# The Grand Strand and Georgetown to Charleston

> 3-day road trip of about 182 km (113 mi) with 8 stops, from Myrtle Beach to Charleston. About 2 h 01 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-grand-strand/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 182 km (113 mi) with 8 stops, from Myrtle Beach to Charleston. About 2 h 01 min of driving in total. South Carolina’s northern coast on US-17: Myrtle Beach, sculpture gardens and state park beaches, old Georgetown, the Francis Marion forest and Fort Moultrie.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 182 km (113 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 01 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Myrtle Beach → Charleston |
| States | SC |
| Updated | April 30, 2026 |

## Route description

Myrtle Beach is the center of the Grand Strand, some 60 miles of beach along the northern South Carolina coast. The oceanfront boardwalk and amusement strips are busy from spring to autumn. For a quieter beach and a wooded campground, head south on US-17 Business to Myrtle Beach State Park, which keeps a stretch of maritime forest between the high-rises, with a fishing pier and nature trails.

South of Surfside and Garden City, US-17 passes the entrances to Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park, which face each other across the highway at Murrells Inlet. Brookgreen needs half a day for the sculpture gardens and the creek boat trip. Huntington Beach has a campground, the castle-like Atalaya and good birding on the causeway. The marsh boardwalk in Murrells Inlet is a lively evening stop.

Pawleys Island is an old, unpretentious resort of wooden beach houses, reached by two causeways off US-17. Further south, Georgetown is South Carolina’s third-oldest city, with a harbor walk, rice-era museums and shrimp boats on the Sampit River. From here US-17 runs for about 90 km through the Francis Marion National Forest and past the Cape Romain refuge, with few services on the way.

At Mount Pleasant turn off toward Sullivan’s Island, where Fort Moultrie guards the harbor entrance opposite Fort Sumter; boats to Sumter itself leave from Charleston and Patriots Point. Then cross the Ravenel Bridge into Charleston. The drive is about 160 km and easy for RVs, though US-17 is heavy with traffic in summer. Spring and autumn are best, and hurricane season runs from June to November.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Myrtle Beach** (SC)
2. **Myrtle Beach State Park** (Myrtle Beach, SC): A stretch of beach and maritime forest south of the high-rises, with a fishing pier, nature trails and a large campground. Entry fee per person; a quieter alternative to the crowded city beaches in summer.
3. **Brookgreen Gardens** (Murrells Inlet, SC): A sculpture garden laid out in the 1930s on four former rice plantations, with one of the largest collections of American figurative sculpture under live oaks, a small zoo and creek boat tours. Tickets are valid for several consecutive days.
4. **Huntington Beach State Park** (Murrells Inlet, SC): Beach, salt marsh and Atalaya, the Moorish-style winter house of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. The causeway across the freshwater lagoon is good for alligators and birds; campsites book up in spring.
5. **Pawleys Island** (SC)
6. **Georgetown** (SC)
7. **Fort Moultrie** (Sullivan’s Island, SC): Part of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, rebuilt several times since the palmetto-log fort that held off the British fleet in 1776. Small entry fee; harbor and ocean views from the walls.
8. **Charleston** (SC)

## FAQs

**How long is The Grand Strand and Georgetown to Charleston?**
3-day road trip of about 182 km (113 mi) with 8 stops, from Myrtle Beach to Charleston. About 2 h 01 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for The Grand Strand and Georgetown to Charleston?**
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 01 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does The Grand Strand and Georgetown to Charleston start and end?**
It starts in Myrtle Beach and ends in Charleston.

**Which states does The Grand Strand and Georgetown to Charleston pass through?**
South Carolina.