The drive from Mount Pleasant, SC to Bluffton, SC covers 98.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Savannah Highway, Ace Basin Parkway, Okatie Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.7 miles on Savannah Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.36 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.
Midpoint
49.1 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 98.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Mount Pleasant, SC to Bluffton, SC covers 98.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m, 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.
Savannah Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 29.7 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 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge.
Driving Effort5/10
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 98.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 2.7 miles (US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (US 17 / Savannah Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 59.7 miles (Trask Parkway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Merge onto US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
7 mi into trip|~12m 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
59.7 mi into trip|~1h 26m in|Trask Parkway
Enter roundabout onto Trask Parkway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
97.2 mi into trip|~2h 12m in|SC 46 / Bluffton Road
Enter roundabout onto SC 46 / Bluffton Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
98.1 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|Bruin Road
Turn left onto Bruin Road
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Savannah Highway
29.7 mi
43m
Ace Basin Parkway
17.1 mi
22m
Okatie Highway
12.3 mi
14m
Trask Parkway
12 mi
14m
Fording Island Road
5.8 mi
6m
Charleston Highway
5.6 mi
7m
Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
3.7 mi
5m
Robert Smalls Parkway
3.5 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Savannah Highway
— 29.7 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Pleasant, SC and Bluffton, SC.
1
Start on this road
76 ft·8 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto SC 703
1.0 mi·2 min·Coleman Boulevard
3
Continue on SC 703
1.1 mi·2 min·West Coleman Boulevard
4
Take the ramp onto SC 703
0.5 mi·1 min·SC 703
Toward US 17 South: Charleston
5
Merge onto US 17
3.7 mi·5 min·Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 17
0.1 mi·15 sec·Septima P. Clark Parkway
7
Continue on US 17
0.1 mi·13 sec·Spring Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi·20 sec·Spring Street
9
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·20 sec·this road
10
Merge onto US 17
30 mi·43 min·Savannah Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 17
17 mi·22 min·Ace Basin Parkway
12
Continue on US 17
5.6 mi·7 min·Charleston Highway
Use the left lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
14
Enter roundabout onto Trask Parkway
207 ft·2 sec·Trask Parkway
15
Continue on Trask Parkway
12 mi·14 min·Trask Parkway
16
Turn right onto US 21
1.2 mi·1 min·Parris Island Gateway
17
Turn slight right onto SC 170
3.5 mi·3 min·Robert Smalls Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on SC 170
1.7 mi·1 min·Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge
19
Continue on SC 170
12 mi·14 min·Okatie Highway
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
21
Merge onto US 278
5.8 mi·6 min·Fording Island Road
22
Turn right onto SC 46
0.8 mi·1 min·Bluffton Road
23
Enter roundabout onto SC 46
170 ft·3 sec·Bluffton Road
24
Continue on SC 46
0.9 mi·1 min·Bluffton Road
25
Turn left onto Bruin Road
87 ft·2 sec·Bruin Road
26
Arrive at destination
Bruin 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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.1 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.7 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 22 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.1 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bluffton, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mount Pleasant, 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 Mount Pleasant, SC
This is one driving day of about 98.2 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Savannah Highway for about 29.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 49.1 mi from Mount Pleasant, SC
· 1h 12m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
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...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 74.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.36 one way
$30.71 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$16.79
$33.58
premium
$4.70
$18.17
$36.35
diesel
$5.61
$21.68
$43.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.5
0
$10.31
$4.71
Efficient EV
24.6
0
$8.59
$3.93
EV Truck/SUV
39.3
0
$13.75
$6.28
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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
Mount Pleasant, SC
Late night
in Mount Pleasant on Friday
Local time
5:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Clear
SW 6 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued April 16 at 2:47AM EDT until April 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
Destination
Bluffton, SC
Late night
in Bluffton on Friday
Local time
5:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Clear
S 6 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued April 16 at 2:47AM EDT until April 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC
55°F
Hollywood, SC
49 mi in
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
2h 13m 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 Mount Pleasant, SC to Bluffton, SC covers 98.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Savannah Highway, Ace Basin Parkway, Okatie Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 49.1 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.36 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 98.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 2.7 miles (US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (US 17 / Savannah Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 59.7 miles (Trask Parkway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Mount Pleasant, SC to Bluffton, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park and Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.
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.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
