Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 8m
Distance
91.4 mi
147 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cape Coral, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Buckhead Ridge, FL
Mick Haupt
The drive from Cape Coral, FL to Buckhead Ridge, FL covers 91.4 miles and takes about 2h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Industrial Drive, Palm Beach Boulevard, FL 78 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.9 miles on Industrial Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.7 miles from Cape Coral, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
Cape Coral is a city in Southwest Florida. Visitors are drawn by its beaches, nature trails and sea kayaking opportunities on Black Island in Lovers Key State Park.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 91.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 2h 8m drive with frequent turns across 91.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Cape Coral Parkway East.
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 91.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 (Cape Coral Parkway East): Navigation decision point; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.8 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto Cape Coral Parkway East
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward I 75 North: Tampa, I-75 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward FL 80: Fort Myers, La Belle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto FL 29 / North Bridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Cape Coral, FL to Buckhead Ridge, FL, road signs begin pointing toward La Belle along the way.
La Belle
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Drive | 27.9 mi | 36m |
| Palm Beach Boulevard | 24.2 mi | 34m |
| FL 78 | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| Colonial Boulevard | 5.8 mi | 9m |
| I 75 | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| North Bridge Street | 4 mi | 6m |
| US 27 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| McGregor Boulevard | 3 mi | 5m |
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Coral, FL and Buckhead Ridge, FL.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Cape Coral Parkway East
Continue on Cape Coral Parkway East
Continue on Cape Coral Bridge Road
Turn slight right onto College Parkway
Continue on Cape Coral Bridge Road
Turn slight left
Turn slight left onto FL 867
Turn right
Continue on Colonial Boulevard
Take the exit
Merge onto I 75
Take the exit
Turn right onto FL 80
Turn left onto FL 29
Turn right onto FL 78
Continue on US 27; FL 78
Take the exit
Turn left onto FL 78 Detour
Turn right onto Lake Drive West
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.7 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buckhead Ridge, FL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Cape Coral, FL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cape Coral, FL
This is one driving day of about 91.4 miles and 2h 8m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 45.7 mi from Cape Coral, FL · 1h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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.
A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 45.7 miles from Cape Coral, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Buckhead Ridge, FL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Buckhead Ridge, FL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$14.55 one way
$29.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $15.83 | $31.65 |
| premium | $4.72 | $17.00 | $33.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.18 | $40.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.60 | $4.39 |
| Efficient EV | 22.9 | 0 | $8.00 | $3.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 36.6 | 0 | $12.80 | $5.85 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Cape Coral on Saturday
Local time
11:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Buckhead Ridge on Saturday
Local time
11:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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.
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