Origin
Bradenton Beach, FL
Afternoon in Bradenton Beach on Friday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bradenton Beach, 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
1h 16m
Distance
56 mi
90 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bradenton Beach, FL
Arian Fernandez
Tampa, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bradenton Beach to Tampa is 56 miles and takes about 1 hour 16 minutes via I 75 and Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Florida, making it a convenient hop between coastal communities. Expect a mixed drive that transitions from more local roads to interstate travel. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a spontaneous day trip or as a segment of a larger Florida exploration. Plan for a straightforward journey with minimal fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 56 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route offers a mixed drive, with 60% of it on highways. You'll begin on Cortez Road West, likely encountering local traffic before merging onto I 75. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 25.5 miles on I 75, providing a good opportunity for consistent speed. As you approach Tampa, the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway will offer a more urban driving experience. The road character shifts from a more open feel to an increasingly built-up environment as you near your destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 25.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 18.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 19.7 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
18.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 75 North: Tampa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 75 North: Tampa
5
19.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
45.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward FL 618 Toll West, Selmon Expressway West: Tampa, Port of Tampa
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 256
Toward FL 618 Toll West, Selmon Expressway West...
8
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward FL 60: Kennedy Boulevard, Downtown - East
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 8
Toward FL 60: Kennedy Boulevard, Downtown - Eas...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bradenton Beach, FL and Tampa, FL, road signs point toward Selmon Expressway West: Tampa and Port Of Tampa.
Selmon Expressway West: Tampa
45.2 mi in
|
~1h 2m
Port Of Tampa
45.2 mi in
|
~1h 2m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 25.5 mi | 28m |
| Cortez Road West | 8.6 mi | 16m |
| Lee Roy Selmon Expressway | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| Tamiami Trail | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| 1st Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Hernando DeSoto Bridge | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Kennedy Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| I 275 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 25.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bradenton Beach, FL and Tampa, FL.
1
Start on this road
81 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
35 ft
·
3 sec
3
Turn left
35 ft
·
7 sec
4
Turn left onto FL 789
369 ft
·
16 sec
·
Gulf Drive North
5
Turn right onto FL 684
8.6 mi
·
16 min
·
Cortez Road West
6
Continue on US 41
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
1st Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 41; US 301
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Hernando DeSoto Bridge
8
Continue on US 41; US 301
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Tamiami Trail
9
Continue on US 41
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Tamiami Trail
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
11
Merge onto I 275
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 275
12
Keep slight right at fork
1.4 mi
·
3 min
Toward I 75 North: Tampa
13
Merge onto I 75
25 mi
·
28 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
2.4 mi
·
2 min
Exit 256
Toward FL 618 Toll West, Selmon Expressway West: Tampa, Port of Tampa
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on FL 618 Toll
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Lee Roy Selmon Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 8
Toward FL 60: Kennedy Boulevard, Downtown - East
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn straight onto US 41 Business; FL 60
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Kennedy Boulevard
18
Arrive at destination
FL 60
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28 mi from Bradenton Beach, FL · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28 miles from Bradenton Beach, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tampa, FL
The final approach into Tampa, FL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.91 one way
$17.83 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $9.70 | $19.39 |
| premium | $4.72 | $10.41 | $20.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.36 | $24.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.78
Selmon Expressway
(7.8 mi)
$0.78
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.84 | $3.58 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Tampa, FL
Afternoon in Tampa on Friday
Local time
12:12 PM
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
13 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
1h 16m 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 Bradenton Beach, FL to Tampa, FL covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 75, Cortez Road West, Lee Roy Selmon Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28 miles from Bradenton Beach, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.91 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 56 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 18.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 19.7 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Bradenton Beach, FL and Tampa, FL, road signs point toward Selmon Expressway West: Tampa and Port Of Tampa.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Tampa, FL
More from Bradenton Beach, FL
More trips to Tampa, FL
Explore more options from Bradenton Beach, FL or browse trips ending in Tampa, FL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse FL road trips.