Origin
Bradenton, FL
Afternoon in Bradenton on Saturday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bradenton, FL to Clearwater, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
43.8 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bradenton, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Clearwater, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bradenton to Clearwater is 43.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via Sunshine Skyway Bridge and US Highway 19 North, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This relatively short trip stays within Florida, connecting two coastal cities. It offers a mixed driving experience, meaning you'll encounter both highway speeds and potentially some slower sections as you approach your destination. Given its manageable length and duration, this route is perfect for a single-day excursion, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your departure time and the possibility of spontaneous stops along the way.
About the Cities
Arriving in Clearwater, FL
Full guide →Clearwater is a city in Pinellas County, a region in Florida. Perhaps most easily recognized as the headquarters city of the Church of Scientology, Clearwater also has miles of beautiful beaches and close proximity to other cities in the Tampa Bay area.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive features a 30% highway share, providing a blend of faster travel and local road navigation. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 19.5 miles crossing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which offers a unique driving perspective over the water. Beyond the bridge, the route transitions to US Highway 19 North, a well-traveled road that will likely feel more like a typical urban or suburban artery. Expect conditions to vary from open highway to areas with more traffic lights and local access points as you get closer to Clearwater.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge is the longest continuous segment at about 19.5 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 2.9 miles in near US 41 Business / U.S. Business 41.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.8 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 2.9 miles (US 41 Business / U.S. Business 41): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.1 miles (I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 41 Business / U.S. Business 41
Enter roundabout onto US 41 Business / U.S. Business 41
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
8.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Merge onto I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
27.6 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward 54th Avenue North Westbound
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 26B
Toward 54th Avenue North Westbound
7
38.5 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward FL 60: Seville Boulevard, Gulf To Bay
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward FL 60: Seville Boulevard, Gulf To Bay
6
39.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bradenton, FL and Clearwater, FL, road signs point toward 54Th Avenue North Westbound and Gulf To Bay.
54Th Avenue North Westbound
27.6 mi in
|
~36m
Gulf To Bay
38.5 mi in
|
~53m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Skyway Bridge | 19.5 mi | 22m |
| US Highway 19 North | 9.1 mi | 12m |
| US 19 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Gulf to Bay Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| 8th Avenue West | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Court Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| U.S. Business 41 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 54th Avenue North | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
— 19.5 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bradenton, FL and Clearwater, FL.
1
Start on this road
105 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 14th Street West
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
14th Street West
3
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue West
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
·
3rd Avenue West
4
Turn left onto US 41 Business
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
9th Street West
5
Continue on US 41 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Bridge
6
Continue on US 41 Business
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
8th Avenue West
7
Continue on US 41 Business
501 ft
·
9 sec
·
Valencia Drive
8
Enter roundabout onto US 41 Business
119 ft
·
2 sec
·
U.S. Business 41
9
Continue on US 41 Business
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
U.S. Business 41
Use the straight lane.
10
Merge onto US 41
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Tamiami Trail
11
Turn straight onto US 19
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 19
Use the left lane.
12
Take the exit onto US 19
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 19
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
14
Merge onto I 275; US 19
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 26B
Toward 54th Avenue North Westbound
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto 54th Avenue North
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
54th Avenue North
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto US 19
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
34th Street North
18
Continue on US 19
9.1 mi
·
12 min
·
US Highway 19 North
Use the left lane.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward FL 60: Seville Boulevard, Gulf To Bay
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on US 19 Northbound Frontage Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
US 19 Northbound Frontage Road
21
Continue on Northbound Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Northbound Frontage Road
22
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Use the left lane.
23
Continue on FL 60
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Gulf to Bay Boulevard
24
Continue on FL 60
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Court Street
Use the straight lane.
25
Turn right onto South Ft Harrison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Ft Harrison Avenue
Use the right lane.
26
Arrive at destination
North Fort Harrison Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.9 mi from Bradenton, FL · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Bradenton, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clearwater, FL
The final approach into Clearwater, 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
$6.97 one way
$13.94 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $7.58 | $15.17 |
| premium | $4.72 | $8.14 | $16.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.36
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
(19.5 mi)
$1.36
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Clearwater, FL
Afternoon in Clearwater on Saturday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°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
1h 4m 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, FL to Clearwater, FL covers 43.8 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sunshine Skyway Bridge, US Highway 19 North, US 19. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.9 miles from Bradenton, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.97 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 43.8 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 2.9 miles (US 41 Business / U.S. Business 41): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.1 miles (I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Bradenton, FL and Clearwater, FL, road signs point toward 54Th Avenue North Westbound and Gulf To Bay.
Yes. Nearby national parks include De Soto National Memorial.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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