Hilton Head Island, SC to Hanahan, SC is 106.5 miles and takes about 2h 23m via US 17 and Okatie Highway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, primarily within South Carolina. The majority of the drive is on highways, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. With only a moderate distance, you'll find this route efficient for getting from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.3 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 17
43 mi
56m
Okatie Highway
12.2 mi
13m
Trask Parkway
11.6 mi
14m
Fording Island Road
9 mi
13m
Mark Clark Expressway
5.9 mi
7m
William Hilton Parkway
3.9 mi
4m
Robert Smalls Parkway
3.5 mi
3m
Bees Ferry Road
2.8 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US 17
— 43 mi, about 56m
Traffic on I-526
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~3,094 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~136 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 21 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 Hilton Head Island, SC and Hanahan, SC.
1
Start on Allen Road
0.2 mi·41 sec·Allen Road
2
Turn left onto Marshland Road
2.2 mi·5 min·Marshland Road
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
4
Merge onto US 278
2.3 mi·2 min·Cross Island Parkway
5
Merge onto US 278
3.9 mi·4 min·William Hilton Parkway
6
Continue on US 278
9.0 mi·13 min·Fording Island Road
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
8
Keep slight right at fork
147 ft·4 sec
9
Merge onto SC 170
12 mi·13 min·Okatie Highway
10
Continue on SC 170
1.7 mi·1 min·Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge
11
Continue on SC 170
3.5 mi·3 min·Robert Smalls Parkway
12
Turn slight left onto US 21
1.2 mi·1 min·Parris Island Gateway
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 21
12 mi·14 min·Trask Parkway
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
15
Merge onto US 17
43 mi·56 min·US 17
16
Turn left onto S-10-57
2.8 mi·4 min·Bees Ferry Road
17
Turn right onto SC 461
2.5 mi·3 min·Glenn McConnell Parkway
18
Continue on SC 461
0.5 mi·47 sec·Paul Cantrell Boulevard
19
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
20
Merge onto I 526
5.9 mi·7 min·Mark Clark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 18BToward US 52 West, US 78 West
22
Turn straight onto US 52; US 78
2.0 mi·3 min·Rivers Avenue
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn right onto S-10-405
0.4 mi·54 sec·Murray Drive
Use the right lane.
24
Arrive at destination
S-10-405
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 23m estimated drive time, this is a comfortable one-day trip. You could easily depart in the morning and arrive by lunchtime. The fuel cost is estimated at $16, so make sure your tank is full before you leave Hilton Head Island. While there are no specific stops noted, keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 43-mile stretch on US 17, to avoid needing to search for a gas station in a less populated area. The flexibility of this route means you can depart on your own schedule.
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 53.3 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43 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 23 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.3 miles or 1h 10m 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 Hanahan, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hilton Head Island, 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 Hilton Head Island, SC
This is one driving day of about 106.5 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Hilton Head Island, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 17 for about 43 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 106.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.4 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
18.2 mi into trip|~27m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
98 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway
Merge onto I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
104 mi into trip|~2h 18m in
Take the exit toward US 52 West, US 78 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 18B
Toward US 52 West, US 78 West
5
106.2 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|S-10-405 / Murray Drive
Turn right onto S-10-405 / Murray Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.36 one way
$32.72 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.28
$17.93
$35.86
premium
$4.64
$19.45
$38.89
diesel
$5.40
$22.65
$45.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32
0
$11.18
$5.11
Efficient EV
26.6
0
$9.32
$4.26
EV Truck/SUV
42.6
0
$14.91
$6.82
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 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 25, 2026
Origin
Hilton Head Island, SC
Afternoon
in Hilton Head Island on Saturday
Local time
1:02 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Clear
SW 6 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Hanahan, SC
Afternoon
in Hanahan on Saturday
Local time
1:02 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
SW 6 mph1% 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
1 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 23m 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.
Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Reconstruction era,1861-1900 the historic period in which the United States grappled with the question of how to integrate millions of newly freed African Americans into social, political, economi...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 36.7
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...
11 mi from route
~26 min detour
$10
near mile 99.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 68% of this drive is on highways, so expect a good amount of time cruising at higher speeds. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 43 miles on US 17, which is a significant portion of the route. After the highway segments, the road transitions to surface streets, likely with more local traffic and exits. The overall profile is mostly highway, suggesting a relatively open road for much of the trip.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43 mi on US 17.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 17 and Okatie Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 106.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 98 miles (I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Hilton Head Island is a city and barrier island in South Carolina, just across the border from Savannah, Georgia. With an approximate population of 40,000, it is on a beautiful, sub-tropical 12-mile (19-km) barrier island. Hilton Head Island is a vacation playland with famous beaches and great golf courses that overlook the Atlantic Ocean.
Top landmarks
•Cherry Hill School — historic school for African-American students located at Hilton Head Island, Bea...
•St. Luke's Parish Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery — historic site in Beaufort County, South Carolina, US
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 106.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43 miles on US 17. 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 Hanahan, SC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 1 rest area along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 98 miles (I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Reconstruction Era National Historical Park and 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 Hanahan, SC before heading back.
