Skip to main content

Trip from Beacon Square, FL to Tampa, FL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

53m

Distance

32.3 mi

52 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Beacon Square, FL, FL

Beacon Square, FL

Samuel Etienne

city in Florida, United States

Tampa, FL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Beacon Square to Tampa is 32.3 miles and takes about 53 minutes via US Highway 19, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, short drive entirely within Florida, connecting two points in the same state. The route offers a mixed driving experience, meaning you'll encounter both faster highway sections and more local road segments. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a single-day trip, and you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Plan for a quick journey, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This drive features a mixed profile, with about 47% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll experience a 9.8-mile stretch on US Highway 19, which provides a taste of consistent driving. The road will transition between these faster sections and the more stop-and-go nature of local roads like Tampa Road and West Hillsborough Avenue. Expect a dynamic drive that requires attention as you navigate these different environments. It’s not a monotonous cruise, but rather a varied trip that keeps you engaged behind the wheel.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US Highway 19 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near US 19 / US Highway 19.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 19 / US Highway 19

Turn right onto US 19 / US Highway 19

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
25.6 mi into trip | ~42m in | FL 60 / Memorial Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto FL 60 / Memorial Highway toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg
8
31.4 mi into trip | ~50m in

Take the exit toward Downtown East, Downtown West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 44 Toward Downtown East, Downtown West
9
31.5 mi into trip | ~50m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown West, Ashley Drive, Tampa Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Downtown West, Ashley Drive, Tampa Stree...
9
31.8 mi into trip | ~51m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Tampa Street, Seaport Aquarium, Amalie Arena, Harbour Island, Convention Center

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Toward Tampa Street, Seaport Aquarium, Amalie A...

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Beacon Square, FL and Tampa, FL, road signs point toward Saint Petersburg and St. Petersburg.

Saint Petersburg

24.9 mi in | ~40m | via FL 589 Toll

St. Petersburg

25.5 mi in | ~41m | via FL 60

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US Highway 19 9.8 mi 14m
Tampa Road 6.2 mi 10m
West Hillsborough Avenue 4.9 mi 7m
I 275 4.2 mi 5m
Memorial Highway 3.4 mi 5m
Moog Road 0.9 mi 2m
Independence Parkway 0.6 mi 1m
Veterans Expressway 0.6 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US Highway 19 — 9.8 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Beacon Square, FL and Tampa, FL.

1

Start on Springfield Drive

337 ft · 17 sec · Springfield Drive
2

Turn right onto Moog Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · Moog Road
3

Turn right onto US 19

9.8 mi · 14 min · US Highway 19
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto CR 752

6.2 mi · 10 min · Tampa Road
Use the left lane.
5

Continue on FL 580

4.9 mi · 7 min · West Hillsborough Avenue
Use the left lane.
6

Turn right onto CR 576

1.9 mi · 3 min · Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
7

Turn slight right onto Independence Parkway

0.6 mi · 1 min · Independence Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min
9

Merge onto FL 589 Toll

0.6 mi · 51 sec · Veterans Expressway
Toward FL 60: Tampa, Saint Petersburg
10

Continue on FL 60

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Memorial Highway
Toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg
11

Keep slight left at fork onto FL 60

1.4 mi · 2 min · Memorial Highway
Toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward I 275 North: Tampa Use the slight right lane.
13

Merge onto I 275

4.2 mi · 5 min · I 275
Toward I 275: Tampa Use the straight lane.
14

Take the exit

386 ft · 9 sec
Exit 44 Toward Downtown East, Downtown West Use the slight right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward Downtown West, Ashley Drive, Tampa Street Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Toward Tampa Street, Seaport Aquarium, Amalie Arena, Harbour Island, Convention Center Use the slight left / straight lanes.
17

Turn slight right onto US 41 Business

0.2 mi · 54 sec · North Tampa Street
18

Turn left onto East Twiggs Street

282 ft · 12 sec · East Twiggs Street
19

Turn right onto North Franklin Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · North Franklin Street
20

Turn right onto FL 60

174 ft · 4 sec · East Kennedy Boulevard
21

Arrive at destination

FL 60

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 16.2 mi from Beacon Square, FL · 26m into the drive

census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Town 'n' Country, FL

16 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Temple Terrace, FL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Safety Harbor, FL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Beacon Square, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Tampa, FL

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Tampa, FL if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.14 one way

$10.28 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $5.59 $11.19
premium $4.72 $6.01 $12.01
diesel $5.61 $7.13 $14.26

Estimated Tolls: $0.05

Veterans Expressway (0.6 mi) $0.05

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Tolls

$0

Total

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.7 0 $3.39 $1.55
Efficient EV 8.1 0 $2.83 $1.29
EV Truck/SUV 12.9 0 $4.52 $2.07

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Beacon Square, FL

Morning in Beacon Square on Friday

Local time

9:34 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tampa, FL

Morning in Tampa on Friday

Local time

9:34 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°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

3 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

53m 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 Beacon Square, FL to Tampa, FL covers 32.3 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US Highway 19, Tampa Road, West Hillsborough Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 16.2 miles from Beacon Square, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.14 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.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.

The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Beacon Square, FL and Tampa, FL, road signs point toward Saint Petersburg and St. Petersburg.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Beacon Square, FL or browse trips ending in Tampa, FL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse FL road trips.