Road trips from Charleston

8 back-roads routes start within a 4.5-hour drive of Charleston, including 0 day trips and 7 weekend drives; 1 ready-made itinerary begins nearby.

Drive times are estimates to the nearer end of each route (straight-line miles plus a quarter, at 50 mph); the atlas itself never routes you onto an interstate once the drive begins.

Open the interactive map →

Weekend road trips from Charleston

US 301: The Ghost Road
About 1 h 25 min to Santee
Emporia → Santee · ~290 mi · 2–3 days · skips I-95 (that's the point)
Golden Isles & the First Coast
About 2 h 5 min to Savannah
Savannah → St. Augustine · ~210 mi · 2–3 days · skips I-95
Sherman's March to the Sea
About 2 h 5 min to Savannah
Milledgeville → Savannah · ~185 mi · 2 days · skips I-16
Gold, Clay & Longleaf
About 2 h 40 min to Columbia
Raleigh → Columbia · ~250 mi · 2–3 days · skips I-85 / I-77
Sherman's Carolinas Campaign
About 2 h 40 min to Columbia
Columbia → Durham · ~280 mi · 2–3 days · skips I-95 / I-40
The Old Ninety Six District
About 3 h 10 min to Augusta
Augusta → Abbeville · ~100 mi · 1 days · skips I-20
US 341: The Golden Isles Highway
About 3 h 40 min to Brunswick
Barnesville → Brunswick · ~225 mi · 2 days · skips I-75 / I-16

Longer itineraries starting near Charleston

Lowcountry Long Weekend
3 days · ~210 mi · from Charleston
Charleston to Savannah the slow way — oyster sheds, ruined churches, Gullah history and two of America's most beautiful (and complicated) cities.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the closest route to Charleston?

The nearest way in is US 301: The Ghost Road (Emporia → Santee) — about 1 h 25 min to Santee; ~290 miles over 2–3 days.

What is a good day trip from Charleston?

No one-day route starts within 2.5 hours of Charleston; the nearest route overall is US 301: The Ghost Road (Emporia → Santee) — about 1 h 25 min to Santee; ~290 miles over 2–3 days.

What is a good weekend road trip from Charleston?

US 301: The Ghost Road (Emporia → Santee) — about 1 h 25 min to Santee; ~290 miles over 2–3 days.

How far is the nearest parkway or scenic byway from Charleston?

US 64: The Waterfall Byway begins about 5 h 50 min away at Brevard, beyond the 4.5-hour reach of a weekend start.