How far is Hilton Head, SC from Aiken, SC?

The driving distance from Hilton Head, SC to Aiken, SC is about 131.7 miles (212 km), with a travel time of about 02h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 108.5 miles (174.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 25m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
131.76 mi
02h 42m
Flight
108.5 mi
174.61 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Hilton Head.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
108.5 mi
Kilometers
174.61 km
Flight Time
00h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
131.76 mi
Kilometers
212.04 km
Drive Time
02h 42m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 02h 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Aiken
Wed, Apr 22, 11:50 PM EDT
Return by in Hilton Head
Thu, Apr 23, 2:33 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Hilton Head
2026-04-22T21:08
Arrive Aiken
Wed, Apr 22, 11:50 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:43 AM to 12:43 PM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:04 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Hilton Head
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Hampton
SC

City in South Carolina

From Hilton Head
64.2 mi
01h 21m
To Aiken
67.6 mi
01h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Wednesday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph S
Destination
84°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 8 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Hilton Head and Aiken.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hilton Head and Aiken.

  1. 1

    Start on William Hilton Parkway

    1601 ft · 29 sec · William Hilton Parkway

  2. 2

    Continue on William Hilton Parkway

    3.8 mi · 4 min · William Hilton Parkway

  3. 3

    Continue on Fording Island Road

    9 mi · 13 min · Fording Island Road

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right

    1444 ft · 40 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight right

    45 m · 4 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Okatie Highway

    3.9 mi · 5 min · Okatie Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left

    149 m · 14 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on Lowcountry Drive

    7.9 mi · 11 min · Lowcountry Drive

  9. 9

    Continue on Coosaw Scenic Drive

    9.7 mi · 13 min · Coosaw Scenic Drive

  10. 10

    Turn right onto West Frontage Road

    3091 ft · 1 min · West Frontage Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Morgandollar Road

    4 mi · 7 min · Morgandollar Road

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Grays Highway

    17.2 mi · 26 min · Grays Highway

  13. 13

    Turn right

    54 m · 12 sec

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Yemassee Highway

    143 m · 8 sec · Yemassee Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Augusta Highway

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Augusta Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on East Carolina Avenue

    2.1 mi · 4 min · East Carolina Avenue

  17. 17

    Continue on Elm Street East

    2.7 mi · 4 min · Elm Street East

  18. 18

    Continue on Augusta Highway

    3.7 mi · 5 min · Augusta Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Railroad Avenue Southeast

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Railroad Avenue Southeast

  20. 20

    Continue on Augusta Highway

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Augusta Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on Allendale-Hampton Highway

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Allendale-Hampton Highway

  22. 22

    Continue on Allendale-Fairfax Highway

    4.5 mi · 7 min · Allendale-Fairfax Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on East Railroad Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min · East Railroad Avenue

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Main Street North

    1689 ft · 33 sec · Main Street North

  25. 25

    Turn left onto Pine Street

    948 ft · 16 sec · Pine Street

  26. 26

    Continue on Barnwell Road

    6.9 mi · 10 min · Barnwell Road

  27. 27

    Continue on Kings Avenue

    8.2 mi · 12 min · Kings Avenue

  28. 28

    Turn left onto Jackson Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Jackson Street

  29. 29

    Turn slight left onto Dunbarton Boulevard

    1151 ft · 20 sec · Dunbarton Boulevard

  30. 30

    Turn slight right onto Ellenton Street

    2.3 mi · 4 min · Ellenton Street

  31. 31

    Turn left

    12.1 mi · 18 min

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Tinker Creek Road

    2.8 mi · 4 min · Tinker Creek Road

  33. 33

    Turn left onto Kitchings Road

    1542 ft · 1 min · Kitchings Road

  34. 34

    Turn left onto Old Barnwell Road

    11.8 mi · 17 min · Old Barnwell Road

  35. 35

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Charleston Highway

    3 mi · 4 min · Charleston Highway

  36. 36

    Continue on Richland Avenue East

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Richland Avenue East

  37. 37

    Turn left onto Chesterfield Street South

    72 m · 13 sec · Chesterfield Street South

  38. 38

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Chesterfield Street South

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Hilton Head and Aiken.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
38 steps
16 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
28.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Grays Highway
17.2 mi · 13%
Old Barnwell Road
11.8 mi · 9%
Coosaw Scenic Drive
9.7 mi · 7%
Fording Island Road
9.27 mi · 7%
Kings Avenue
8.17 mi · 6%
Lowcountry Drive
7.89 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Grays Highway

At the end of the road, turn right onto Grays Highway

17.2 mi · 00h 26m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 42m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+23.2 mi
108.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hampton
01h 21m from Hilton Head
Leave By
1:04 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Hilton Head and Sunny near Aiken.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Hilton Head to Aiken?

The road trip is about 131.7 miles (212 km) and usually takes 02h 42m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hampton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 64.2 miles from Hilton Head and 67.6 miles from Aiken.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 108.5 miles (174.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 23.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:04 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $18.42 one way or $36.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 41.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Hilton Head and Sunny near Aiken.

Stop Ideas Near Hampton

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Hampton, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Hampton.

RAIL

Yemassee

34 mi away
9 Main Street
RAIL

Denmark

50 mi away
200 West Baruch Street
RAIL

Savannah

89 mi away
2611 Seaboard Coastline Drive
RAIL

Charleston, South Carolina

105 mi away
4565 Gaynor Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Hilton Head and Aiken. Straight-line distance: 108.5 mi (174.61 km).

Hilton Head

#1 Hilton Head

Resort town in South Carolina, USA

Population37,099
Coordinates32.2163200, -80.7526100
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Aiken

#2 Aiken

City in South Carolina, United States

Population31,121
Coordinates33.5604200, -81.7195500
Altitude157
CountryUnited States
Start: US 278 (-80.752607, 32.216333)
End: Chesterfield Street South (-81.719543, 33.560418)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 212 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 23m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 52m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.65 gal
17.6 L · about $18.42
Round trip
$36.84
9.3 gal · 35.2 L
Estimated CO2
41.3 kg one way
Round trip: 82.6 kg / 182 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $18.42 $36.84
Mid-grade $4.43 $20.59 $41.19
Premium $4.78 $22.22 $44.44
Diesel $5.62 $26.15 $52.30

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in South Carolina · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Hilton Head and Aiken. The current time is 21:08:14.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.