St. Augustine → Savannah → Charleston road trip

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Three of the oldest cities on the Southeast coast, a drive apart: Spanish colonial St. Augustine, Savannah’s squares and Charleston’s harbor. The driving is about 283 miles in two legs, mostly on I-95, so you spend the days in town, not in the car. Five days is a comfortable pace; four works if you skip the second Savannah night.

The route at a glance

Day	Leg	Distance	Drive time*	Main roads (map)
Day 2	St. Augustine (Plaza de la Constitución) → Savannah (Historic District)	about 176 mi	about 3 h 25 min	I-95 (route)
Day 4	Savannah (Historic District) → Charleston (Marion Square)	about 107 mi	about 2 h 20 min	US-17 and I-95 (route)
Day 5 (optional)	Charleston (Marion Square) → St. Augustine (Plaza de la Constitución)	about 276 mi	about 5 h 30 min	I-95 and US-1 · back to the start (route)

*Distances and times from OpenStreetMap directions (OSRM car routing), checked Nov 1, 2026: the router’s estimate with no traffic and no stops. Real drives usually take longer; check a live map on the day.

Flying in? Jacksonville (JAX) is the usual airport for St. Augustine: Visit St. Augustine puts it 56 miles away, about an hour. Charleston has its own airport (CHS), so a one-way rental from JAX to CHS saves the 276-mile drive back.

Suggested itinerary

Day 1: St. Augustine. Pick up the car at JAX, drive to St. Augustine and park it. The historic district is walkable and the hop-on hop-off trolleys cover the main sights (our trolley comparison). Overnight St. Augustine.
Day 2: on to Savannah. A morning at the Castillo or on the trolley, then about 3½ hours north. Overnight Savannah.
Day 3: Savannah. Squares, Forsyth Park, River Street; our one-day Savannah plan paces it. Overnight Savannah.
Day 4: on to Charleston. About 2 hours 20 minutes up US-17 and I-95. Afternoon downtown. Overnight Charleston.
Day 5: Charleston, then home. Morning Fort Sumter ferry (our Fort Sumter guide), then drop the car at CHS or drive back to Florida.

What to see on the way

Cumberland Island National Seashore (Georgia coast, off I-95): a car-free island reached by the park’s passenger ferry from St. Marys, Georgia. A long stop, so plan it as its own morning. NPS: directions & ferry.
Jekyll Island (Georgia, east of I-95 at Brunswick): beaches and the historic district run by the state’s Jekyll Island Authority. Jekyll Island (official).
Fort Pulaski National Monument (near Savannah): an easy half-day add-on from Savannah. NPS: fees & hours.

Where to stay at each stop

St. Augustine (1 night)

More options in our St. Augustine where-to-stay guide.

We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Details

Historic district hotels on Booking.com Rentals near the Castillo on Vrbo

Savannah (2 nights)

More options in our Savannah where-to-stay guide.

Historic District hotels on Booking.com Historic District rentals on Vrbo

Charleston (1 night)

More options in our Charleston where-to-stay guide.

Downtown hotels on Booking.com Downtown rentals on Vrbo

Rental car

Pick up at Jacksonville and set Charleston (CHS) as the drop-off for a one-way trip, or return to JAX. The button opens an Economybookings search with JAX pre-filled; change the drop-off and dates there.

One-way drop fees vary. Dropping the car in a different city from where you picked it up often adds a one-way fee, and it differs by company, location and date. Set your drop-off location in the search and check the total (fees, tolls policy, extra drivers, mileage) at booking before you pay.

Compare rental cars from Jacksonville (JAX)

Tours worth booking on this route

St. Augustine · Viator

St. Augustine Old Town Trolley (hop-on hop-off)

Price About $38+ on Viator; from $33.15 on the operator’s site (as of Oct 2026, from our trolley guide)
Loop About 90 minutes, 22 stops, daily

St. Augustine trolley on Viator

Savannah · Viator

Savannah Old Town Trolley (hop-on hop-off)

Price From $45.96 on Viator; from $36.55 on the operator’s site (as listed Oct 2026, from our trolley guide)
Stops 16 stops

Savannah trolley on Viator

Charleston · Viator

Fort Sumter ticket with round-trip ferry

Price From $45.58 on Viator (as listed Oct 2026, from our Fort Sumter guide)
Includes Round-trip ferry from Liberty Square or Patriots Point, about 30 minutes each way, and about an hour at the fort

Fort Sumter on Viator

Prices change; the booking page has the final word.

Our city guides on this route

St. Augustine (Coquina Compass): trolleys, ghost tours, boats, where to stay
Savannah (Tabby Compass): trolleys, ghost tours, riverboats, where to stay
Charleston (Sweetgrass Compass): Fort Sumter, carriages, plantations, where to stay

FAQ

How long is the drive from St. Augustine to Charleston?

Via Savannah, about 283 miles: about 176 miles (3 h 25 min) to Savannah and about 107 miles (2 h 20 min) on to Charleston, per OpenStreetMap routing with no traffic or stops, checked Nov 1, 2026.

Can I drop the rental car in Charleston?

Usually, as a one-way rental (pick up at JAX, drop at CHS). One-way drop fees vary by company, location and date, so check the total at booking.

How many days do I need?

Five days gives one night in St. Augustine, two in Savannah and one in Charleston with two short driving days. Four days works if you skip the second Savannah night.