Origin
Hilton Head, SC
Morning in Hilton Head on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hilton Head, SC to Ridgeland, 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
42m
Distance
34.2 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hilton Head, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Ridgeland, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition from the coast to the inland Lowcountry, this 34.2-mile journey from Hilton Head to Ridgeland is an ideal day trip. You can expect to spend about 42 minutes behind the wheel, making it a straightforward drive that doesn't require an overnight stay. By utilizing Fording Island Road, Independence Boulevard, and I-95, you will navigate through the Southeast region efficiently. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is a very economical excursion. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, this route is simple enough to complete in a single morning or afternoon.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 11.9 mi | 12m |
| Fording Island Road | 10.9 mi | 15m |
| Independence Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 6m |
| William Hilton Parkway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| East Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Jacob Smart Boulevard | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 11.9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hilton Head, SC and Ridgeland, SC.
1
Start on US 278
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
William Hilton Parkway
2
Continue on US 278
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
William Hilton Parkway
3
Continue on US 278
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Fording Island Road
4
Continue on US 278
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Independence Boulevard
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 95 North: Florence
6
Merge onto I 95
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 95
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward SC 336: Ridgeland
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto SC 336
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
9
Turn right onto US 17; US 278
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Jacob Smart Boulevard
10
Arrive at destination
US 17; US 278
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 21 and 34.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
21 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North: Florence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 95 North: Florence
3
21.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
33.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward SC 336: Ridgeland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward SC 336: Ridgeland
3
34.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
US 17; US 278 / North Jacob Smart Boulevard
Turn right onto US 17; US 278 / North Jacob Smart Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.35 one way
$10.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.85 | $11.70 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.33 | $12.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Ridgeland, SC
Morning in Ridgeland on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
23 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
42m 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 trip offers a mixed driving profile that transitions quickly from local thoroughfares to the interstate. You will spend 47% of your time on highways, providing a balanced experience between suburban navigation and faster travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on I-95, spanning 11.9 miles, which allows you to settle into a steady rhythm after leaving the coast. As you move away from Hilton Head, the road character shifts from local city streets to the more open, high-speed environment of the interstate system. Expect a functional drive that prioritizes directness over complex topography.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.9 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 21 miles in.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Hilton Head, SC to Ridgeland, SC is easy. At 42m with 47% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 21.4 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Hilton Head, SC
Full guide →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.
Arriving in Ridgeland, SC
Full guide →Ridgeland is a city and popular rest stop along Interstate 95 between Charleston and Savannah in Low Country in South Carolina.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 34.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.9 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 21 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 21.4 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Reconstruction Era 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 Ridgeland, 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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