Trip from Summerville, SC to Myrtle Beach, SC

Drive Time

2h 30m

Distance

104.1 mi

167 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 20m ★
6 AM
2h 30m
8 AM
2h 50m
10 AM
2h 37m
12 PM
2h 35m
3 PM
2h 38m
5 PM
2h 49m
8 PM
2h 24m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Summerville, SC, SC

Summerville, SC

Colon Freld

Downtown Myrtle Beach, SC, SC

Myrtle Beach, SC

Junior Bastos

Trip Overview

Traveling from Summerville to Myrtle Beach covers 104.1 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as the distance is manageable for a round trip if you start early. You should budget approximately $17 for fuel to complete the journey, making it a cost-effective getaway within the Southeast region. Since both cities are located within South Carolina, you will remain in the same geographic area throughout the drive. Whether you are heading to the coast for a quick escape or visiting family, the route is straightforward enough to navigate without needing an overnight split.

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

52 miles from Summerville, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a mixed driving experience that transitions across different road types as you head toward the coast. You will navigate via US 17 Alternate, Ocean Highway, and Saints Delight Road, with highway travel accounting for 41% of your total time behind the wheel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter lasts for 24.3 miles while traveling on US 17 Alternate. Because this is a mixed drive, you will find segments that require more focus on local navigation alongside faster highway portions. This variety keeps the journey from feeling like a monotonous interstate haul, though you should be prepared for changing road conditions as you move between highway and local paths.

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.
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. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 17 Alternate / North Main Street.

Route Complexity 6/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 104.1 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (US 17 Alternate / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 89.6 miles (US 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 103.7 miles (US 17 Business / North Kings Highway): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 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 | US 17 Alternate / North Main Street

Turn right onto US 17 Alternate / North Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
89.6 mi into trip | ~2h 9m in | US 17

Take the exit onto US 17 toward US 17 North: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward US 17 North: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle...
5
103.7 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in | US 17 Business / North Kings Highway

Turn right onto US 17 Business / North Kings Highway

Navigation decision point

5
104 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in | 5th Avenue North

Turn left onto 5th Avenue North

Navigation decision point

5
104 mi into trip | ~2h 29m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 17 Alternate 24.3 mi 35m
Ocean Highway 17.4 mi 25m
Saints Delight Road 13.8 mi 18m
South Live Oak Drive 12 mi 17m
Highmarket Street 9.4 mi 13m
US 17 7.1 mi 8m
Highway 17 7 mi 8m
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 Myrtle Beach, 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
Use the none lane.
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

1.5 mi · 2 min · Church Street
12

Continue on US 17

0.3 mi · 25 sec · L. H. Siau Bridge
13

Continue on US 17

17 mi · 25 min · Ocean Highway
Use the none lane.
14

Continue on US 17

3.6 mi · 4 min · Highway 17
Use the none lane.
15

Take the exit onto US 17

7.1 mi · 8 min · US 17
Toward US 17 North: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach Use the straight lane.
16

Continue on US 17

1.2 mi · 1 min · US Highway 17 Bypass South
Use the none lane.
17

Continue on US Highway 17 Bypass South

3.4 mi · 4 min · US Highway 17 Bypass South
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 47 sec
Toward US 501 South: Downtown Myrtle Beach
19

Turn straight onto US 501

2.0 mi · 3 min · US 501
Use the none / straight / right lanes.
20

Turn slight right onto 8th Avenue North

248 ft · 14 sec · 8th Avenue North
21

Turn right onto US 17 Business

0.3 mi · 40 sec · North Kings Highway
22

Turn left onto 5th Avenue North

198 ft · 11 sec · 5th Avenue North
23

Turn right

196 ft · 14 sec
24

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Planning your departure is key, as the 2-hour and 30-minute duration can vary based on traffic flow. Since you only need to account for one planned stop, you have plenty of flexibility to adjust your pace to suit your personal comfort level. Be mindful that with 104.1 miles ahead of you, filling up your tank before leaving Summerville is a smart way to manage your $17 fuel budget efficiently. Given that the route involves shifting between US 17 Alternate and other local roads, keep a close eye on your GPS to ensure you stay on track during the transition points. This short distance provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy a stress-free drive without the need for extensive logistical planning.

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 52 miles from Summerville, SC, or about 1h 16m 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 80 miles or 1h 56m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 52 miles or 1h 16m 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 4m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Myrtle Beach, 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 104.1 miles and 2h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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 52 mi from Summerville, SC · 1h 16m into the drive

Downtown Fayetteville, NC, NC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fayetteville, NC

52 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

Mount Pleasant, SC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wilmington, NC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 52 miles from Summerville, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Myrtle Beach, SC

The final approach into Myrtle Beach, 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 Myrtle Beach, SC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.66 one way

$33.32 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $18.15 $36.30
premium $4.78 $19.58 $39.16
diesel $5.64 $23.13 $46.25

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: 36.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 31.2 0 $10.93 $5.00
Efficient EV 26 0 $9.11 $4.16
EV Truck/SUV 41.6 0 $14.57 $6.66

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Summerville, SC

Evening in Summerville on Sunday

Local time

6:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Myrtle Beach, SC

Evening in Myrtle Beach on Sunday

Local time

6:34 PM

EDT

Current temp

65°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

3 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 30m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Summerville, SC to Myrtle Beach, SC covers 104.1 miles and takes about 2h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 17 Alternate, Ocean Highway, Saints Delight Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52 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 $16.66 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 104.1 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 17 Alternate / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 89.6 miles (US 17): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 103.7 miles (US 17 Business / North Kings Highway): Navigation decision point.
The route from Summerville, SC to Myrtle Beach, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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