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Trip from Isle of Palms, SC to North Charleston, SC

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

25m

Distance

14.9 mi

24 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 23m ★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States

Isle of Palms, SC

Wikimedia Commons

city in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, South Carolina, United States

North Charleston, SC

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 14.9-mile drive from Isle of Palms, SC to North Charleston, SC is a quick 25-minute trip that's perfect for a single day. You'll navigate primarily on Ben Sawyer Boulevard and Meeting Street, eventually crossing the impressive Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. With a modest fuel cost of around $2, this route is an easy addition to any Southeast exploration. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local experience rather than a long-haul journey. Given its short distance, it doesn't require an overnight stay, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ben Sawyer Boulevard 2.6 mi 4m
Meeting Street 2.2 mi 3m
Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge 2.1 mi 2m
Jasper Boulevard 1.6 mi 2m
Palm Boulevard 1.3 mi 2m
West Coleman Boulevard 1.1 mi 2m
Coleman Boulevard 1.1 mi 2m
Carner Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Ben Sawyer Boulevard — 2.6 mi, about 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Isle of Palms, SC and North Charleston, SC.

1

Start on SC 703

1.3 mi · 2 min · Palm Boulevard
2

Continue on SC 703

1.6 mi · 2 min · Jasper Boulevard
3

Turn right onto SC 703

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Station 22 1/2 Street
4

Continue on SC 703

1.7 mi · 2 min · Ben Sawyer Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5

Turn slight right onto SC 703

0.8 mi · 1 min · Ben Sawyer Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on SC 703

1.1 mi · 2 min · Coleman Boulevard
7

Continue on SC 703

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Coleman Boulevard
8

Take the ramp onto SC 703

0.5 mi · 1 min · SC 703
Toward US 17 South: Charleston
9

Merge onto US 17

2.1 mi · 2 min · Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward Meeting Street Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn right onto US 52

2.2 mi · 3 min · Meeting Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12

Continue on US 52

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Meeting Street Road
Use the left lane.
13

Continue on US 52

0.6 mi · 51 sec · Meeting Street Road
14

Continue on US 52

0.8 mi · 1 min · Carner Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Continue on US 52; US 78

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Rivers Avenue
16

Arrive at destination

US 52; US 78

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 10.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
2.9 mi into trip | ~5m in | SC 703 / Station 22 1/2 Street

Turn right onto SC 703 / Station 22 1/2 Street

Navigation decision point

3
4.8 mi into trip | ~7m in | SC 703 / Ben Sawyer Boulevard

Turn slight right onto SC 703 / Ben Sawyer Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
8.4 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge

Merge onto US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.5 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward Meeting Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Meeting Street
5
10.9 mi into trip | ~19m in | US 52 / Meeting Street

Turn right onto US 52 / Meeting Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.33 one way

$4.66 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $2.55 $5.10
premium $4.70 $2.76 $5.52
diesel $5.61 $3.29 $6.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.5 0 $1.56 $0.72
Efficient EV 3.7 0 $1.30 $0.60
EV Truck/SUV 6 0 $2.09 $0.95

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Isle of Palms, SC

Late night in Isle of Palms on Sunday

Local time

12:50 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Sunny

S 17 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued April 16 at 2:47AM EDT until April 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC

Destination

North Charleston, SC

Late night in North Charleston on Sunday

Local time

12:50 AM

EDT

Current temp

84°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

6 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

25m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" for this short hop between the Southeast's coastal areas. While about a third of the journey involves highway travel, the majority of your time will be spent on local roads with numerous intersections. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.6 miles on Ben Sawyer Boulevard before the landscape shifts. This means you'll be actively steering and navigating more often than on a typical interstate cruise, making it a more hands-on driving experience.

Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.6 mi on Ben Sawyer Boulevard.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near SC 703 / Station 22 1/2 Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 14.9 miles you will encounter 6 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: at 2.9 miles (SC 703 / Station 22 1/2 Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (SC 703 / Ben Sawyer Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 miles (US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Isle of Palms, SC

Full guide →

Isle of Palms is a city of 4,347 (2020) in South Carolina, near Charleston. Over the years Isle of Palms has become a very popular vacation spot for families. Warm weather, an abundance of palm trees, and beautiful beaches make Isle of Palms the perfect location for any traveler.

Arriving in North Charleston, SC

Full guide →

North Charleston is in the Greater Charleston area. It is the third largest city in South Carolina with a lot of muscle in terms of commerce and consumerism.

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 25m. Total distance: 14.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

25m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (3%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 2.6 miles on Ben Sawyer Boulevard. 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 2.9 miles (SC 703 / Station 22 1/2 Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (SC 703 / Ben Sawyer Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 miles (US 17 / Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge): 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 North Charleston, 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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