Trip from Spartanburg, SC to Hampton, SC

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

3h 31m

Distance

174.5 mi

281 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$27

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min

4 AM

3h 19m ★

6 AM

3h 31m

8 AM

3h 56m

10 AM

3h 40m

12 PM

3h 37m

3 PM

3h 41m

5 PM

3h 55m

8 PM

3h 24m

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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Spartanburg, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Hampton, SC

Colon Freld

Trip Overview

The drive from Spartanburg, SC to Hampton, SC covers 174.5 miles and takes about 3h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 26, Savannah Highway, Carolina Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.5 miles on I 26. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.29 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

87.2 miles from Spartanburg, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 31m. Total distance: 174.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Spartanburg, SC to Hampton, SC covers 174.5 miles and takes about 3h 31m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

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 86.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 8.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 174.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 8.6 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 88 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

8.5 mi into trip | ~14m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

8.6 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 26

Merge onto I 26

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

88 mi into trip | ~1h 41m 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

95.1 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in

Take the exit toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce

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. Exit 115 Toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce

95.4 mi into trip | ~1h 51m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Spartanburg, SC and Hampton, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Cayce.

Charleston

88 mi in | ~1h 41m | via I 26

Cayce

95.1 mi in | ~1h 50m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 26	86.5 mi	1h 35m
Savannah Highway	23.7 mi	26m
Carolina Highway	19.7 mi	22m
Bufords Bridge Highway	9 mi	13m
North Church Street	7.3 mi	13m
Augusta Highway	5.5 mi	7m
Highway 321	4.8 mi	5m
Southbound Road	4.1 mi	5m

Longest stretch: I 26 — 86.5 mi, about 1h 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Spartanburg, SC and Hampton, SC.

Start on US 221; SC 56

6.0 mi · 10 min · North Church Street

Continue on US 221

2.5 mi · 4 min · Highway 221

Turn left

0.2 mi · 22 sec

Merge onto I 26

79 mi · 1 hr 26 min · I 26

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 26

7.1 mi · 8 min · I 26

Toward Charleston Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Exit 115 Toward US 21, US 176, US 321: Gaston, Cayce Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

302 ft · 7 sec

Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto US 21; US 176; US 321

2.7 mi · 3 min · Charleston Highway

Turn slight right onto US 321

4.8 mi · 5 min · Highway 321

Continue on US 321

2.1 mi · 2 min · North Main Street

Continue on US 321

4.1 mi · 5 min · Southbound Road

Continue on US 321

1.3 mi · 2 min · North Church Street

Continue on US 321

24 mi · 26 min · Savannah Highway

Continue on US 321

20 mi · 22 min · Carolina Highway

Merge onto US 301; US 321

1.9 mi · 2 min · Main Highway

Continue on US 321

9.0 mi · 13 min · Bufords Bridge Highway

Continue on US 321

1.0 mi · 1 min · Hampton Avenue

Turn left onto US 278

1.1 mi · 1 min · Allendale-Hampton Highway

Continue on US 278

1.8 mi · 2 min · Augusta Highway

Continue on US 278

1.4 mi · 2 min · Railroad Avenue Southwest

Continue on US 278

3.7 mi · 5 min · Augusta Highway

Continue on US 278

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Elm Street West

Turn right onto Helen Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Helen Street

Arrive at destination

Helen 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 87.2 miles from Spartanburg, SC, or about 1h 40m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.5 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 38 miles or 47m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 87.2 miles or 1h 40m 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 48m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Spartanburg, 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 Spartanburg, SC

This is one driving day of about 174.5 miles and 3h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Spartanburg, 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 86.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 87.2 mi from Spartanburg, SC · 1h 40m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gaston, SC

87 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

Fountain Inn, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Saint Andrews, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 87.2 miles from Spartanburg, 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 86.5 miles.

Arriving in Hampton, SC

The final approach into Hampton, 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 Hampton, 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.

Cowpens National Battlefield

National Battlefield

A pasturing area at the time of the battle, this Revolutionary War site commemorates the place where Daniel Morgan and his army turned the flanks of Banastre Tarleton's British army. This classic mili...

14 mi from route ~36 min detour Free

Caution: Hazardous Conditions on Trails

View on nps.gov

Congaree National Park

National Park

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...

20 mi from route ~50 min detour Free near mile 102.3

View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$27.29 one way

$54.58 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 61 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.34	$29.84	$59.67
premium	$4.70	$32.30	$64.59
diesel	$5.61	$38.53	$77.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$27

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$52–$77

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 61.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	52.4	$18.32	$8.38
Efficient EV	43.6	$15.27	$6.98
EV Truck/SUV	69.8	$24.43	$11.17

Gas CO2

61 kg

EV CO2

20 kg (67% 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

Spartanburg, SC

Late night in Spartanburg on Friday

Local time

12:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

88°F

Sunny

SW 2 to 14 mph 0% chance Live 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

Destination

Hampton, SC

Late night in Hampton on Friday

Local time

12:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°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

13 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

3h 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 Spartanburg, SC to Hampton, SC covers 174.5 miles and takes about 3h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 26, Savannah Highway, Carolina Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 87.2 miles from Spartanburg, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.29 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Between Spartanburg, SC and Hampton, SC, road signs point toward Charleston and Cayce.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Cowpens National Battlefield and Congaree National Park.

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Return Trip

Hampton, SC to Spartanburg, SC

Plan the drive back the other way.

174.7 mi 3h 30m

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