Florence, SC to Ladson, SC is 116.7 miles and takes about 2h 12m via I 95, I 26, and West Evans Street, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within South Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. With 94% of the drive on highways, expect a straightforward transit, making it ideal for a quick connection between these two locations. The primary roads are well-traveled interstates, suggesting a typical highway driving experience for most of the 116.7 miles. This route is best suited for travelers looking to cover ground efficiently rather than seeking a leisurely scenic drive.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.4 miles from Florence, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
74.8 mi
1h 20m
I 26
34.4 mi
37m
West Evans Street
2.4 mi
4m
West David H McLeod Boulevard
1.5 mi
2m
College Park Road
0.8 mi
1m
East Cheves Street
0.7 mi
1m
Ladson Road
0.6 mi
1m
J Strom Thurmond Freeway
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 74.8 mi, about 1h 20m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,277 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,171
Quietest
2 AM
~182 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Florence, SC and Ladson, SC.
1
Start on this road
50 ft·8 sec·this road
2
Turn left
133 ft·15 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto East Cheves Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East Cheves Street
4
Turn right onto Warley Street
0.1 mi·18 sec·Warley Street
5
Turn left onto S-21-31
2.4 mi·4 min·West Evans Street
6
Turn right onto I 20 Bus
1.5 mi·2 min·West David H McLeod Boulevard
7
Continue on I 20 Bus
0.5 mi·53 sec·J Strom Thurmond Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 95 South: Savannah
9
Merge onto I 95
75 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 95
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·51 sec
Exit 86AToward I 26 East: Charleston
11
Merge onto I 26
34 mi·37 min·I 26
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 203Toward College Park Road, LadsonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto College Park Road
0.8 mi·1 min·College Park Road
14
Turn right onto Ladson Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Ladson Road
15
Turn right onto Stoney Road
37 ft·1 sec·Stoney Road
16
Arrive at destination
Stoney Road
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive of just over two hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Florence, SC in the morning will get you to Ladson, SC with plenty of daylight to spare. You likely won't need more than one brief stop for gas or a quick break, given the 116.7-mile distance. The fuel cost is estimated at $18, so plan accordingly. Keep an eye out for the transition from I 26 to West Evans Street, as this marks the end of the highway portion and the beginning of your final approach.
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 58.4 miles from Florence, SC, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.8 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 26 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.4 miles or 1h 7m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ladson, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Florence, 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 Florence, SC
This is one driving day of about 116.7 miles and 2h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Florence, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 74.8 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 115 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Cheves Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Cheves Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Warley Street
Turn right onto Warley Street
Navigation decision point
5
80.3 mi into trip|~1h 31m in
Take the exit toward I 26 East: Charleston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 86A
Toward I 26 East: Charleston
8
115 mi into trip|~2h 9m in
Take the exit toward College Park Road, Ladson
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.
Exit 203
Toward College Park Road, Ladson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.88 one way
$35.76 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$19.62
$39.25
premium
$4.64
$21.30
$42.61
diesel
$5.60
$25.72
$51.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35
0
$12.25
$5.60
Efficient EV
29.2
0
$10.21
$4.67
EV Truck/SUV
46.7
0
$16.34
$7.47
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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 Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Florence, SC
Late night
in Florence on Saturday
Local time
12:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Patchy Fog
SW 1 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Ladson, SC
Late night
in Ladson on Saturday
Local time
12:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
N 1 mph0% chanceLive 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 12m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to...
21 mi from route
~53 min detour
$10
near mile 116.7
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
26 mi from route
~65 min detour
Free
near mile 60.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend almost all of your time on the interstate, with 94% of the 116.7 miles on highways like I 95 and I 26. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 74.8 miles on I 95. You'll transition to surface roads, specifically West Evans Street, towards the end of your drive. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate these major arteries, especially as you approach your destination.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 74.8 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and I 26. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort5/10
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 116.7 miles you will encounter 11 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (East Cheves Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Warley Street): Navigation decision point.
Florence is a city in the Pee Dee Country Region of South Carolina. It was the site of the Florence Stockade, a Confederate POW camp, notably bad but still maybe not as bad as Andersonville, then a railroad hub, and nowadays a regional center for medical care and manufacturing, including as it sits at the terminus for I-20. Even though it got started rather late, in 1871, it's more or less the hub for northeastern South Carolina, aka Pee Dee Country.
Top landmarks
•Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Florence, United States of America
•U. S. Post Office — former government building in Florence, South Carolina
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 12m. Total distance: 116.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 74.8 miles on I 95. 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (East Cheves Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (Warley Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park and Congaree National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ladson, SC before heading back.
