Origin
Auburndale, FL
Morning in Auburndale on Thursday
Local time
11:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
36m
Distance
21.7 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburndale, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Wales, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL covers 21.7 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Main Street, Recker Highway, Lake Shipp Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.45 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 21.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 36m drive with frequent turns across 21.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL is easy. At 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | — | — |
| Recker Highway | — | — |
| Lake Shipp Drive | — | — |
| Snively Avenue | — | — |
| US 27 | — | — |
| West Central Avenue | — | — |
| North Scenic Highway | — | — |
| East Stuart Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburndale, FL and Lake Wales, FL.
1
Start on North Bartow Avenue
10 ft
·
North Bartow Avenue
2
Continue on Main Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Recker Highway
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Recker Highway
4
Turn left onto Lake Shipp Drive
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Lake Shipp Drive
5
Continue on Snively Avenue
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Snively Avenue
6
At the end of the road, turn left
4.2 mi
·
4 min
7
Continue straight
3.7 mi
·
4 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward US 27: Haines City, Avon Park
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 27: Haines City, Avon Park
9
Keep slight left
279 ft
·
11 sec
10
Turn left onto US 27
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 27
11
Turn right onto West Central Avenue
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Central Avenue
12
Turn left onto North Scenic Highway
285 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Scenic Highway
13
Turn right onto East Stuart Avenue
112 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Stuart Avenue
14
Turn right
226 ft
·
17 sec
15
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.45 one way
$6.91 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $3.76 | $7.51 |
| premium | $4.72 | $4.04 | $8.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.79 | $9.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Lake Wales, FL
Morning in Lake Wales on Thursday
Local time
11:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
36m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL covers 21.7 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Main Street, Recker Highway, Lake Shipp Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.8 miles from Auburndale, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.45 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL is easy. At 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Auburndale, FL to Lake Wales, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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