Origin
Summerville, SC
Late night in Summerville on Saturday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Summerville, 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
51m
Distance
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Summerville, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Folly Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Summerville, SC to Folly Beach, SC covers 35 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 26, Folly Road, James Island Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.6 miles on I 26. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 35 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 51m highway drive covering 35 miles, with most of the trip on I 26 and Folly Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 21.6 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 16 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 21.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and Folly Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Richardson Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 35 miles you will encounter 10 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 (East Richardson Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 17 Alternate / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 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
|
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.
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
25 mi into trip
|
~33m 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
27.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
SC 171 / Folly Road
At end of road, turn left onto SC 171 / Folly Road
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 26 | 21.6 mi | 26m |
| Folly Road | 6.7 mi | 12m |
| James Island Expressway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| North Main Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Crosstown | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Center Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| SC 30 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Spring Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 21.6 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Summerville, SC and Folly 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
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I-26 East
5
Merge onto I 26
22 mi
·
26 min
·
I 26
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 17
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosstown
7
Continue on US 17
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Septima P. Clark Parkway
8
Continue on US 17
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Spring Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Spring Street
10
Turn left onto SC 30
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Lockwood Drive
11
Take the ramp onto SC 30
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
SC 30
Toward SC 30: James Island, Folly Beach
12
Merge onto SC 30
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
James Island Expressway
13
At end of road, turn left onto SC 171
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Folly Road
14
Continue on SC 171
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto East Arctic Avenue
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Arctic Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
East Arctic Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.5 mi from Summerville, SC · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Summerville, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Folly Beach, SC
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Folly Beach, SC if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.48 | $12.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Folly Beach, SC
Late night in Folly Beach on Saturday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
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
25 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
51m 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 Folly Beach, SC covers 35 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 26, 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 17.5 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 $5.47 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 35 miles you will encounter 10 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 (East Richardson Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 17 Alternate / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Summerville, SC to Folly Beach, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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