If you are planning a trip from Simpsonville to Florence, you can expect a straightforward 166.9-mile journey through the heart of South Carolina. Clocking in at approximately 3 hours and 11 minutes, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. Your travel budget should account for roughly $27 in fuel costs to cover the distance. By utilizing the Golden Strip Freeway, I-26, and I-20, you stay within the familiar Southeast region for the entire duration of the trip. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick getaway, the efficiency of this highway-focused drive makes it a practical choice for your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
83.4 miles from Simpsonville, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
79.3 mi
1h 29m
I 26
55.2 mi
1h
Golden Strip Freeway
27.2 mi
29m
West Evans Street
2.4 mi
4m
Southeast Main Street
1.1 mi
2m
West Cheves Street
0.7 mi
1m
Fairview Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Warley Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 79.3 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Simpsonville, SC and Florence, SC.
1
Start on this road
107 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Turn right
175 ft·17 sec
3
Turn left onto Hedge Street
146 ft·11 sec·Hedge Street
4
Turn left onto SC 417
374 ft·13 sec·East Curtis Street
5
Turn left onto SC 14
1.1 mi·2 min·Southeast Main Street
6
Turn right onto Fairview Road
0.3 mi·36 sec·Fairview Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
8
Merge onto I 385
27 mi·29 min·Golden Strip Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 26
55 mi·1 hr·I 26
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 107BToward I 20 East: FlorenceUse the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 20
79 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto S-21-31
2.4 mi·4 min·West Evans Street
13
Turn right onto Warley Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·Warley Street
14
Turn left onto West Cheves Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West Cheves Street
15
Turn right
133 ft·11 sec
16
Turn right
50 ft·3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this 3-hour trip is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own preferences. You only need to account for one stop to keep your energy up and maintain focus during the 166.9-mile transit. Aim to time your departure to avoid peak traffic hours on the interstate segments to ensure you stay as close to the 3-hour and 11-minute estimate as possible. Because the vast majority of your travel is on high-speed roads, keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before merging onto I-20, where the longest uninterrupted stretch of 79.3 miles occurs. Utilizing that single planned stop effectively will make the drive feel much shorter and more manageable.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 83.4 miles from Simpsonville, SC, or about 1h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.3 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 37 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 83.4 miles or 1h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florence, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Simpsonville, 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 Simpsonville, SC
This is one driving day of about 166.9 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Simpsonville, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 20 for about 79.3 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 84.1 — 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
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|SC 417 / East Curtis Street
Turn left onto SC 417 / East Curtis Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in|I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge onto I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
28.9 mi into trip|~33m in|I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
84.1 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward I 20 East: Florence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 107B
Toward I 20 East: Florence
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.10 one way
$52.20 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg58 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$28.54
$57.07
premium
$4.70
$30.89
$61.78
diesel
$5.61
$36.85
$73.70
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.1
0
$17.52
$8.01
Efficient EV
41.7
0
$14.60
$6.68
EV Truck/SUV
66.8
0
$23.37
$10.68
Gas CO2
58 kg
EV CO2
20 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 19, 2026
Origin
Simpsonville, SC
Late night
in Simpsonville on Tuesday
Local time
5:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Florence, SC
Late night
in Florence on Tuesday
Local time
5:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
26 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
3h 11m 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.
Congaree National Park
National Park
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...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 97.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a trip dominated by high-speed travel, as 97% of your journey takes place on major highways. You will experience a consistent interstate rhythm, punctuated by a significant 79.3-mile stretch on I-20 that represents the longest uninterrupted portion of the drive. The transition from the Golden Strip Freeway onto the larger interstate network keeps the pace brisk and steady throughout the 166.9-mile transit. While the landscape remains consistent within the Southeast, the road's personality is defined by its focus on utility and speed rather than technical or winding secondary roads. Prepare for a seamless, highway-focused experience that prioritizes reaching your destination efficiently.
97% 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: 79.3 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 26. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 11m drive. You will face about 15 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: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SC 417 / East Curtis Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Simpsonville is a suburban city in the Upcountry of South Carolina southeast of the major city of Greenville. Simpsonville has experienced steady growth since 2008, and as a result, many restaurants and stores have been introduced to the area. Simpsonville has around 20,000 residents.
Florence is a city in the Pee Dee Country Region of South Carolina. It was the site of the Florence Stockade, a Confederate POW camp, notably bad but still maybe not as bad as Andersonville, then a railroad hub, and nowadays a regional center for medical care and manufacturing, including as it sits at the terminus for I-20. Even though it got started rather late, in 1871, it's more or less the hub for northeastern South Carolina, aka Pee Dee Country.
The longest stretch is about 79.3 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 15 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: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SC 417 / East Curtis Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Congaree National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Florence, SC, but most travelers stay overnight.
