How far is North Charleston, SC from Lake City, SC?

The driving distance from North Charleston, SC to Lake City, SC is about 81.8 miles (131.7 km), with a travel time of about 01h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 71.3 miles (114.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 41m 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
81.85 mi
01h 50m
Flight
71.36 mi
114.84 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from North Charleston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
71.36 mi
Kilometers
114.84 km
Flight Time
00h 08m

Driving Distance

Road route
81.85 mi
Kilometers
131.72 km
Drive Time
01h 50m

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 01h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake City
Sun, Apr 19, 1:41 AM EDT
Return by in North Charleston
Sun, Apr 19, 3:32 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave North Charleston
2026-04-18T23:50
Arrive Lake City
Sun, Apr 19, 1:41 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:51 AM to 11:51 AM EDT

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

Leave by
2:48 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in North Charleston
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
Saint Stephen
SC

Town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States

From North Charleston
41 mi
00h 55m
To Lake City
40.9 mi
00h 55m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 10 mph S
Destination
94°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between North Charleston and Lake City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North Charleston and Lake City.

  1. 1

    Start on Rivers Avenue

    8.2 mi · 13 min · Rivers Avenue

  2. 2

    Continue on Goose Creek Boulevard North

    17.1 mi · 20 min · Goose Creek Boulevard North

  3. 3

    Turn left

    3 mi · 5 min

  4. 4

    Turn slight left

    37.7 mi · 50 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Longstreet Street

    1.7 mi · 4 min · Longstreet Street

  6. 6

    Continue on North Williamsburg County Highway

    11 mi · 14 min · North Williamsburg County Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on South Ron McNair Boulevard

    2.5 mi · 5 min · South Ron McNair Boulevard

  8. 8

    Turn right onto West Thomas Street

    1826 ft · 50 sec · West Thomas Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto South Acline Avenue

    146 m · 12 sec · South Acline Avenue

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Acline Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between North Charleston and Lake City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
10 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Goose Creek Boulevard North
17.1 mi · 21%
North Williamsburg County Highway
11 mi · 13%
Rivers Avenue
8.21 mi · 10%
South Ron McNair Boulevard
2.54 mi · 3%
Longstreet Street
1.75 mi · 2%
West Thomas Street
0.35 mi
Longest Stretch

Longest stretch

Turn slight left

37.7 mi · 00h 50m

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
01h 50m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.5 mi
71.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Saint Stephen
00h 55m from North Charleston
Leave By
2:48 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving North Charleston and Mostly Sunny near Lake City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from North Charleston to Lake City?

The road trip is about 81.8 miles (131.7 km) and usually takes 01h 50m 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?

Saint Stephen is a useful midpoint, sitting about 41 miles from North Charleston and 40.9 miles from Lake City.

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

The direct path is about 71.3 miles (114.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.5 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 2:48 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $11.45 one way or $22.89 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 25.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around North Charleston and Mostly Sunny near Lake City.

Stop Ideas Near Saint Stephen

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

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

RAIL

Kingstree

30 mi away
101 East Main St.
RAIL

Charleston, South Carolina

59 mi away
4565 Gaynor Avenue
RAIL

Florence

90 mi away
805 East Day Street
RAIL

Denmark

114 mi away
200 West Baruch Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between North Charleston and Lake City. Straight-line distance: 71.36 mi (114.84 km).

North Charleston

#1 North Charleston

The second most populous city in Charleston County, South Carolina.

Population118,752
Coordinates32.8546200, -79.9748100
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Lake City

#2 Lake City

City in South Carolina, USA

Population6,497
Coordinates33.8710000, -79.7553500
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Start: North Charleston (-79.97481, 32.85462)
End: Lake City (-79.75535, 33.871)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 132 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 02m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 01m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.89 gal
10.93 L · about $11.45
Round trip
$22.89
5.78 gal · 21.86 L
Estimated CO2
25.7 kg one way
Round trip: 51.4 kg / 113 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $11.45 $22.89
Mid-grade $4.43 $12.80 $25.60
Premium $4.78 $13.81 $27.62
Diesel $5.62 $16.25 $32.51

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 North Charleston and Lake City. The current time is 23:50:14.

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.