This 97.7-mile drive from Aiken to Anderson, South Carolina, will take you about 2 hours and 14 minutes. It's a straightforward, single-day trip, so you won't need an overnight stop. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $16. You'll be navigating local roads for the entire trip, so expect a turn-heavy experience. This route stays within the Southeast region, connecting two points within South Carolina. It's a practical option if you're looking for a direct connection without extensive highway driving.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49 miles from Aiken, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 25
34.5 mi
48m
Edgefield Highway
10.1 mi
15m
Old Shoals Junction Road
8.7 mi
13m
Moorefield Street
6.4 mi
9m
Belton Honea Path Highway
5.6 mi
8m
Augusta Road
5.2 mi
6m
Belton Highway
4.7 mi
6m
Montague Avenue
4.6 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
US 25
— 34.5 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aiken, SC and Anderson, SC.
1
Start on SC 19
387 ft·13 sec·Chesterfield Street South
2
Continue on SC 19
0.1 mi·20 sec·Chesterfield Street South
3
Turn left onto US 1; US 78; SC 19
0.2 mi·36 sec·Richland Avenue West
4
Turn right onto SC 19
0.5 mi·46 sec·Laurens Street Northwest
5
Continue on SC 19
1.0 mi·1 min·Laurens Street Northwest
6
Continue on SC 19
10 mi·15 min·Edgefield Highway
7
Continue on SC 19
3.2 mi·4 min·Highway 19
8
Continue on SC 19
5.2 mi·6 min·Augusta Road
9
Turn straight onto US 25 Truck
3.9 mi·4 min·Bauskett Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 25
32 mi·44 min·US 25
11
Turn straight onto US 25 Business; US 178 Business
4.6 mi·7 min·Montague Avenue
12
Continue on US 25; US 178
2.4 mi·3 min·US 25; US 178
13
Turn left onto US 178; SC 185
296 ft·6 sec·Moorefield Street
14
Continue on US 178
0.6 mi·52 sec·Moorefield Street
15
Continue on US 178
0.1 mi·9 sec·Morefield Street
16
Turn straight onto US 178
5.8 mi·8 min·Moorefield Street
17
Continue on US 178
8.7 mi·13 min·Old Shoals Junction Road
18
Turn left onto US 76; US 178
465 ft·11 sec·US 76; US 178
19
Turn right onto US 76; US 178
1.4 mi·2 min·North Main Street
20
Continue on US 76; US 178
5.6 mi·8 min·Belton Honea Path Highway
21
Continue on US 76; US 178
1.1 mi·1 min·South Main Street
22
Turn left onto US 76; US 178; SC 20
2.3 mi·3 min·Anderson Street
23
Continue on US 76; US 178
4.7 mi·6 min·Belton Highway
24
Continue on US 76; US 178
3.6 mi·5 min·East River Street
25
Turn right onto South Fant Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·South Fant Street
26
Turn left onto East Whitner Street
0.3 mi·50 sec·East Whitner Street
27
Arrive at destination
East Whitner Street
Trip Plan
Since this drive is only about 2 hours and 14 minutes, you have a lot of flexibility for when you leave and how you pace yourself. There are no specified stops, so you can decide on the fly if you need a break. Given the turn-heavy nature of the route, it’s wise to stay alert and double-check your navigation, especially when transitioning between Chesterfield Street South, Richland Avenue West, and Laurens Street Northwest. The $16 fuel cost suggests it's an economical trip, so you shouldn't need to worry too much about frequent refueling stops, but it's always good practice to start with a full tank.
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 49 miles from Aiken, SC, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.5 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 22 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49 miles or 1h 8m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anderson, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Aiken, 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 Aiken, SC
This is one driving day of about 98 miles and 2h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Aiken, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 25 for about 34.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 97.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|US 1; US 78; SC 19 / Richland Avenue West
Turn left onto US 1; US 78; SC 19 / Richland Avenue West
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest
Turn right onto SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
4
24.4 mi into trip|~34m in|US 25
At end of road, turn left onto US 25
Navigation decision point
3
63.5 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|US 178; SC 185 / Moorefield Street
Turn left onto US 178; SC 185 / Moorefield Street
Navigation decision point
5
97.7 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|East Whitner Street
Turn left onto East Whitner Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.33 one way
$30.65 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$16.76
$33.51
premium
$4.70
$18.14
$36.28
diesel
$5.61
$21.64
$43.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.4
0
$10.29
$4.70
Efficient EV
24.5
0
$8.58
$3.92
EV Truck/SUV
39.2
0
$13.72
$6.27
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Aiken, SC
Late night
in Aiken on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Anderson, SC
Late night
in Anderson on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°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
27 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
2h 22m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
With a 0% highway share, this route is entirely composed of local roads, making it a 'turn-heavy' drive. You won't encounter any long stretches of uninterrupted driving; instead, anticipate frequent turns and changes in direction. The road character will likely shift as you move through different towns and neighborhoods, offering a varied local driving experience. This isn't a high-speed journey; it's more about navigating through communities and following a series of connected streets. Prepare for a more engaged driving experience rather than a passive cruise.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.5 mi on US 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 0.2 miles in near US 1; US 78; SC 19 / Richland Avenue West.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 22m 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: at 0.2 miles (US 1; US 78; SC 19 / Richland Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 24.4 miles (US 25): Navigation decision point.
Anderson is a county and city in the Upcountry of South Carolina.
The city of Anderson had a population of 27,545 in 2016 with an urban area population of 75,702. Anderson County had a population of 194,692 in 2016. The city of Anderson serves as one of the three primary cities in the Upcountry of South Carolina, the others being Spartanburg and Greenville.
The longest stretch is about 34.5 miles on US 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 1; US 78; SC 19 / Richland Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (SC 19 / Laurens Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 24.4 miles (US 25): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Anderson, SC before heading back.
