Origin
Surfside Beach, SC
Morning in Surfside Beach on Wednesday
Local time
6:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Surfside Beach, SC to Charleston, SC
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
2h 4m
Distance
88.4 mi
142 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 56m
★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 21m
8 PM
1h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Surfside Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Surfside Beach, SC to Charleston, SC covers 88.4 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Fraser Street, Ocean Highway, US 17 Business for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56 miles on North Fraser Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.82 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
44.2 miles from Surfside Beach, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 4m drive with frequent turns across 88.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Fraser Street is the longest continuous segment at about 56 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 27.3 miles in near US 17 / North Fraser Street.
Route Complexity
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Surfside Beach, SC to Charleston, SC is easy. At 2h 4m with 11% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 27.3 miles (US 17 / North Fraser Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 85.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86 miles (US 52 Bus / Morrison Drive): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
27.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 17 / North Fraser Street
Turn left onto US 17 / North Fraser Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
85.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 58m in
Take the exit toward Morrison Drive, East Bay Street
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.
Toward Morrison Drive, East Bay Street
4
86 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
|
US 52 Bus / Morrison Drive
Turn left onto US 52 Bus / Morrison Drive
Navigation decision point
6
87.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 2m in
|
S-10-107 / Meeting Street
Turn left onto S-10-107 / Meeting Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
88.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 4m in
|
Broad Street
Turn left onto Broad Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Fraser Street | 56 mi | 1h 14m |
| Ocean Highway | 17.4 mi | 25m |
| US 17 Business | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| North Highway 17 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Church Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Bay Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Meeting Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Surfside Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Fraser Street
— 56 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surfside Beach, SC and Charleston, SC.
1
Start on Surfside Drive
72 ft
·
7 sec
·
Surfside Drive
2
Continue on Surfside Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Surfside Drive
3
Turn left onto US 17 Business
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
US 17 Business
4
Continue on US 17
17 mi
·
25 min
·
Ocean Highway
5
Continue on US 17
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
L. H. Siau Bridge
6
Continue on US 17
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Church Street
7
Turn left onto US 17
56 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
North Fraser Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 17
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Highway 17
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Morrison Drive, East Bay Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto US 52 Bus
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Morrison Drive
11
Turn straight onto East Bay Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Bay Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Calhoun Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Calhoun Street
13
Turn left onto S-10-107
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Meeting Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Broad Street
40 ft
·
1 sec
·
Broad Street
15
Arrive at destination
Broad Street
Trip Plan
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 44.2 miles from Surfside Beach, SC, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56 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 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44.2 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Charleston, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Surfside Beach, 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 Surfside Beach, SC
This is one driving day of about 88.4 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Surfside Beach, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on North Fraser Street for about 56 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 44.2 mi from Surfside Beach, SC · 1h 3m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 44.2 miles from Surfside Beach, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Charleston, SC
The final approach into Charleston, 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 Charleston, 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
$13.82 one way
$27.65 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
31 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $15.12 | $30.23 |
| premium | $4.70 | $16.36 | $32.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.52 | $39.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.28 | $4.24 |
| Efficient EV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.74 | $3.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35.4 | 0 | $12.38 | $5.66 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Charleston, SC
Morning in Charleston on Wednesday
Local time
6:28 AM
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
1 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 4m 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 Surfside Beach, SC to Charleston, SC covers 88.4 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Fraser Street, Ocean Highway, US 17 Business. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 44.2 miles from Surfside Beach, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.82 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 Surfside Beach, SC to Charleston, SC is easy. At 2h 4m with 11% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 27.3 miles (US 17 / North Fraser Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 85.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86 miles (US 52 Bus / Morrison Drive): Navigation decision point.
The route from Surfside Beach, SC to Charleston, SC does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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