The drive from Summerville, SC to Loris, SC covers 123.1 miles and takes about 3h 2m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 17 Alternate, North Fraser Street, US 701 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.3 miles on US 17 Alternate.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.25 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
61.6 miles from Summerville, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 29m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 2m. Total distance: 123.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Summerville, SC to Loris, SC covers 123.1 miles and takes about 3h 2m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 17 Alternate is the longest continuous segment at about 24.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Richardson Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 2m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Richardson Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 17 Alternate / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles (US 52; US 17 Alternate): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Richardson Avenue
Turn left onto East Richardson Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 17 Alternate / North Main Street
Turn right onto US 17 Alternate / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
3
18.1 mi into trip|~27m in|US 52; US 17 Alternate
Merge onto US 52; US 17 Alternate
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
66.8 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|US 17 Alternate / Church Street
Keep slight left at fork onto US 17 Alternate / Church Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
103.8 mi into trip|~2h 31m in|US 501 Business / Main Street
Turn left onto US 501 Business / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 17 Alternate
24.3 mi
35m
North Fraser Street
21.9 mi
31m
US 701
15 mi
22m
Saints Delight Road
13.8 mi
18m
Highway 701 South
12.4 mi
17m
South Live Oak Drive
12 mi
17m
Highmarket Street
9.4 mi
13m
North Main Street
6 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
US 17 Alternate
— 24.3 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Summerville, SC and Loris, SC.
1
Start on this road
92 ft·11 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto East Richardson Avenue
116 ft·7 sec·East Richardson Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 17 Alternate
6.0 mi·9 min·North Main Street
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on US 17 Alternate
12 mi·17 min·South Live Oak Drive
5
Merge onto US 52; US 17 Alternate
1.2 mi·2 min·US 52; US 17 Alternate
6
Continue on US 17 Alternate; US 52
19 mi·26 min·US 17 Alternate; US 52
7
Turn left onto US 17 Alternate; SC 41
5.8 mi·8 min·US 17 Alternate; SC 41
8
Turn right onto US 17 Alternate
5.1 mi·7 min·Saints Delight Road
9
Continue on US 17 Alternate
8.6 mi·11 min·Saints Delight Road
10
Turn right onto US 17 Alternate; US 521
9.4 mi·13 min·Highmarket Street
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 17 Alternate
0.2 mi·14 sec·Church Street
12
Turn left onto US 701
22 mi·31 min·North Fraser Street
13
Continue on US 701
12 mi·17 min·Highway 701 South
14
Continue on US 701
2.5 mi·5 min·4th Avenue
15
Turn left onto US 501 Business
3.7 mi·7 min·Main Street
16
Continue on US 701
15 mi·22 min·US 701
17
Turn straight onto Railroad Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Railroad Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Railroad Avenue
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 61.6 miles from Summerville, SC, or about 1h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.3 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 27 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.6 miles or 1h 29m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Loris, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Summerville, 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 Summerville, SC
This is one driving day of about 123.1 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Summerville, 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 US 17 Alternate for about 24.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 61.6 mi from Summerville, SC
· 1h 29m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.25 one way
$38.50 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$21.05
$42.10
premium
$4.70
$22.78
$45.57
diesel
$5.61
$27.18
$54.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
1 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
Circle K Charging Station
Conway, South Carolina
Other
1 DCFC
Other: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.9
0
$12.93
$5.91
Efficient EV
30.8
0
$10.77
$4.92
EV Truck/SUV
49.2
0
$17.23
$7.88
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Summerville, SC
Night
in Summerville on Friday
Local time
9:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
SW 6 to 14 mph0% chanceLive 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
Loris, SC
Night
in Loris on Friday
Local time
9:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Georgetown, SC
62 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
38 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 2m 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 Summerville, SC to Loris, SC covers 123.1 miles and takes about 3h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17 Alternate, North Fraser Street, US 701. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61.6 miles from Summerville, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.25 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.
This is a straightforward 3h 2m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Richardson Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 17 Alternate / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles (US 52; US 17 Alternate): Merge point - match speed before joining.
The route from Summerville, SC to Loris, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
