Spanning 117.3 miles across the Southeast, this drive from Saint Andrews to Charleston is a straightforward trek that typically takes about 1 hour and 49 minutes. Because the total duration is quite short, you can easily complete this trip in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Broad River Road, Saint Andrews Road, and I-26 East to reach the coast. Budgeting approximately $18 for fuel should comfortably cover your travel costs for the journey. It is a practical route for those looking to transition from the inland areas of South Carolina to the historic port city of Charleston.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.5 miles from Saint Andrews, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 26
113.9 mi
2h 7m
Meeting Street
1.6 mi
3m
Saint Andrews Road
0.8 mi
1m
Broad River Road
0.1 mi
<1m
Whiteford Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Broad Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 26
— 113.9 mi, about 2h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Andrews, SC and Charleston, SC.
1
Start on Whiteford Road
276 ft·14 sec·Whiteford Road
2
Turn right onto US 176
0.1 mi·17 sec·Broad River Road
3
Turn left onto Saint Andrews Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Saint Andrews Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 26 East: Columbia
5
Merge onto I 26; US 76
1.4 mi·1 min·I 26; US 76
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26
113 mi·2 hr 5 min·I 26
Toward CharlestonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Exit 221BToward Meeting Street, Visitor Center, Downtown
8
Turn right onto US 52
1.6 mi·3 min·Meeting Street
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto Broad Street
40 ft·1 sec·Broad Street
10
Arrive at destination
Broad Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a compact 1-day trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule best. Because the route involves zero formal stops, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you head out, as the $18 cost estimate assumes a direct transit. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of the drive makes it important to stay alert and follow your GPS closely to avoid missing transitions on local roads. If you are traveling during peak hours, factor in a bit of extra time to account for the local traffic density common on these types of roads. Prioritize a steady pace to navigate the frequent turns comfortably.
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 58.5 miles from Saint Andrews, SC, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.9 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 26 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.5 miles or 1h 6m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Charleston, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Saint Andrews, 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 Saint Andrews, SC
This is one driving day of about 117.1 miles and 2h 14m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Saint Andrews, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 26 for about 113.9 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 117.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 176 / Broad River Road
Turn right onto US 176 / Broad River Road
Navigation decision point
7
2.6 mi into trip|~4m in|I 26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 26 toward Charleston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Charleston
6
115.1 mi into trip|~2h 10m in
Take the exit toward Meeting Street, Visitor Center, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 221B
Toward Meeting Street, Visitor Center, Downtown
6
115.5 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|US 52 / Meeting Street
Turn right onto US 52 / Meeting Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
117.1 mi into trip|~2h 14m in|Broad Street
Turn left onto Broad Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.31 one way
$36.62 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$20.02
$40.04
premium
$4.70
$21.67
$43.35
diesel
$5.61
$25.85
$51.71
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: 41 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.1
0
$12.30
$5.62
Efficient EV
29.3
0
$10.25
$4.68
EV Truck/SUV
46.8
0
$16.39
$7.49
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Saint Andrews, SC
Morning
in Saint Andrews on Sunday
Local time
7:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Charleston, SC
Morning
in Charleston on Sunday
Local time
7:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Brookdale, SC
59 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
31 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 14m 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.
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 28.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition between neighborhood roads and major thoroughfares. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route requires frequent adjustments, as the highway share is effectively zero percent. You will find no long, uninterrupted stretches here; in fact, the longest segment on Broad River Road is zero miles, meaning you will be navigating constant turns and intersections. The road’s personality is defined by its local character rather than high-speed cruising, so prepare for a drive that feels more like navigating through the region’s veins than a straight shot on a highway.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 113.9 mi on I 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 26 and Meeting Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 176 / Broad River Road.
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 14m drive. You will face about 8 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 (US 176 / Broad River Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Charleston is the largest and oldest city in the state of South Carolina in the United States of America. Its historic downtown is on a peninsula formed by two rivers, the Ashley and the Cooper, flowing into the Atlantic, and protected from the open ocean by surrounding islands. Charleston was captured in the American Civil War without much property damage, so the historic part of town has buildings that are hundreds of years old. The current downtown skyline, with practically no tall buildings due to the city's height restriction ordinance, is dominated by church steeples and the stunning Arthur Ravenel cable-stay bridge over the Cooper River. The city is a major port on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. and a popular destination for domestic and international tourists.
The longest stretch is about 113.9 miles on I 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 0.1 miles (US 176 / Broad River Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 26): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Charleston, SC before heading back.
