Origin
Clearwater, FL
Afternoon in Clearwater on Friday
Local time
12:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clearwater, FL to Palm City, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 1m
Distance
192 mi
309 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 49m
★
6 AM
4h 2m
8 AM
4h 28m
10 AM
4h 11m
12 PM
4h 8m
3 PM
4h 12m
5 PM
4h 26m
8 PM
3h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clearwater, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Palm City, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Clearwater, FL to Palm City, FL is 192 miles and takes about 4h 1m via FL 60 and Florida's Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Florida, moving from the Gulf Coast region towards the Atlantic side. Expect a drive that's primarily highway-focused, meaning you'll cover ground efficiently. With a recommended single day of travel, this route is ideal for those looking for a straightforward journey without needing an overnight stop. Consider this a practical option when you need to get from the west coast of Florida to the east coast without fuss.
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
96 miles from Clearwater, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 6m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 1m. Total distance: 192 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 85% of the drive utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on FL 60 and Florida's Turnpike, allowing for consistent speed and progress. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 63.2 miles on FL 60, so be prepared for a solid block of driving before needing to make a significant turn or exit. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal detours.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
FL 60 is the longest continuous segment at about 63.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on FL 60 and Florida's Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.9 miles in near FL 60.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 192 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.9 miles (FL 60): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
15.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
FL 60
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 60 toward FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International Airport, Spruce Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International...
8
16.6 mi into trip
|
~26m 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
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
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.
Exit 27
Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
8
59.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
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.
Exit 10
Toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
8
129.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 50m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clearwater, FL and Palm City, FL, road signs point toward St. Petersburg, Winter Haven, Bartow and Florida's Turnpike South: Miami.
St. Petersburg
16.6 mi in
|
~26m
|
via FL 60
Winter Haven
49.6 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Bartow
59.4 mi in
|
~1h 17m
Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
129.8 mi in
|
~2h 50m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| FL 60 | 63.2 mi | 1h 21m |
| Florida's Turnpike | 58.8 mi | 1h 2m |
| I 4 | 25.8 mi | 28m |
| Polk Parkway | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Courtney Campbell Causeway | 8.2 mi | 10m |
| Bartow Road | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| I 275 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Drew Street | 4.2 mi | 8m |
Longest stretch:
FL 60
— 63.2 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, FL and Palm City, FL.
1
Start on North Fort Harrison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Fort Harrison Avenue
2
Turn right onto Drew Street
4.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Drew Street
3
Take the ramp
198 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto Southbound Frontage Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Southbound Frontage Road
5
Continue on this road
376 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
6
Take the exit
233 ft
·
6 sec
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto FL 60
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Gulf to Bay Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on FL 60
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Courtney Campbell Causeway
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on FL 60
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
FL 60
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 60
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
FL 60
Toward FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International Airport, Spruce Street
Use the slight right lane.
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
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
I 275
Toward I 275: Tampa
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 45B
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 4
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 27
Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on FL 570 Toll
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 10
Toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto US 98
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Bartow Road
Use the right lane.
20
Continue on US 98
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway Avenue
21
Turn left onto US 98; FL 60
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Fleet Drive
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on FL 60
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
FL 60
23
Continue on FL 60
11 mi
·
13 min
·
FL 60
Use the straight lane.
24
Continue on FL 60
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
FL 60
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on FL 60
46 mi
·
59 min
·
FL 60
Use the left lane.
26
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Use the left lane.
27
Continue on this road
295 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
59 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
Florida's Turnpike
30
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 133
Toward FL 714: Stuart
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Turn right onto CR 714
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest Martin Highway
Use the right lane.
32
Turn left onto Southwest Mapp Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Mapp Road
Use the straight lane.
33
Turn right onto Southwest 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Southwest 30th Street
34
Arrive at destination
Southwest 30th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour duration, leaving in the morning is your best bet, allowing ample time for unexpected delays or a brief pause. You'll only need one stop for fuel and rest on this 192-mile journey, so plan it strategically around the 63.2-mile stretch on FL 60. Since this is a single-day drive, you have flexibility; however, staying on schedule is key to avoiding traffic, especially as you approach populated areas. Keep an eye on your fuel levels as you approach the Turnpike, as services can sometimes be spaced out.
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 96 miles from Clearwater, FL, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.2 miles.
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 42 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 96 miles or 2h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Palm City, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clearwater, 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 Clearwater, FL
This is one driving day of about 192 miles and 4h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Clearwater, 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.
The longest stretch is on FL 60 for about 63.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 96 mi from Clearwater, FL · 2h 6m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
96 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 96 miles from Clearwater, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before FL 60 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.2 miles.
Arriving in Palm City, FL
The final approach into Palm City, 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 Palm City, 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
$30.56 one way
$61.12 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
67 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $33.24 | $66.49 |
| premium | $4.72 | $35.70 | $71.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $42.39 | $84.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.11
Florida's Turnpike
(58.8 mi)
$4.11
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 67.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 57.6 | 0 | $20.16 | $9.22 |
| Efficient EV | 48 | 0 | $16.80 | $7.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 76.8 | 0 | $26.88 | $12.29 |
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 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
Palm City, FL
Afternoon in Palm City on Friday
Local time
12:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
Eagle Lake, FL
96 mi in
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
3 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
4h 1m 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 Clearwater, FL to Palm City, FL covers 192 miles and takes about 4h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are FL 60, Florida's Turnpike, I 4. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 96 miles from Clearwater, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.56 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 demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 192 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.9 miles (FL 60): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Clearwater, FL and Palm City, FL, road signs point toward St. Petersburg, Winter Haven, Bartow and Florida's Turnpike South: Miami.
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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