Origin
Cape Coral, FL
Afternoon in Cape Coral on Friday
Local time
1:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cape Coral, FL to Alachua, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 11m
Distance
264.5 mi
426 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 58m
★
6 AM
5h 11m
8 AM
5h 38m
10 AM
5h 21m
12 PM
5h 18m
3 PM
5h 22m
5 PM
5h 37m
8 PM
5h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cape Coral, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Alachua, FL
Larry Milligan
Trip Overview
The drive from Cape Coral, FL to Alachua, FL covers 264.5 miles and takes about 5h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cape Coral Parkway East, Vincennes Boulevard, Coronado Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
132.3 miles from Cape Coral, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 35m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 11m. Total distance: 264.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 11m drive with frequent turns across 264.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cape Coral Parkway East 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 11m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cape Coral, FL to Alachua, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral Parkway East | — | — |
| Vincennes Boulevard | — | — |
| Coronado Parkway | — | — |
| Del Prado Boulevard South | — | — |
| Del Prado Boulevard North | — | — |
| North Tamiami Trail | — | — |
| Tuckers Grade | — | — |
| I 75 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Cape Coral Parkway East
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Coral, FL and Alachua, FL.
1
Start on the route
95 ft
·
7 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto Cape Coral Parkway East
125 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cape Coral Parkway East
3
Turn right onto Vincennes Boulevard
358 ft
·
13 sec
·
Vincennes Boulevard
4
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Vincennes Boulevard
62 ft
·
2 sec
·
Vincennes Boulevard
5
Exit the roundabout onto Vincennes Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Vincennes Boulevard
6
Turn right onto Coronado Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Coronado Parkway
7
Turn left onto Del Prado Boulevard South
5.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Del Prado Boulevard South
8
Continue on Del Prado Boulevard North
6.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Del Prado Boulevard North
9
Turn left onto North Tamiami Trail
10 mi
·
12 min
·
North Tamiami Trail
10
Turn right onto Tuckers Grade
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Tuckers Grade
11
Take the ramp slight left toward I 75 North: Tampa
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 75 North: Tampa
12
Merge slight left
226 mi
·
4 hr 2 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward FL 24: Archer Road, Gainesville, Archer
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
FL 24: Archer Road, Gainesville, Archer
14
Turn right onto Southwest Archer Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Archer Road
15
Turn left onto Southwest 34th Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Southwest 34th Street
16
Continue on Northwest 34th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 34th Street
17
Turn left onto Northwest 16th Boulevard
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 16th Boulevard
18
Turn right onto Northwest 43rd Street
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Northwest 43rd Street
19
At the end of the road, turn left onto ML King Memorial Highway
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
ML King Memorial Highway
20
Turn left onto Turkey Creek Boulevard
102 ft
·
5 sec
·
Turkey Creek Boulevard
21
Continue on Turkey Creek Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Turkey Creek Boulevard
22
Turn right onto Palmetto Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Palmetto Boulevard
23
Continue on Palmetto Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Palmetto Boulevard
24
Turn left onto Creek Drive West
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Creek Drive West
25
Turn right onto Northwest 105th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest 105th Avenue
26
At the end of the road, turn left onto Palmetto Boulevard
463 ft
·
20 sec
·
Palmetto Boulevard
27
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 132.3 miles from Cape Coral, FL, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
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 58 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 132.3 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alachua, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 264.5 miles and 5h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Cape Coral, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 132.3 mi from Cape Coral, FL · 2h 35m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
132 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 58 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 132.3 miles from Cape Coral, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alachua, FL
The final approach into Alachua, 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 Alachua, FL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.10 one way
$84.20 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
93 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $45.80 | $91.60 |
| premium | $4.72 | $49.18 | $98.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $58.40 | $116.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 79.4 | 0 | $27.77 | $12.70 |
| Efficient EV | 66.1 | 0 | $23.14 | $10.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 105.8 | 1 | $37.03 | $16.93 |
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Alachua, FL
Afternoon in Alachua on Friday
Local time
1:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
9 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
5h 11m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cape Coral, FL to Alachua, FL covers 264.5 miles and takes about 5h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cape Coral Parkway East, Vincennes Boulevard, Coronado Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 132.3 miles from Cape Coral, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.10 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 11m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cape Coral, FL to Alachua, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cape Coral, FL to Alachua, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
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