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Trip from Clearwater, FL to Port Salerno, FL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

4h 9m

Distance

196.8 mi

317 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 57m ★
6 AM
4h 10m
8 AM
4h 36m
10 AM
4h 19m
12 PM
4h 16m
3 PM
4h 20m
5 PM
4h 35m
8 PM
4h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

county seat of Pinellas County, Florida, United States

Clearwater, FL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Port Salerno, FL, FL

Port Salerno, FL

Arian Fernandez

Trip Overview

The drive from Clearwater, FL to Port Salerno, FL covers 196.8 miles and takes about 4h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Drew Street, Southbound Frontage Road, Gulf to Bay Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.33 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

98.4 miles from Clearwater, FL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 9m. Total distance: 196.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 9m 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 4h 9m drive with frequent turns across 196.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Drew Street 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. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 9m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Clearwater, FL to Port Salerno, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Drew Street
Southbound Frontage Road
Gulf to Bay Boulevard
Courtney Campbell Causeway
FL 60 East
Memorial Highway
I 275 North
I 275

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Drew Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, FL and Port Salerno, 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 slight right

197 ft · 5 sec
4

Merge slight left onto Southbound Frontage Road

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Southbound Frontage Road
5

Continue straight

377 ft · 8 sec
6

Take the exit left

233 ft · 6 sec
7

Merge slight right onto Gulf to Bay Boulevard

1.9 mi · 3 min · Gulf to Bay Boulevard
8

Continue on Courtney Campbell Causeway

8.2 mi · 10 min · Courtney Campbell Causeway
9

Continue straight

0.8 mi · 1 min
10

Keep slight right to continue on FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International Airport, Spruce Street

0.7 mi · 59 sec · FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International Airport, Spruce Street
11

Keep slight left to continue on Memorial Highway

1.4 mi · 2 min · Memorial Highway
12

Take the exit slight right toward I 275 North: Tampa

0.3 mi · 46 sec · I 275 North: Tampa
13

Merge slight left onto I 275: Tampa

5.2 mi · 7 min · I 275: Tampa
14

Take the exit slight right toward I 4 East: Orlando

0.5 mi · 42 sec · I 4 East: Orlando
15

Continue straight

26 mi · 28 min
16

Take the exit slight right toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven

0.4 mi · 55 sec · FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
17

Continue on Polk Parkway

9.4 mi · 10 min · Polk Parkway
18

Take the exit slight right toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow

0.4 mi · 57 sec · US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
19

Turn right onto Bartow Road

6.9 mi · 9 min · Bartow Road
20

Continue on Broadway Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Broadway Avenue
21

Turn left onto Van Fleet Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Van Fleet Drive
22

Continue straight

0.3 mi · 27 sec
23

Continue straight

11 mi · 13 min
24

Continue straight

4.3 mi · 5 min
25

Continue straight

46 mi · 59 min
26

Take the exit left

0.1 mi · 19 sec
27

Continue straight

295 ft · 7 sec
28

Keep slight right to continue on Florida's Turnpike South: Miami

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
29

Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

59 mi · 1 hr 2 min · Florida's Turnpike
30

Take the exit slight right toward FL 714: Stuart

0.7 mi · 1 min · FL 714: Stuart
31

Turn right onto Southwest Martin Highway

3.4 mi · 6 min · Southwest Martin Highway
32

Continue on Southeast Indian Street

1.3 mi · 2 min · Southeast Indian Street
33

Turn right onto Southeast Federal Highway

2.0 mi · 3 min · Southeast Federal Highway
34

Turn left onto Southeast Salerno Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Southeast Salerno Road
35

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 98.4 miles from Clearwater, FL, or about 2h 4m 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 43 miles or 54m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 98.4 miles or 2h 4m 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 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Port Salerno, 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 196.8 miles and 4h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 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.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 98.4 mi from Clearwater, FL · 2h 4m into the drive

city in Polk County, Florida, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Eagle Lake, FL

98 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

Tampa, FL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Eagle Lake, FL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 98.4 miles from Clearwater, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Port Salerno, FL

The final approach into Port Salerno, 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 Port Salerno, 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

$31.33 one way

$62.65 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 69 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $34.08 $68.15
premium $4.72 $36.59 $73.19
diesel $5.61 $43.45 $86.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 68.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 59 0 $20.66 $9.45
Efficient EV 49.2 0 $17.22 $7.87
EV Truck/SUV 78.7 0 $27.55 $12.60

Gas CO2

69 kg

EV CO2

23 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Clearwater, FL

Afternoon in Clearwater on Thursday

Local time

1:46 PM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Port Salerno, FL

Afternoon in Port Salerno on Thursday

Local time

1:46 PM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

62°F

Eagle Lake, FL

98 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

2 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 9m 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 Port Salerno, FL covers 196.8 miles and takes about 4h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Drew Street, Southbound Frontage Road, Gulf to Bay Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 98.4 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 $31.33 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.
Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 9m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Clearwater, FL to Port Salerno, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Clearwater, FL to Port Salerno, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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