Origin
Jackson, SC
Afternoon in Jackson on Monday
Local time
1:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jackson, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC
Drive Time
4h 10m
Distance
178.2 mi
287 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 57m
★
6 AM
4h 10m
8 AM
4h 37m
10 AM
4h 20m
12 PM
4h 17m
3 PM
4h 21m
5 PM
4h 35m
8 PM
4h 2m
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
Trip Overview
The drive from Jackson, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC covers 178.2 miles and takes about 4h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, Savannah Highway, North Fraser Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.4 miles on US 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.52 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
89.1 miles from Jackson, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Jackson, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC covers 178.2 miles and takes about 4h 10m, 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 26 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 47.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Jackson Village Road.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 178.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Jackson Village Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Jackson Village Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.5 miles (Exodus Drive): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Jackson Village Road
Turn right onto Jackson Village Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Jackson Village Road
Keep slight left at fork onto Jackson Village Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
2.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Exodus Drive
Turn left onto Exodus Drive
Navigation decision point
5
76.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 51m in
|
US 17 / Savannah Highway
Merge onto US 17 / Savannah Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
128.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 5m in
|
Trask Parkway
Enter roundabout onto Trask Parkway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 47.4 mi | 1h 3m |
| Savannah Highway | 29.7 mi | 43m |
| North Fraser Street | 24.5 mi | 33m |
| Ace Basin Parkway | 17.1 mi | 22m |
| Okatie Highway | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| Trask Parkway | 12 mi | 14m |
| Fording Island Road | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| Charleston Highway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 47.4 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, SC and Hilton Head Island, SC.
1
Start on Bogg Lane
131 ft
·
9 sec
·
Bogg Lane
2
Turn right onto Jackson Village Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Jackson Village Road
3
Keep slight left at fork onto Jackson Village Road
2.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Jackson Village Road
4
Turn left onto Exodus Drive
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Exodus Drive
5
Turn left onto US 701
24 mi
·
33 min
·
North Fraser Street
6
Continue on US 17
47 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 17
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Spring Street
8
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
this road
9
Merge onto US 17
30 mi
·
43 min
·
Savannah Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 17
17 mi
·
22 min
·
Ace Basin Parkway
11
Continue on US 17
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Charleston Highway
Use the left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
13
Enter roundabout onto Trask Parkway
207 ft
·
2 sec
·
Trask Parkway
14
Continue on Trask Parkway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Trask Parkway
15
Turn right onto US 21
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Parris Island Gateway
16
Turn slight right onto SC 170
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Robert Smalls Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on SC 170
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge
18
Continue on SC 170
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Okatie Highway
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
20
Merge onto US 278
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
Fording Island Road
21
Continue on US 278
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
William Hilton Parkway
22
Keep slight left at fork onto US 278
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
24
Turn left onto Marshland Road
2.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Marshland Road
25
Turn right onto Allen Road
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Allen Road
26
Arrive at destination
Allen Road
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 89.1 miles from Jackson, SC, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.4 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 80 miles or 1h 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 89.1 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 26m
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 Jackson, 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 Jackson, SC
This is one driving day of about 178.2 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Jackson, 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 US 17 for about 47.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 89.1 mi from Jackson, SC · 2h 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
89 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 89.1 miles from Jackson, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.52 one way
$57.04 round trip
$4.07/gal
25.4 MPG avg
62 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $31.07 | $62.15 |
| premium | $4.78 | $33.52 | $67.04 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $39.59 | $79.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 53.5 | 0 | $18.71 | $8.55 |
| Efficient EV | 44.6 | 0 | $15.59 | $7.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 71.3 | 0 | $24.95 | $11.40 |
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% 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
Hilton Head Island, SC
Afternoon in Hilton Head Island on Monday
Local time
1:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
4h 10m 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 Jackson, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC covers 178.2 miles and takes about 4h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Savannah Highway, North Fraser Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 89.1 miles from Jackson, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.52 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 178.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Jackson Village Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Jackson Village Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2.5 miles (Exodus Drive): Navigation decision point.
The route from Jackson, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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