Origin
North Charleston, SC
Afternoon in North Charleston on Saturday
Local time
2:25 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Charleston, SC to South Congaree, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h
Distance
107.4 mi
173 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 52m
★
6 AM
2h 1m
8 AM
2h 18m
10 AM
2h 7m
12 PM
2h 5m
3 PM
2h 8m
5 PM
2h 17m
8 PM
1h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Charleston, SC
Wikimedia Commons
South Congaree, SC
Junior Bastos
Trip Overview
The drive from North Charleston, SC to South Congaree, SC covers 107.4 miles and takes about 2h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dorchester Road, I 26 West, SC 302 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.79 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
53.7 miles from North Charleston, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dorchester Road | — | — |
| I 26 West | — | — |
| SC 302 | — | — |
| Commerce Drive | — | — |
| Airport Boulevard | — | — |
| Edmund Highway | — | — |
| Main Street | — | — |
| Ramblin Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Dorchester Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Charleston, SC and South Congaree, SC.
1
Start on Rivers Avenue
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Rivers Avenue
2
Turn left onto Dorchester Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Dorchester Road
3
Take the ramp right toward I 26 West: Columbia
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 26 West: Columbia
4
Merge slight left
102 mi
·
1 hr 51 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward SC 302: Columbia Airport, Cayce
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
SC 302: Columbia Airport, Cayce
6
Continue on Commerce Drive
512 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commerce Drive
7
Turn left onto Airport Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Airport Boulevard
8
Continue on Edmund Highway
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Edmund Highway
9
Continue on Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
10
Turn right onto Ramblin Road
46 ft
·
1 sec
·
Ramblin Road
11
Arrive at your destination
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 53.7 miles from North Charleston, SC, or about 1h into the drive.
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 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.7 miles or 1h 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 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Congaree, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Charleston, 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 North Charleston, SC
This is one driving day of about 107.4 miles and 2h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from North Charleston, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
54 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 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 53.7 miles from North Charleston, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.79 one way
$33.59 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
38 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $18.36 | $36.73 |
| premium | $4.70 | $19.88 | $39.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.71 | $47.43 |
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: 37.6 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 | 32.2 | 0 | $11.28 | $5.16 |
| Efficient EV | 26.9 | 0 | $9.40 | $4.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 43 | 0 | $15.04 | $6.87 |
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.
Destination
South Congaree, SC
Afternoon in South Congaree on Saturday
Local time
2:25 PM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Brookdale, SC
54 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
5 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 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.
What kind of drive is this?
107.4 mi in 2h across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Dorchester Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from North Charleston, SC to South Congaree, SC is easy. At 2h with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from North Charleston, SC to South Congaree, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h. Total distance: 107.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from North Charleston, SC to South Congaree, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Congaree, SC before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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