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

The driving distance from Lancaster, SC to Hilton Head, SC is about 210.8 miles (339.3 km), with a travel time of about 04h 08m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 173 miles (278.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 16m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
210.86 mi
04h 08m
Flight
173.02 mi
278.45 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lancaster.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
173.02 mi
Kilometers
278.45 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
210.86 mi
Kilometers
339.34 km
Drive Time
04h 08m

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 04h 08m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Hilton Head
Sun, Apr 19, 1:16 PM EDT
Return by in Lancaster
Sun, Apr 19, 5:24 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lancaster
2026-04-19T09:08
Arrive Hilton Head
Sun, Apr 19, 1:16 PM EDT
Route Timing
04h 08m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:08 AM to 12:08 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:44 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lancaster
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Santee
SC

City in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States of America

From Lancaster
105.6 mi
02h 04m
To Hilton Head
105.3 mi
02h 04m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 13 mph W
Destination
85°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 12 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on South Main Street

    92 m · 11 sec · South Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East Meeting Street

    801 ft · 18 sec · East Meeting Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Market Street

    1.6 km · 1 min · South Market Street

  4. 4

    Turn straight onto Kershaw Highway

    2354 ft · 40 sec · Kershaw Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on Kershaw Camden Highway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Kershaw Camden Highway

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Kershaw Camden Highway

    7.4 mi · 8 min · Kershaw Camden Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on North Main Street

    1.5 km · 1 min · North Main Street

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Spring Street

    1.3 km · 55 sec · Spring Street

  9. 9

    Continue on Kershaw Camden Highway

    4.8 mi · 5 min · Kershaw Camden Highway

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto North Matson Street

    1.5 mi · 2 min · North Matson Street

  11. 11

    Continue on South Hampton Street

    1.1 km · 47 sec · South Hampton Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Kershaw Camden Highway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · Kershaw Camden Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Kershaw Highway

    14.4 mi · 16 min · Kershaw Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on North Broad Street

    4.2 mi · 9 min · North Broad Street

  15. 15

    Continue on Sumter Highway

    8.4 mi · 10 min · Sumter Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Camden Highway

    6.2 mi · 7 min · Camden Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Thomas Sumter Highway

    7.6 mi · 9 min · Thomas Sumter Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on Camden Highway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Camden Highway

  19. 19

    Turn slight left onto Broad Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · Broad Street

  20. 20

    Turn slight right onto Bultman Drive

    1.2 km · 2 min · Bultman Drive

  21. 21

    Continue on North Guignard Drive

    3.6 mi · 4 min · North Guignard Drive

  22. 22

    Continue on South Guignard Parkway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · South Guignard Parkway

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Manning Road

    12.1 mi · 14 min · Manning Road

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Savannah

    1962 ft · 48 sec

  25. 25

    Merge slight left

    93.1 mi · 1 hr 40 min

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward SC 462: Coosawhatchie

    1478 ft · 37 sec

  27. 27

    Turn left onto Coosaw Scenic Drive

    9.6 mi · 13 min · Coosaw Scenic Drive

  28. 28

    Continue on Lowcountry Drive

    7.9 mi · 11 min · Lowcountry Drive

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Okatie Highway

    4.2 mi · 5 min · Okatie Highway

  30. 30

    Take the exit slight right

    1365 ft · 37 sec

  31. 31

    Merge slight left onto Fording Island Road

    9.3 mi · 13 min · Fording Island Road

  32. 32

    Continue on William Hilton Parkway

    3.4 mi · 4 min · William Hilton Parkway

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · William Hilton Parkway

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
33 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 95 South
93.4 mi · 44%
Kershaw Camden Highway
16.1 mi · 8%
Kershaw Highway
14.8 mi · 7%
Manning Road
12.1 mi · 6%
Coosaw Scenic Drive
9.58 mi · 5%
Fording Island Road
9.26 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

I 95 South

Merge slight left

93.1 mi · 01h 40m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 08m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37.8 mi
173 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Santee
02h 04m from Lancaster
Leave By
8:44 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Lancaster and Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Hilton Head.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 210.8 miles (339.3 km) and usually takes 04h 08m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Santee is a useful midpoint, sitting about 105.6 miles from Lancaster and 105.3 miles from Hilton Head.

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

The direct path is about 173 miles (278.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.8 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:44 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $29.47 one way or $58.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 66.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Lancaster and Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Hilton Head.

Stop Ideas Near Santee

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Santee, 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 Santee.

RAIL

Denmark

63 mi away
200 West Baruch Street
RAIL

Kingstree

64 mi away
101 East Main St.
RAIL

Columbia

77 mi away
850 Pulaski Street
RAIL

Charleston, South Carolina

81 mi away
4565 Gaynor Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lancaster and Hilton Head. Straight-line distance: 173.02 mi (278.45 km).

Lancaster

#1 Lancaster

City in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States

Population9,156
Coordinates34.7204300, -80.7709000
Altitude173
CountryUnited States
Hilton Head

#2 Hilton Head

Resort town in South Carolina, USA

Population37,099
Coordinates32.2163200, -80.7526100
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: Lancaster (-80.7709, 34.72043)
End: Hilton Head (-80.75261, 32.21632)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 339 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 01m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.44 gal
28.17 L · about $29.47
Round trip
$58.94
14.88 gal · 56.34 L
Estimated CO2
66.1 kg one way
Round trip: 132.2 kg / 291 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $29.47 $58.94
Mid-grade $4.43 $32.95 $65.90
Premium $4.78 $35.55 $71.10
Diesel $5.62 $41.84 $83.69

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Lancaster and Hilton Head. The current time is 09:08:03.

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.