Sumter, SC Road Trips
With 5 routes heading out and 3 heading in, Sumter, SC works well as a modest departure point in the Southeast. Most drives stay under 105 miles, making this area well-suited for day trips and weekend getaways. Most routes from Sumter, SC head west, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Junior Bastos
Trip Routes
8
Longest Drive
191 mi
Walhalla, SC
Quickest Drive
1h 5m
Cayce, SC
Plan Around Sumter, SC
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Sumter, SC is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Sumter, SC
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Sumter, SC
Driving from Sumter, SC
Expect an average of 105 miles and about 2h 11m behind the wheel when leaving Sumter, SC. The majority of routes are short drives — quick enough to finish before lunch and be back for dinner. The longest mapped route runs 191 miles (4h 2m), while the shortest is just 51 miles.
Popular Destinations
Top road trip destinations from Sumter, SC are Walhalla, SC (191 mi, 4h 2m), City View, SC (150.6 mi, 3h 4m), Marion, SC (67.9 mi, 1h 27m), Wilkinson Heights, SC (63.1 mi, 1h 16m), and Cayce, SC (50.5 mi, 1h 5m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in SC currently averages around $3.7 per gallon. For the typical 105-mile trip from Sumter, SC, budget about $15 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
Most routes head west — leaving in the morning keeps the sun behind you for a more comfortable drive. With an average drive under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility — leave whenever it suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 5 mapped routes leaving Sumter, SC and 3 routes heading into Sumter, SC, covering 8 total connections. Distances range from 51 to 191 miles.
The longest mapped route from Sumter, SC covers 191 miles and takes approximately 4h 2m. Shorter options start at just 51 miles.
The average route from Sumter, SC runs about 105 miles with a drive time of roughly 2h 11m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $3.7/gallon for regular), the average 105-mile trip from Sumter, SC costs roughly $15 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.
The most popular road trip destinations from Sumter, SC include Walhalla, SC, City View, SC, Marion, SC and Wilkinson Heights, SC. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Sumter, SC by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
43,065
Median Income
$53,071
Median Home Value
$188,400
Median Age
33.3
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Sumter, SC at a Glance
Founded
1845
Elevation
171 ft
Area
32 mi²
Notable People from Sumter, SC
A sampling of people born in Sumter, SC.
Shawn Weatherly
1959
American beauty queen, actress (active 1980–)
Jim Clyburn
1940
American politician (born 1940)
Jay Ellis
1981
American actor
Virginia Capers
1925–2004
American actress (1925–2004)
John Gayle
1792–1859
American politician (1792-1859)
Bobby Richardson
1935
American baseball player
Clara Louise Kellogg
1842–1916
American opera singer (1842-1916)
Nancy O'Dell
1966
American television host and entertainment journalist
Gloria Conyers Hewitt
1935
American mathematician
Landmarks & Historic Sites
Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Sumter, SC.
Sumter County Courthouse
courthouse in South Carolina, United States
Sumter Historic District
historic district in South Carolina, United States
City data from Wikidata (Q1010203), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Sumter, SC
Sumter is a city in Santee Cooper Country, South Carolina.
From the world famous Swan Lake Iris Garden to the historic Sumter Opera House, Sumter boasts of unique sights and a colorful lifestyle. A rather perfect blend of antebellum era and 21st century, you'll find plantation-style homes juxtaposed with entities like Shaw Air Force Base. Sports and cultural events are also a draw, and the city's location within a couple of hours from the mountains and sea, makes its motto "In the Middle of Everything” fairly correct.
1 Swan Lake Iris Gardens, 822 W Liberty St, ☏ +1 803 436-2640. Daily 7:30AM-8:30PM. In this unlikely example of an aberration gone aright, this natural spectacle arose after a local entrepreneur dumped all of his Japanese irises from his failed garden into this pond in 1927, only to become the city's star attraction. Here you can amble along cypress-tree canopied boardwalks, or feed swans and admire the irises of course. (updated Sep 2021) 2 Sumter County Museum, 122 N Washington St, ☏ +1 803 775-0908. Th-Sa 10AM-5PM. Historical exhibits on the area displayed in an Edwardian-style building, with a little log cabin and some reenactments out back. (updated Sep 2021)
1 Sumter Opera House, 21 N Main St, ☏ +1 803 436-2616. Performing arts available in this opulent building. (updated Sep 2021) 2 Palmetto Tennis Center, 400 Theatre Dr, ☏ +1 803 774-3969. A pretty serious tennis complex, next to the Univ of South Carolina Sumter Campus. (updated Sep 2021)
1 Sylvia Jo's, 541 E Liberty St, ☏ +1 803 775-9809. M-F 7AM-2PM. The neighborhood may not be exactly enchanting, but this restaurant features homestyle cooking, with appetizing items like strawberry shortcake and hot breakfasts and a lunch buffet. (updated Sep 2021) 2 The Restaurant at Second Mill Bar and Lounge, 2390 Broad St, ☏ +1 803 774 0270. (updated Sep 2024)
1 Hampton Inn, 1370 Broad Street, ☏ +1 803-469-2222. 2 Super 8 by Wyndham Sumter, 1050 Broad St, ☏ +1 803 757-4513. Pool and typical Super 8 look. (updated Sep 2021)
Travel tips adapted from Sumter on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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