Head Island, SC to Arial, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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