Origin
Surfside Beach, SC
Morning in Surfside Beach on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Surfside Beach, SC to Cool Spring, SC
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
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 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Surfside Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Cool Spring, SC
Ravi Roshan
Trip Overview
This 32.8-mile drive from Surfside Beach, SC, to Cool Spring, SC, is a quick, 54-minute journey perfect for a single day trip. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, it's an economical option for exploring the Southeast region. The route primarily utilizes local roads like Dick Pond Road and Church Street, offering a straightforward travel experience. You won't need an overnight stay, making it ideal for a spontaneous outing or a short excursion. The overall feel is that of a simple, direct connection between two points within South Carolina.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dick Pond Road | 13.3 mi | 23m |
| Church Street | 10.4 mi | 15m |
| Horry Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| US 17 Business | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Highway 501 East | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Salem Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| SC 319 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Surfside Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Dick Pond Road
— 13.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surfside Beach, SC and Cool Spring, SC.
1
Start on Surfside Drive
72 ft
·
7 sec
·
Surfside Drive
2
Continue on Surfside Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Surfside Drive
3
Turn right onto US 17 Business
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US 17 Business
4
Turn left onto SC 544
13 mi
·
23 min
·
Dick Pond Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn sharp left onto SC 544
440 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Cox Ferry Road
6
Turn right onto SC 544
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
SC 544
7
Turn left onto US 501
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Highway 501 East
8
Continue on US 501
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Church Street
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
10
At end of road, turn left onto Horry Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Horry Road
11
Turn left onto Salem Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Salem Road
12
At end of road, turn left onto SC 319
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
SC 319
13
Turn slight right onto Lela J Drive
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Lela J Drive
14
Arrive at destination
Lela J Drive
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 Surfside Beach, 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 2.3 and 28.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
SC 544 / Dick Pond Road
Turn left onto SC 544 / Dick Pond Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
15.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
SC 544 / West Cox Ferry Road
Turn sharp left onto SC 544 / West Cox Ferry Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
15.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
SC 544
Turn right onto SC 544
Navigation decision point
5
27.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
28.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Horry Road
At end of road, turn left onto Horry Road
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
Cool Spring, SC
Morning in Cool Spring on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Conway, SC
16 mi in
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
29 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
54m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a relatively low 15% highway share. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 13.3 miles along Dick Pond Road, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. The roads are generally local, meaning you'll navigate through communities and potentially encounter more frequent intersections and changes in speed limits. This isn't a high-speed interstate cruise; it's more about a steady progression through the South Carolina landscape via its network of secondary roads.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Dick Pond Road.
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 2.3 miles in near SC 544 / Dick Pond 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 54m 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 2.3 miles (SC 544 / Dick Pond Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (SC 544 / West Cox Ferry Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 15.7 miles (SC 544): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Surfside Beach, SC
Full guide →Surfside Beach is a coastal town located in the Grand Strand region of South Carolina's northern coast.
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 54m. Total distance: 32.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (15%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on Dick Pond Road. 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 2.3 miles (SC 544 / Dick Pond Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (SC 544 / West Cox Ferry Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 15.7 miles (SC 544): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cool Spring, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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