The drive from Simpsonville, SC to Beaufort, SC covers 220.4 miles and takes about 4h 11m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 26, I 95, Golden Strip Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 116 miles on I 26.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
110.2 miles from Simpsonville, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 11m. Total distance: 220.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 11m highway drive covering 220.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 26 and I 95. The longest continuous stretch is about 116 miles on I 26.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 26 is the longest continuous segment at about 116 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 220.4 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SC 417 / East Curtis Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 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
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|SC 417 / East Curtis Street
Turn left onto SC 417 / East Curtis Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in|I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge onto I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
84.7 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|I 26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26 toward Charleston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Charleston
6
192.8 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SC 68 East: Yemassee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward SC 68 East: Yemassee
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Simpsonville, SC and Beaufort, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Yemassee.
Charleston
84.7 mi in|~1h 35m|via I 26
Yemassee
192.7 mi in|~3h 33m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 26
116 mi
2h 7m
I 95
46.9 mi
50m
Golden Strip Freeway
27.2 mi
29m
Trask Parkway
18.1 mi
22m
US 17 Alt
3.9 mi
5m
Boundary Street
3 mi
4m
Yemassee Highway
1.4 mi
2m
Southeast Main Street
1.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 116 mi, about 2h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Simpsonville, SC and Beaufort, SC.
1
Start on this road
107 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Turn right
175 ft·17 sec
3
Turn left onto Hedge Street
146 ft·11 sec·Hedge Street
4
Turn left onto SC 417
374 ft·13 sec·East Curtis Street
5
Turn left onto SC 14
1.1 mi·2 min·Southeast Main Street
6
Turn right onto Fairview Road
0.3 mi·36 sec·Fairview Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
8
Merge onto I 385
27 mi·29 min·Golden Strip Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 26
56 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 26
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26
60 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 26
Toward CharlestonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 169AToward I 95 South: Savannah
12
Merge onto I 95
47 mi·50 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward SC 68: Hampton, Yemassee
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward SC 68 East: Yemassee
15
Turn straight onto SC 68
1.4 mi·2 min·Yemassee Highway
16
Turn slight right onto SC 68
0.2 mi·25 sec·Connelly Street
17
Turn right onto US 17 Alt; US 21
3.9 mi·5 min·US 17 Alt; US 21
18
Merge onto US 17; US 21
6.2 mi·7 min·Trask Parkway
19
Take the exit onto US 21
0.3 mi·44 sec·US 21
20
Merge onto US 21
12 mi·14 min·Trask Parkway
21
Continue on US 21
3.0 mi·4 min·Boundary Street
22
Continue on US 21 Business
0.5 mi·54 sec·Carteret Street
23
Turn left onto Port Republic Street
39 ft·1 sec·Port Republic Street
24
Arrive at destination
Port Republic Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 110.2 miles from Simpsonville, SC, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 116 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 48 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.2 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Beaufort, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Simpsonville, 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 Simpsonville, SC
This is one driving day of about 220.4 miles and 4h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Simpsonville, 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 I 26 for about 116 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 110.2 mi from Simpsonville, SC
· 2h 3m into the drive
The midpoint is around 110.2 miles from Simpsonville, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 26 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 116 miles.
Arriving in Beaufort, SC
The final approach into Beaufort, 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 Beaufort, SC.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
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.
Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
National Historical Park
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...
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Free
near mile 220.4
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 106.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.47 one way
$68.93 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$37.68
$75.37
premium
$4.70
$40.79
$81.58
diesel
$5.61
$48.66
$97.32
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.1
0
$23.14
$10.58
Efficient EV
55.1
0
$19.29
$8.82
EV Truck/SUV
88.2
1
$30.86
$14.11
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Simpsonville, SC
Morning
in Simpsonville on Friday
Local time
9:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Beaufort, SC
Morning
in Beaufort on Friday
Local time
9:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°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
19 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
4h 11m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Simpsonville, SC to Beaufort, SC covers 220.4 miles and takes about 4h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 26, I 95, Golden Strip Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 110.2 miles from Simpsonville, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.47 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 220.4 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SC 417 / East Curtis Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Simpsonville, SC and Beaufort, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Yemassee.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Reconstruction Era National Historical Park and Congaree National 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.
