How To Get To Edisto Island, SC
Edisto Island is one of several developed barrier islands along the South Carolina coast. Situated southwest of Charleston, it is only an hour or so from that city by road, and within day trip distance of many other South Carolina cities.
Edisto Island lacks transportation connections other than by road, so if you are traveling from further away and want to fly or get there by bus or train, it will generally be most convenient to travel to Charleston and rent a car or use a local taxi or rideshare service to continue your journey to Edisto.
In summer, Edisto’s main draw is the beach, with miles of oceanfront and a relaxed, family-friendly environment. There are a few other attractions on the island itself, such as the beautiful Edisto Beach State Park and Botany Bay Plantation, the Edisto Island Museum and the Edisto Island Serpentarium.
Other than that, however, you will have to go further afield for a broader range of historic and natural attractions, for which you will generally need a car.
See also:
– Charleston’s biggest festivals
– Edisto Island Museum
– Edisto Island boat and kayak tours
!Please check all details before planning your travel. Availability of services, prices and other information may change at short notice.
Driving To Edisto Island
Most visitors to Edisto Island travel there by car due to the paucity of alternative options. Edisto’s location somewhat off the main north-south East Coast route adds to the travel time from other lowcountry locations, but otherwise the island is easy enough to get to, with minimal traffic once you get onto Edisto itself.
Distance and drive time to Edisto Island:
- Charleston, SC – 50 miles, 1hr-1hr30
- Savannah, GA – 106 miles, 1hr40-2hrs10
- Beaufort, SC – 69 miles, 1hr15-1hr30
- Columbia, SC – 141 miles, 2hrs20-2hrs40
- Charlotte, NC – 230 miles, 3hrs30-4hrs
- Kiawah Island, SC – 62 miles, 1hr15-1hr30
- Augusta, GA – 146 miles, 2hrs50-3hrs10
- Atlanta, GA – 295 miles, 4hrs40-5hrs20
- Washington, DC – 553 miles, 7hrs50-9hrs10
- Nashville, TN – 543 miles, 8hrs-9hrs30
- New York, NY – 787 miles, 11hrs20-13hrs40
- Jacksonville, FL – 237 miles, 3hrs20-4hrs
How Far Is Edisto Island From Charleston?
The distance from downtown Charleston to Edisto Beach is around 50 miles. Typical drive time is around an hour to an hour and a half, depending on traffic levels.
Distance from Charleston area locations to Edisto Beach and typical drive time, via the fastest route:
- Downtown Charleston to Edisto Island – 50 miles, 1 hr to 1 hr 30 mins
- Charleston Airport to Edisto Island – 51 miles, 1 hr to 1 hr 20 mins
- North Charleston to Edisto Island – 51 miles, 1 hr to 1 hr 15 mins
- Summerville to Edisto Island – 50 miles, 1 hr to 1 hr 15 mins
- Mount Pleasant to Edisto Island – 63 miles, 1 hr 10 mins to 1 hr 40 mins
Driving To Edisto Island From Charleston & Charleston International Airport
From downtown Charleston, it is roughly 50 miles to Edisto Beach, with a drive time of around 1 hour and 10 minutes. The route is simple, following US-17 westward out of Charleston, then SC-174 the rest of the way to Edisto.
The route is barely different directly from Charleston Airport, taking I-526 onto US-17 and then proceeding as per the above route. Distance and drive time is essentially the same as from downtown Charleston, around 51 miles.
Taxi & Rideshare
Taxi From Charleston & Charleston Airport To Edisto Island
Taking a taxi from downtown Charleston to Edisto Beach/Edisto Island should usually cost around $120, excluding tip, though the exact amount will vary depending on where in Charleston or Edisto Island you are traveling to and from.
Traveling directly to or from Charleston International Airport, the fare will be slightly higher than from peninsular Charleston, around $130 exclusive of any gratuity.
Edisto Island Shuttle offers a locally-owned taxi service between Edisto and Charleston or Charleston Airport (or any other South Carolina or Savannah area destination by prior request). Rides are available 24/7 if by prior arrangement. Call 843-460-2912 for additional information.
Lyft Or Uber From Charleston/Charleston Airport To Edisto Island
Outside of surge pricing periods, which can add substantially to the baseline fare, Uber or Lyft offer a cheaper alternative to a standard taxi for travel to and from Edisto Island, assuming you can find a driver willing to take you (which cannot be depended upon). For important or time-critical journeys, you may prefer to pre-book a taxi.
If you do find a rideshare driver to take you to or from Edisto, expect to pay around $50-$60 in a normal-size vehicle for the journey between Edisto and downtown Charleston, and around $60-$65 from Charleston Airport. Larger vehicles will cost around an extra $50 for either trip.
As Uber and Lyft do not currently offer services in Colleton County, in which Edisto Island is located, you will not be able to obtain a ride back from Edisto using either of these services, and should plan to take a taxi instead if you won’t have your own transport.