Traveling from the coast at Folly Beach to Florence covers 143.2 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 52 minutes. Because the distance is manageable, you can easily complete this journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $23 on fuel for the trip. You will navigate through the Southeast region, transitioning from the immediate coast toward the inland areas of South Carolina. It is a straightforward drive that works well for a quick getaway or a change of scenery. Planning for one scheduled stop will help you break up the drive comfortably.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71.6 miles from Folly Beach, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
73.9 mi
1h 19m
I 26
51.4 mi
58m
Folly Road
6.6 mi
12m
SC 30
3 mi
4m
West Evans Street
2.4 mi
4m
I 20 Bus
1.6 mi
2m
West Cheves Street
0.7 mi
1m
Septima Clark Expressway
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 73.9 mi, about 1h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Folly Beach, SC and Florence, SC.
1
Start on East Arctic Avenue
214 ft·11 sec·East Arctic Avenue
2
Turn left
200 ft·19 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto East Ashley Avenue
272 ft·11 sec·East Ashley Avenue
4
Turn right onto SC 171
0.3 mi·51 sec·Center Street
5
Continue on SC 171
6.6 mi·12 min·Folly Road
6
Turn right onto SC 30
3.0 mi·4 min·SC 30
Toward SC 30 East: Downtown
7
Turn left onto Courtenay Drive
0.4 mi·57 sec·Courtenay Drive
8
Turn right onto US 17
0.2 mi·30 sec·Septima P. Clark Parkway
9
Continue on US 17
0.5 mi·1 min·Crosstown
10
Continue on US 17
0.6 mi·1 min·Septima Clark Expressway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 26
51 mi·58 min·I 26
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 169BToward I 95 North: Florence
13
Merge onto I 95
74 mi·1 hr 19 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 20 Business East: Florence
15
Merge onto I 20 Bus
1.6 mi·2 min·I 20 Bus
16
Turn left onto S-21-31
2.4 mi·4 min·West Evans Street
17
Turn right onto Warley Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·Warley Street
18
Turn left onto West Cheves Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West Cheves Street
19
Turn right
133 ft·11 sec
20
Turn right
50 ft·3 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a sub-three-hour trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. Aim to leave during off-peak hours to avoid potential local traffic congestion while navigating the turn-heavy segments near the coast. Budgeting $23 for fuel should keep you covered, but it is wise to fill up before you leave Folly Beach to avoid searching for a station during the local road portions of the route. Incorporate your one recommended stop at roughly the halfway point to stay refreshed. Keeping a digital map handy is essential for this trip, as the heavy reliance on local roads means you will encounter numerous turns where missing a signal could add unnecessary time to your arrival.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.6 miles from Folly Beach, SC, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.9 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 32 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71.6 miles or 1h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florence, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Folly 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 Folly Beach, SC
This is one driving day of about 143.2 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Folly Beach, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 73.9 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 63.9 — 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
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Ashley Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East Ashley Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
11.7 mi into trip|~22m in|I 26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 26
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
63.1 mi into trip|~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Florence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 169B
Toward I 95 North: Florence
5
63.9 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.39 one way
$44.79 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg50 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$24.48
$48.97
premium
$4.70
$26.50
$53.01
diesel
$5.61
$31.62
$63.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43
0
$15.04
$6.87
Efficient EV
35.8
0
$12.53
$5.73
EV Truck/SUV
57.3
0
$20.05
$9.16
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Folly Beach, SC
Late night
in Folly Beach on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Florence, SC
Late night
in Florence on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
87°F
Holly Hill, SC
72 mi in
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
12 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 52m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will begin your journey by navigating East Ashley Avenue, Center Street, and Folly Road to get clear of the beach area. Because the route relies entirely on local roads, your pace will likely fluctuate more than it would on a major highway. Stay alert for frequent turns and changing road conditions as you transition away from the coast. This profile requires more active attention behind the wheel, making it a distinct experience compared to a standard high-speed highway trek.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.9 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 16 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 143.2 miles you will encounter 16 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; at 0.1 miles (East Ashley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 52m. Total distance: 143.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 73.9 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; at 0.1 miles (East Ashley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Florence, SC before heading back.
