Driving from Atlanta GA to Myrtle Beach SC sounds like a straight shot on paper. It isn’t. If you just punch it into your GPS and mindlessly follow the blue line, you’re basically signing up for a tour of some of the most frustrating traffic corridors in the Southeast. Most folks think it’s a simple five-to-six-hour cruise. Then they hit the I-20 crawl or the psychological vacuum of the South Carolina backroads.
I’ve done this run more times than I care to count. Honestly, the "best" way depends entirely on whether you value your sanity or your gas mileage. There is a massive difference between the route Google Maps gives you at 10:00 AM on a Tuesday and what actually happens when you’re hauling a family of four toward the Grand Strand on a Friday afternoon in July.
The I-20 Grind vs. The Backcountry Scenic Route
Most navigation apps are going to scream at you to take I-20 East all the way through Columbia. It’s the default. It’s also often a trap.
You leave Atlanta, fight the 285 perimeter, and then settle into that long, rhythmic drone toward Augusta. Augusta is fine, usually. But once you cross the Savannah River into South Carolina, the pavement changes, the mood shifts, and you realize you still have a long way to go. The real bottleneck is Columbia. I-20 and I-26 converge there in a mess that locals affectionately call "Malfunction Junction." If you hit that between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, you can kiss your dinner reservations in Myrtle Beach goodbye.
If you want to avoid the Columbia disaster, some veterans swear by cutting down through Athens and hitting US-78, but that’s a slow burn. You’re trading interstate speeds for small-town stoplights and tractor crossings. It’s prettier, sure. You’ll see the "real" Georgia and South Carolina—cotton fields, rusted barns, and those tiny post offices that look like they haven't changed since 1974. But it adds an hour. Minimum.
What No One Tells You About the "Last Mile"
The biggest mistake people make on the trip from Atlanta GA to Myrtle Beach SC isn't the start; it's the finish.
Once you get past Florence, SC, you have choices. Most people stay on US-501. This is a mistake. 501 is the main artery into Myrtle Beach, and it is a nightmare of strip malls, outlet stores, and every chain restaurant known to man. It’s a stop-and-go gauntlet.
Instead, look at SC-22, also known as the Conway Bypass. It’s a controlled-access highway that dumps you out onto the north end of the beach near Briarcliffe Acres. It’s faster. It’s smoother. It feels like you’ve actually escaped the city. If you’re staying in North Myrtle Beach or even the central "Golden Mile" area, the Bypass is your best friend.
Why Florence is Your Make-or-Break Point
Florence is the pivot. It’s where I-95 and I-20 meet. It’s also where you need to decide if you’re stopping for real food or settling for a lukewarm burger from a drive-thru.
- Buc-ee’s: Look, I know it’s a cult. But the Buc-ee’s in Florence is a legitimate phenomenon. If you need clean bathrooms and a brisket sandwich, this is the spot. Just be warned: the parking lot is a Darwinian experiment in chaos.
- Pee Dee State Farmers Market: If you want something that feels less like a corporate fever dream, hit the farmers market just off I-95. You can grab actual South Carolina peaches or boiled peanuts that weren't made in a factory.
- The 501 Traffic: If you see a sea of red brake lights on your map near Conway, do not—I repeat, do not—think you can "power through" it. Take the detour.
The Secret of the SC-378 Shortcut
There is a "secret" route that some locals use to bypass the Florence/I-95 mess entirely. You take I-20 to Columbia, then hop on US-378 East.
This road takes you through places like Sumter and Turbeville. It is mostly two lanes. It is quiet. It is profoundly rural. You’ll pass through the Carolina Bay region, which is geologically fascinating if you’re into that sort of thing—thousands of mysterious elliptical depressions in the earth that scientists still argue about.
But there’s a catch.
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Turbeville is a notorious speed trap. Seriously. The speed limit drops fast, and the local officers are very, very diligent. If you take 378, you must be disciplined. Don't say I didn't warn you. The trade-off is that you avoid the interstate madness and arrive at the south end of the Grand Strand (near Surfside or Garden City) without ever touching the 501 mess.
Timing is Everything (Literally)
If you leave Atlanta at 8:00 AM on a Saturday, you are arriving in Myrtle Beach exactly when every hotel and condo rental is doing their 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM check-in. It’s a bottleneck of epic proportions.
The "pro" move? Leave Atlanta at 4:30 AM.
I know, it’s early. It’s dark. But you’ll clear the Georgia state line before the sun is fully up, bypass the worst of the Columbia commute, and be sitting at a seafood shack in Murrells Inlet for a late lunch while everyone else is still cursing at a traffic light in Conway.
Alternatively, leave after dinner. A night drive from Atlanta GA to Myrtle Beach SC is eerily peaceful. The log trucks on I-20 are less aggressive, and the temperature drops to something manageable. Just watch out for deer once you get onto the South Carolina state roads; they own the night out there.
Fuel and Logistics
Expect to burn about a tank and a half of gas in a standard SUV. Georgia gas is usually a few cents cheaper than South Carolina, but that gap has narrowed lately.
Charging an EV? The corridor is getting better. There are Tesla Superchargers in Augusta, Columbia, and Florence. If you’re driving a non-Tesla, the Electrify America station in Florence is usually reliable, but always check the PlugShare app before you commit. The "dead zone" for fast charging is that stretch between Columbia and the coast, so top off before you leave the metro areas.
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The Reality of the Grand Strand
Myrtle Beach isn't just one place. It’s a 60-mile stretch of coastline.
If your GPS says "Myrtle Beach," it’s likely taking you to the Boardwalk area. If your rental is actually in Pawleys Island, you’ve got another 45 minutes of driving south once you hit the coast. If you’re in Little River, you’re way up north near the border.
Know your specific destination before you commit to a highway exit.
Actionable Steps for Your Drive
- Check the South Carolina DOT (SCDOT) 511 map before you leave Columbia. If there’s a wreck on I-20 near the Wateree River, you need to know before you get stuck on the bridge.
- Download your maps. Cell service can get surprisingly spotty in the rural stretches between Sumter and Conway. If your GPS relies on a live data connection, it might hang right when you need to see a turn.
- Pack a physical toll pass if you plan on exploring further north into North Carolina, but for this specific trip, you won't encounter tolls on the primary routes.
- Choose your "Florence Strategy." Decide ahead of time if you’re doing the Buc-ee's stop or the bypass. Indecision at the I-20/I-95 interchange leads to missed exits and twenty-minute U-turns.
- Set your cruise control to 5 over, max. South Carolina Highway Patrol doesn't play, especially in the transition zones where the limit drops from 70 to 55 mph.
The drive from Atlanta GA to Myrtle Beach SC is a rite of passage for Georgians. It’s the transition from the red clay of the Piedmont to the sandy pines of the Lowcountry. Do it right, and it's a pleasant transition. Do it wrong, and you'll be exhausted before you even touch the sand.
Avoid the peak Columbia hours, use the Conway Bypass, and keep a sharp eye out for those Turbeville speed traps. You'll get there faster than the rest.