Origin
South Santee, SC
Morning in South Santee on Saturday
Local time
8:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Santee, SC to Folly Beach, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
54.4 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Santee, SC
Hilary Halliwell
Folly Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from South Santee, SC to Folly Beach, SC covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17, Folly Road, James Island Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 44 miles on US 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 18m highway drive covering 54.4 miles, with most of the trip on US 17 and Folly Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 44 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 9 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 44 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
26 ft
5 ft
Total Climb
27 ft
Total Descent
46 ft
Highest Point
26 ft
Elevation Range
21 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and Folly Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 17.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from South Santee, SC to Folly Beach, SC is easy. At 1h 18m with 86% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 17): Lane positioning matters here; at 44.2 miles (SC 30 / Lockwood Drive): Navigation decision point; at 44.3 miles (SC 30): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 17
Depart onto US 17
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
44.2 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
SC 30 / Lockwood Drive
Turn left onto SC 30 / Lockwood Drive
Navigation decision point
4
44.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
SC 30
Take the ramp onto SC 30 toward SC 30: James Island, Folly Beach
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SC 30: James Island, Folly Beach
4
47.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
SC 171 / Folly Road
At end of road, turn left onto SC 171 / Folly Road
Navigation decision point
4
54.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
East Arctic Avenue
Turn left onto East Arctic Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 17 | 44 mi | 59m |
| Folly Road | 6.7 mi | 12m |
| James Island Expressway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Center Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| SC 30 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Spring Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Lockwood Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Arctic Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 44 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Santee, SC and Folly Beach, SC.
1
Start on US 17
44 mi
·
59 min
·
US 17
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Spring Street
3
Turn left onto SC 30
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Lockwood Drive
4
Take the ramp onto SC 30
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
SC 30
Toward SC 30: James Island, Folly Beach
5
Merge onto SC 30
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
James Island Expressway
6
At end of road, turn left onto SC 171
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Folly Road
7
Continue on SC 171
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto East Arctic Avenue
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Arctic Avenue
9
Arrive at destination
East Arctic Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.2 mi from South Santee, SC · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from South Santee, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Folly Beach, SC
The final approach into Folly Beach, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.51 one way
$17.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.30 | $18.60 |
| premium | $4.70 | $10.07 | $20.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.01 | $24.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Folly Beach, SC
Morning in Folly Beach on Saturday
Local time
8:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 3 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
18 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 18m 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 South Santee, SC to Folly Beach, SC covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17, Folly Road, James Island Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.2 miles from South Santee, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.51 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.
The drive from South Santee, SC to Folly Beach, SC is easy. At 1h 18m with 86% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 17): Lane positioning matters here; at 44.2 miles (SC 30 / Lockwood Drive): Navigation decision point; at 44.3 miles (SC 30): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from South Santee, SC to Folly Beach, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 5 ft to 26 ft elevation with about 27 ft of total climbing.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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