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Trip from Murrells Inlet, SC to Charleston, SC

Drive Time

1h 55m

Distance

82.4 mi

133 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

6 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 47m ★
6 AM
1h 55m
8 AM
2h 12m
10 AM
2h 1m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 2m
5 PM
2h 11m
8 PM
1h 50m

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 Georgetown County and Horry County, South Carolina, United States

Murrells Inlet, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Murrells Inlet, SC to Charleston, SC covers 82.4 miles and takes about 1h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Fraser Street, Ocean Highway, North Highway 17 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56 miles on North Fraser Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.19 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.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

41.2 miles from Murrells Inlet, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 55m drive with frequent turns across 82.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Fraser Street is the longest continuous segment at about 56 miles.

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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near S-22-62 / Wachesaw Road.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 1h 55m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (S-22-62 / Wachesaw Road): Navigation decision point; at 21.3 miles (US 17 / North Fraser Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 79.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | S-22-62 / Wachesaw Road

Turn right onto S-22-62 / Wachesaw Road

Navigation decision point

5
21.3 mi into trip | ~32m in | US 17 / North Fraser Street

Turn left onto US 17 / North Fraser Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
79.8 mi into trip | ~1h 49m in

Take the exit toward Morrison Drive, East Bay Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Morrison Drive, East Bay Street
4
80 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in | US 52 Bus / Morrison Drive

Turn left onto US 52 Bus / Morrison Drive

Navigation decision point

6
81.7 mi into trip | ~1h 53m in | S-10-107 / Meeting Street

Turn left onto S-10-107 / Meeting Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Fraser Street 56 mi 1h 14m
Ocean Highway 17.4 mi 25m
North Highway 17 2.4 mi 3m
Highway 17 1.8 mi 2m
Church Street 1.4 mi 2m
East Bay Street 0.8 mi 1m
Meeting Street 0.7 mi 1m
Morrison Drive 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: North Fraser Street — 56 mi, about 1h 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Murrells Inlet, SC and Charleston, SC.

1

Start on US 17 BUS

0.3 mi · 59 sec · US 17 Business
2

Turn right onto S-22-62

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Wachesaw Road
3

Turn left onto US 17

1.8 mi · 2 min · Highway 17
4

Continue on US 17

17 mi · 25 min · Ocean Highway
5

Continue on US 17

0.3 mi · 25 sec · L. H. Siau Bridge
6

Continue on US 17

1.4 mi · 2 min · Church Street
7

Turn left onto US 17

56 mi · 1 hr 14 min · North Fraser Street
Use the straight lane.
8

Continue on US 17

2.4 mi · 3 min · North Highway 17
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward Morrison Drive, East Bay Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn left onto US 52 Bus

0.5 mi · 1 min · Morrison Drive
11

Turn straight onto East Bay Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Bay Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12

Turn right onto Calhoun Street

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Calhoun Street
13

Turn left onto S-10-107

0.7 mi · 1 min · Meeting Street
Use the left lane.
14

Turn left onto Broad Street

40 ft · 1 sec · Broad Street
15

Arrive at destination

Broad Street

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 41.2 miles from Murrells Inlet, SC, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56 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 50m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 41.2 miles or 58m 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 36m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Charleston, SC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Murrells Inlet, 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 Murrells Inlet, SC

This is one driving day of about 82.4 miles and 1h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Murrells Inlet, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on North Fraser Street for about 56 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 41.2 mi from Murrells Inlet, SC · 58m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wilmington, NC

41 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

Wilmington, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wilmington, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 41.2 miles from Murrells Inlet, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Charleston, SC

The final approach into Charleston, 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 Charleston, SC.

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...

4 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 near mile 76.7
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.19 one way

$26.37 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 29 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $14.37 $28.74
premium $4.78 $15.50 $31.00
diesel $5.64 $18.31 $36.61

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

EV Charging Along Route

6 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Tidelands Ford

Pawleys Island, SC

RED_E

4 DCFC

PALMETTO EV PALMETTO2

Charleston, SC

ChargePoint Network

2 DCFC

PALMETTO EV PALMETTO1

Charleston, SC

ChargePoint Network

2 DCFC

Hudson Nissan

Charleston, SC

Non-Networked

2 DCFC

Hudson Nissan

Charleston, SC

Non-Networked

1 DCFC

SEC Charleston

Charleston, SC

Non-Networked

1 DCFC

Non-Networked: 3 ChargePoint Network: 2 RED_E: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 24.7 0 $8.65 $3.96
Efficient EV 20.6 0 $7.21 $3.30
EV Truck/SUV 33 0 $11.54 $5.27

Gas CO2

29 kg

EV CO2

10 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 data refreshed 14 hours ago

Origin

Murrells Inlet, SC

Afternoon in Murrells Inlet on Monday

Local time

1:52 PM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Charleston, SC

Afternoon in Charleston on Monday

Local time

1:52 PM

EDT

Current temp

65°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

15 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

1h 55m 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 Murrells Inlet, SC to Charleston, SC covers 82.4 miles and takes about 1h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Fraser Street, Ocean Highway, North Highway 17. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 41.2 miles from Murrells Inlet, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.19 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 55m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (S-22-62 / Wachesaw Road): Navigation decision point; at 21.3 miles (US 17 / North Fraser Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 79.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Murrells Inlet, SC to Charleston, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Charleston, SC to Murrells Inlet, SC

Plan the drive back the other way.

82 mi 1h 54m

Continue From Charleston, SC

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