How far is North Charleston, SC from Surfside Beach, SC?

The driving distance from North Charleston, SC to Surfside Beach, SC is about 90.3 miles (145.4 km), with a travel time of about 02h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 77.7 miles (125.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 13m 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
90.35 mi
02h 06m
Flight
77.76 mi
125.14 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
77.76 mi
Kilometers
125.14 km
Flight Time
00h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
90.35 mi
Kilometers
145.41 km
Drive Time
02h 06m

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 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Surfside Beach
Sat, May 30, 10:14 PM EDT
Return by in North Charleston
Sun, May 31, 12:20 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave North Charleston
2026-05-30T20:07
Arrive Surfside Beach
Sat, May 30, 10:14 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:07 AM to 12:07 PM EDT

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

Leave by
2:16 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
McClellanville
SC

Town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States

From North Charleston
45.2 mi
01h 03m
To Surfside Beach
45.2 mi
01h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
This Afternoon

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 5:00 PM EDT
Wind
5 mph SW
Destination
Surfside Beach Weather
SC
Live fallback forecast
77°F
Saturday
Using Forestbrook as the closest live forecast in the Horry County weather hub.

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between North Charleston and Surfside Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North Charleston and Surfside Beach.

  1. 1

    Start on Rivers Avenue

    1667 ft · 30 sec · Rivers Avenue

  2. 2

    Keep slight left to continue on Carner Avenue

    1.3 km · 1 min · Carner Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Meeting Street Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · Meeting Street Road

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward US 17 North: Mount Pleasant

    2032 ft · 50 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    9.2 mi · 15 min

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    49.4 mi · 1 hr 3 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on North Fraser Street

    136 m · 6 sec · North Fraser Street

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Church Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Church Street

  9. 9

    Continue on L. H. Siau Bridge

    1340 ft · 25 sec · L. H. Siau Bridge

  10. 10

    Continue on Ocean Highway

    17.4 mi · 25 min · Ocean Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on Highway 17

    3.6 mi · 4 min · Highway 17

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto US 17 Business: Garden City Beach, Surfside Beach

    3.9 mi · 7 min

  13. 13

    Turn slight right

    73 m · 9 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto Surfside Drive

    3249 ft · 1 min · Surfside Drive

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Surfside Drive

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between North Charleston and Surfside Beach.

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
15 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
2 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
16.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 17 North
58.9 mi · 65%
Ocean Highway
17.4 mi · 19%
US 17 Business
3.92 mi · 4%
Highway 17
3.6 mi · 4%
Meeting Street Road
3.06 mi · 3%
Church Street
1.32 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

US 17 North

Continue straight

49.4 mi · 01h 03m

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 06m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+12.6 mi
77.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
McClellanville
01h 03m from North Charleston
Leave By
2:16 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving North Charleston and Showers And Thunderstorms near Surfside Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from North Charleston to Surfside Beach?

The road trip is about 90.3 miles (145.4 km) and usually takes 02h 06m 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?

McClellanville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 45.2 miles from North Charleston and 45.2 miles from Surfside Beach.

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

The direct path is about 77.7 miles (125.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 12.6 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 2:16 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $12.64 one way or $25.27 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 28.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around North Charleston and Showers And Thunderstorms near Surfside Beach.

Stop Ideas Near McClellanville

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

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

RAIL

Charleston, South Carolina

55 mi away
4565 Gaynor Avenue
RAIL

Kingstree

73 mi away
101 East Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between North Charleston and Surfside Beach. Straight-line distance: 77.76 mi (125.14 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
Surfside Beach

#2 Surfside Beach

City in Horry County, South Carolina, United States

Population4,580
Coordinates33.6060000, -78.9730900
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: North Charleston (-79.97481, 32.85462)
End: Surfside Beach (-78.97309, 33.606)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 145 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 17m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.19 gal
12.07 L · about $12.64
Round trip
$25.27
6.38 gal · 24.14 L
Estimated CO2
28.3 kg one way
Round trip: 56.7 kg / 125 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $12.64 $25.27
Mid-grade $4.43 $14.13 $28.26
Premium $4.78 $15.24 $30.48
Diesel $5.62 $17.94 $35.88

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 · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between North Charleston and Surfside Beach. The current time is 20:07:47.

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.