Southern coast culture trail
This is leg 1 of 2, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Charleston & Savannah
Charleston to Beaufort
Charleston and Beaufort sit about 79 km (49 mi) apart in a straight line, with Beaufort to the south-west. It is leg 1 of 2 on our Charleston & Savannah itinerary, a 5-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 79 km · 49 mi
- Est. road distance
- 95–111 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 15 min – 2 h 15 min
- Direction
- Heading south-west
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Charleston & Savannah itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 95–111 km (59–69 mi) of road and 1 h 15 min – 2 h 15 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Charleston and Savannah are linked by road, and a rental car makes it easy to include Beaufort along the way. Both cities are very walkable in their historic centers, so you can park once and explore on foot. Ride shares and tours help for longer hops.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Beaufort
A slower half-day to overnight stop: walk the waterfront and historic district, then drive out to Hunting Island.
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Riverfront lawns and swings facing the Beaufort River and Woods Memorial Bridge.
John Mark Verdier House
1804 Federal-style house museum on Bay Street run by Historic Beaufort Foundation.
Lowcountry Produce Market & Café
Local market and café for shrimp and grits, pimento cheese and pies.
Fishcamp on 11th Street
Dockside bar and seafood spot on Battery Creek in Port Royal.
Saltus River Grill
Waterfront seafood grill with sushi and a patio over the park.
Penn Center
Former school for freed people on St. Helena Island, core of Gullah history.
Before you leave Charleston
Spend 2–3 days: one on foot in the historic peninsula, one for Fort Sumter and a plantation garden, evenings on King Street.
On this curated route
Where Charleston → Beaufort sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Beaufort to Charleston is the same 79 km in a straight line, heading north-east. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
Average daytime highs at both ends stay within 1°C of each other all year, so you can pack the same way for both.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston high | 14° | 16° | 20° | 24° | 28° | 31° | 32° | 31° | 29° | 25° | 20° | 16° |
| Beaufort high | 14° | 16° | 19° | 23° | 27° | 30° | 31° | 31° | 29° | 25° | 20° | 16° |
| Charleston rain | 61 | 84 | 84 | 82 | 92 | 140 | 147 | 171 | 119 | 105 | 69 | 91 |
| Beaufort rain | 63 | 79 | 83 | 75 | 90 | 140 | 136 | 154 | 100 | 87 | 59 | 86 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Beaufort month guides.
Charleston to Beaufort: questions travelers ask
How far is Charleston from Beaufort?
Charleston is about 79 km (49 mi) from Beaufort in a straight line, with Beaufort to the south-west. By road, we estimate 95–111 km (59–69 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Charleston to Beaufort?
An estimated 1 h 15 min – 2 h 15 min, assuming 95–111 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Charleston to Beaufort?
Our Charleston & Savannah itinerary includes this leg. Charleston & Savannah runs about 5 days across 3 stops, best in Mar – May.
Onward from Beaufort
- Beaufort to Savannah 56 km
Guides for both ends
- Charleston travel guide
- Charleston weather best time to visit
- Beaufort travel guide
- Beaufort weather best time to visit
Beaufort by month
Plan Charleston → Beaufort with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.