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Trip from Mount Pleasant, SC to Garden City, SC

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

1h 50m

Distance

79.7 mi

128 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 42m ★
6 AM
1h 50m
8 AM
2h 6m
10 AM
1h 56m
12 PM
1h 54m
3 PM
1h 57m
5 PM
2h 6m
8 PM
1h 45m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States

Mount Pleasant, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Garden City, SC, SC

Garden City, SC

Jerson Martins

Trip Overview

The drive from Mount Pleasant, SC to Garden City, SC covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 17, Ocean Highway, Johnnie Dodds Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.4 miles on US 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.46 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

39.8 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 79.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (69%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 50m highway drive covering 79.7 miles, with most of the trip on US 17 and Ocean Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 49.4 miles on US 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.
US 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 49.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and Ocean Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 50m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 17 / Johnnie Dodds Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard

Turn right onto SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard

Navigation decision point

4
1.4 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward US 17: Georgetown

Navigation decision point

Exit 30 Toward US 17: Georgetown
5
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 17 / Johnnie Dodds Boulevard

Merge onto US 17 / Johnnie Dodds Boulevard

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
54.8 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in | US 17 / North Fraser Street

Keep slight right at fork onto US 17 / North Fraser Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
79.6 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in | Hidden Lakes Drive

Turn right onto Hidden Lakes Drive

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 17 49.4 mi 1h 3m
Ocean Highway 17.4 mi 25m
Johnnie Dodds Boulevard 3.7 mi 6m
Highway 17 3.6 mi 4m
US 17 Business 1.9 mi 3m
Church Street 1.3 mi 2m
Chuck Dawley Boulevard 1.3 mi 2m
L. H. Siau Bridge 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 17 — 49.4 mi, about 1h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mount Pleasant, SC and Garden City, SC.

1

Start on this road

76 ft · 10 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto SC 703

237 ft · 9 sec · Coleman Boulevard
3

Turn left onto I 526 Bus

1.3 mi · 2 min · Chuck Dawley Boulevard
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 49 sec
Exit 30 Toward US 17: Georgetown
5

Merge onto US 17

3.7 mi · 6 min · Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
Use the left lane.
6

Continue on US 17

49 mi · 1 hr 3 min · US 17
Use the left lane.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto US 17

445 ft · 5 sec · North Fraser Street
8

Merge onto US 17

1.3 mi · 2 min · Church Street
9

Continue on US 17

0.3 mi · 25 sec · L. H. Siau Bridge
10

Continue on US 17

17 mi · 25 min · Ocean Highway
11

Continue on US 17

3.6 mi · 4 min · Highway 17
12

Turn straight onto US 17 Business

1.9 mi · 3 min · US 17 Business
Toward US 17 Business: Garden City Beach, Surfside Beach
13

Continue on US 17 Business

185 ft · 11 sec · US 17 Business
14

Turn right onto Garden Lake Drive

0.2 mi · 55 sec · Garden Lake Drive
15

Turn right onto Hidden Lakes Drive

268 ft · 11 sec · Hidden Lakes Drive
16

Arrive at destination

Hidden Lakes Drive

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 39.8 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.4 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 18 miles or 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 39.8 miles or 53m 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 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Garden City, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Mount Pleasant, SC

This is one driving day of about 79.7 miles and 1h 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 17 for about 49.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.8 mi from Mount Pleasant, SC · 53m into the drive

Downtown South Santee, SC, SC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

South Santee, SC

40 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

Isle of Palms, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

South Santee, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.8 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Garden City, SC

The final approach into Garden City, SC usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

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...

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $10
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.46 one way

$24.93 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $13.63 $27.25
premium $4.70 $14.75 $29.50
diesel $5.61 $17.60 $35.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 23.9 0 $8.37 $3.83
Efficient EV 19.9 0 $6.97 $3.19
EV Truck/SUV 31.9 0 $11.16 $5.10

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 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 15, 2026

Origin

Mount Pleasant, SC

Night in Mount Pleasant on Thursday

Local time

11:20 PM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Garden City, SC

Night in Garden City on Thursday

Local time

11:20 PM

EDT

Current temp

80°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

21 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 50m 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 Mount Pleasant, SC to Garden City, SC covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Ocean Highway, Johnnie Dodds Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.8 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 $12.46 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 is a straightforward 1h 50m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 17 / Johnnie Dodds Boulevard): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Mount Pleasant, SC to Garden City, 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.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Garden City, SC to Mount Pleasant, SC

Plan the drive back the other way.

79.9 mi 1h 49m

Continue From Garden City, SC

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