Origin
Goose Creek, SC
Morning in Goose Creek on Tuesday
Local time
6:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Goose Creek, SC to Folly Beach, SC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
27.6 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Goose Creek, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Folly Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Goose Creek, SC to Folly Beach, SC is 27.6 miles and takes about 44m via I 26 and Folly Road, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within South Carolina, heading from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. The route is primarily highway driving that transitions to surface streets as you approach your destination. It's a straightforward drive perfect for a quick getaway or a day trip without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 26 | 12.4 mi | 16m |
| Folly Road | 6.7 mi | 12m |
| James Island Expressway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Goose Creek Boulevard South | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Goose Creek Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Crosstown | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Center Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| SC 30 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 12.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Goose Creek, SC and Folly Beach, SC.
1
Start on The Oaks Avenue
38 ft
·
3 sec
·
The Oaks Avenue
2
Turn right onto Old State Road
237 ft
·
12 sec
·
Old State Road
3
Continue on Old State Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Old State Road
4
Continue on Goose Creek Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Goose Creek Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto US 52
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Goose Creek Boulevard South
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 52; US 78
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Rivers Avenue
8
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 26 East: Charleston
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 26 East: Charleston
10
Merge onto I 26
12 mi
·
16 min
·
I 26
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 17
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosstown
12
Continue on US 17
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Septima P. Clark Parkway
13
Continue on US 17
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Spring Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Spring Street
15
Turn left onto SC 30
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Lockwood Drive
16
Take the ramp onto SC 30
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
SC 30
Toward SC 30: James Island, Folly Beach
17
Merge onto SC 30
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
James Island Expressway
18
At end of road, turn left onto SC 171
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Folly Road
19
Continue on SC 171
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Turn left onto East Arctic Avenue
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Arctic Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
East Arctic Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 4.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Old State Road
Turn right onto Old State Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 52 / Goose Creek Boulevard South
Merge onto US 52 / Goose Creek Boulevard South
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 26 East: Charleston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 26 East: Charleston
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.32 one way
$8.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.72 | $9.44 |
| premium | $4.70 | $5.11 | $10.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.09 | $12.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.77 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Folly Beach, SC
Morning in Folly Beach on Tuesday
Local time
6:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
11 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
44m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 56% of the route on highways. You'll encounter your longest stretch on I 26, covering 12.4 miles. The highway portion of the drive will likely involve merging with other traffic and navigating multiple exits as you transition from I 26 to James Island Expressway and then onto Folly Road. Expect a noticeable shift from faster highway speeds to more localized surface street conditions.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on I 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Old State Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 27.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Old State Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 52 / Goose Creek Boulevard South): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 27.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.4 miles on I 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Folly Beach, SC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Old State Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 52 / Goose Creek Boulevard South): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical 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 Folly Beach, SC before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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