Mount Pleasant, SC to Pineridge, SC is 111.8 miles and takes about 2h 9m via I 26 and Charleston Highway, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, entirely within South Carolina. Given its mostly highway profile and short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll find the drive straightforward, largely on major roads, making it a convenient option for getting between these two points without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
55.9 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 26
91 mi
1h 38m
Mark Clark Expressway
12 mi
14m
Charleston Highway
3 mi
4m
Pine Ridge Drive
2.3 mi
5m
Chuck Dawley Boulevard
1.3 mi
2m
Rivers Avenue
1.1 mi
1m
Coleman Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Highway 321
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 91 mi, about 1h 38m
Traffic on I-26
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 42 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,947 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,445
Quietest
2 AM
~244 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Mount Pleasant, SC and Pineridge, SC.
1
Start on this road
76 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto SC 703
237 ft·9 sec·Coleman Boulevard
3
Turn left onto I 526 Bus
1.3 mi·2 min·Chuck Dawley Boulevard
4
Turn straight onto I 526
12 mi·14 min·Mark Clark Expressway
Toward North CharlestonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 18BToward US 52 West, US 78 West: Rivers AvenueUse the slight right lane.
6
Turn slight right onto US 52; US 78
1.1 mi·1 min·Rivers Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn straight
0.1 mi·20 sec
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·45 sec
Toward I 26 North: Columbia
9
Merge onto I 26
91 mi·1 hr 38 min·I 26
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 119
11
Turn left onto US 21/US 176
1.0 mi·1 min·Charleston Highway
12
Enter roundabout onto US 21/US 176
137 ft·2 sec·Charleston Highway
13
Continue on US 21/US 176
0.8 mi·1 min·Charleston Highway
14
Turn right onto US 321
221 ft·2 sec·Highway 321
15
Continue on US 21; US 176; US 321
1.1 mi·1 min·Charleston Highway
16
Turn left onto Pine Ridge Drive
2.3 mi·5 min·Pine Ridge Drive
17
Arrive at destination
Pine Ridge Drive
Trip Plan
With a drive time of just over two hours, you have flexibility in when you depart. Leaving in the morning or early afternoon will ensure you complete the 111.8-mile trip with plenty of daylight. The estimated fuel cost is $19, so plan accordingly. Given the short duration, you likely won't need many stops, but keep an eye out for service areas on I 26 if needed. The transition from highway to Charleston Highway towards the end offers a change of pace.
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 55.9 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91 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 25 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.9 miles or 1h 4m 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 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pineridge, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mount Pleasant, 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 Mount Pleasant, SC
This is one driving day of about 111.8 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Mount Pleasant, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 26 for about 91 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 107.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard
Turn right onto SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in|I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway
Turn straight onto I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway toward North Charleston
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward North Charleston
8
13.3 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit toward US 52 West, US 78 West: Rivers Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18B
Toward US 52 West, US 78 West: Rivers Avenue
5
15.3 mi into trip|~20m in|I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
107.4 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|US 21/US 176 / Charleston Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 21/US 176 / Charleston Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.78 one way
$35.56 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$19.39
$38.78
premium
$4.78
$21.04
$42.07
diesel
$5.35
$23.55
$47.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.5
0
$11.74
$5.37
Efficient EV
28
0
$9.78
$4.47
EV Truck/SUV
44.7
0
$15.65
$7.16
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Forecast as of May 29, 2026
Origin
Mount Pleasant, SC
Afternoon
in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 3 mph39% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 28 at 9:21PM EDT until May 31 at 3:42AM EDT by NWS Columbia SC
Destination
Pineridge, SC
Afternoon
in Pineridge on Wednesday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
N 0 to 5 mph29% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 28 at 9:21PM EDT until May 31 at 3:42AM EDT by NWS Columbia SC
67°F
Summerville, SC
56 mi in
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
6 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 9m 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.
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...
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 92.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a predominantly highway drive, with 92% of the 111.8 miles on major roadways like I 26 and the Mark Clark Expressway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 91 miles on I 26 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a high volume of exits and merging traffic typical of highway travel for most of the trip.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 91 mi on I 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and Mark Clark Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 9m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
311 ft5 ft
Total Climb
394 ft
Total Descent
157 ft
Highest Point
311 ft
~87.8 mi in
Elevation Range
306 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Mount Pleasant is a large town in the Greater Charleston region of South Carolina. The population of the town has exploded, making it a very popular bedroom community of the city of Charleston.
Top landmarks
•USS Yorktown — 1943 Essex-class aircraft carrier
•USS Laffey — 1943 Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer
•Charles Pinckney National Historic Site — human settlement in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, United States of America
The longest stretch is about 91 miles on I 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SC 703 / Coleman Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 526 / Mark Clark Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park and Congaree National 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 Pineridge, SC before heading back.
