Mount Pleasant, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC is 109 miles and takes about 2h 31m via Savannah Highway, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within South Carolina, traveling from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. You'll experience a mixed drive, so expect some variation in the type of roads you'll be on. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this is a straightforward journey perfect for a single day. Plan for a total fuel cost of around $17 for this 109-mile excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
54.5 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 109 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This 109-mile route offers a mixed drive experience, with 36% of it being highway. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 29.7 miles on Savannah Highway, offering a good period of consistent travel. The road will likely transition between faster highway sections and potentially more local road driving as you progress towards Hilton Head Island. This means you should be prepared for varying speed limits and road conditions throughout the approximately 2.5-hour journey.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 27 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. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 109 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: 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 15 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
103.7 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|US 278 / Cross Island Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 278 / Cross Island Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
106.5 mi into trip|~2h 25m in|Marshland Road
Turn left onto Marshland 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
9.3 mi
12m
Charleston Highway
5.6 mi
7m
William Hilton Parkway
3.8 mi
4m
Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
3.7 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Savannah Highway
— 29.7 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Pleasant, SC and Hilton Head Island, 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
9.3 mi·12 min·Fording Island Road
22
Continue on US 278
3.8 mi·4 min·William Hilton Parkway
23
Keep slight left at fork onto US 278
2.4 mi·2 min·Cross Island Parkway
24
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
25
Turn left onto Marshland Road
2.3 mi·5 min·Marshland Road
26
Turn right onto Allen Road
0.2 mi·38 sec·Allen Road
27
Arrive at destination
Allen Road
Trip Plan
Given this is a single-day trip of just over two hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Mount Pleasant in the morning should get you to Hilton Head Island with plenty of daylight to spare. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short distance, you can easily manage fuel and rest breaks as needed. Keep an eye out for changes in road type as you transition between Savannah Highway, Ace Basin Parkway, and Okatie Highway. A useful tip is to check your fuel level before leaving Mount Pleasant, as the longest stretch without a major town is nearly 30 miles.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 54.5 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC, or about 1h 19m 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 24 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.5 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 1m
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 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 109 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Mount Pleasant, 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 Savannah Highway for about 29.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 54.5 mi from Mount Pleasant, SC
· 1h 19m into the drive
The midpoint is around 54.5 miles from Mount Pleasant, 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.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Muddy Waters Coffee Bar
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Charleston, South Carolina
Near the start, short detour
1.2 mi from route
~3 min detour
$1 to $10
mile 7.8
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 71.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.05 one way
$34.09 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$18.64
$37.27
premium
$4.70
$20.17
$40.35
diesel
$5.61
$24.07
$48.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.7
0
$11.44
$5.23
Efficient EV
27.3
0
$9.54
$4.36
EV Truck/SUV
43.6
0
$15.26
$6.98
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Mount Pleasant, SC
Evening
in Mount Pleasant on Friday
Local time
8:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hilton Head Island, SC
Evening
in Hilton Head Island on Friday
Local time
8:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
S 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
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
2h 31m 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 Hilton Head Island, SC covers 109 miles and takes about 2h 31m 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 54.5 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 $17.05 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 109 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: 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 Hilton Head Island, 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 by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
