You can make Washington to Charleston in about 8.5 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 530 miles on I-95 and I-26, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Washington
Aim to clear Washington before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 111 miles to Richmond.
The headline stop on this route is Richmond's Monument Avenue. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Richmond
Richmond sits about 111 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, South of the Border at the state line is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Florence, the last stretch
Florence sits about 416 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Charleston
The final 113 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Charleston's Battery and Rainbow Row; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Richmond's Monument Avenue, South of the Border at the state line and Charleston's Battery and Rainbow Row, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Florence, SC is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along I-95 and I-26 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
