Origin
Laurel Bay, SC
Night in Laurel Bay on Sunday
Local time
9:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Laurel Bay, SC to Hilton Head, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
32.8 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laurel Bay, SC
Wyxina Tresse
Hilton Head, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Laurel Bay, SC to Hilton Head, SC is 32.8 miles and takes about 45m via Okatie Highway and William Hilton Parkway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive connecting two points within the Southeast region of South Carolina. Expect a local feel for most of the journey, with a relatively short travel time that makes it ideal for a single-day trip. The main roads are well-maintained, and the brief duration means you won't need extensive planning for this particular leg.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Okatie Highway | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| Fording Island Road | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| William Hilton Parkway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Joe Frazier Road | 2.5 mi | 6m |
| Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Robert Smalls Parkway | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Castle Rock Road | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Broad River Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Okatie Highway
— 12.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laurel Bay, SC and Hilton Head, SC.
1
Start on Morrall Drive
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Morrall Drive
2
Enter roundabout onto Joe Frazier Road
38 ft
·
1 sec
·
Joe Frazier Road
3
Continue on Joe Frazier Road
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Joe Frazier Road
4
Turn slight right onto Needles Road
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Needles Road
5
Turn left onto Cherokee Farms Road
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Cherokee Farms Road
6
Turn straight onto Joe Frazier Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Joe Frazier Road
7
Turn right onto Broad River Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Broad River Boulevard
8
Turn left onto Castle Rock Road
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Castle Rock Road
9
Turn right onto SC 170
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Robert Smalls Parkway
10
Continue on SC 170
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Edward Burton Rodgers Bridge
11
Continue on SC 170
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Okatie Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
13
Merge onto US 278
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
Fording Island Road
14
Continue on US 278
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
William Hilton Parkway
15
Arrive at destination
US 278
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 32.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.4 miles from Laurel Bay, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 4.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Joe Frazier Road
Enter roundabout onto Joe Frazier Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Cherokee Farms Road
Turn left onto Cherokee Farms Road
Navigation decision point
4
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Broad River Boulevard
Turn right onto Broad River Boulevard
Navigation decision point
3
3.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Castle Rock Road
Turn left onto Castle Rock Road
Navigation decision point
3
4.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
SC 170 / Robert Smalls Parkway
Turn right onto SC 170 / Robert Smalls Parkway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.13 one way
$10.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $5.61 | $11.22 |
| premium | $4.70 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.24 | $14.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Hilton Head, SC
Night in Hilton Head on Sunday
Local time
9:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°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
2 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
45m 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 route offers a 'turn-heavy local drive' experience, with only 16% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.3 miles along Okatie Highway. As you progress, you'll transition from Okatie Highway to Fording Island Road and finally William Hilton Parkway, indicating a shift from more rural or suburban roads to the primary artery leading onto Hilton Head. Be prepared for frequent turns and varying speed limits as you navigate through local communities.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.3 mi on Okatie Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Joe Frazier Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 45m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Joe Frazier Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.7 miles (Cherokee Farms Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (Broad River Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 32.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (16%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.3 miles on Okatie Highway. 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 0.1 miles (Joe Frazier Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.7 miles (Cherokee Farms Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (Broad River Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
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 Hilton Head, 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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