Origin
Highland City, FL
Morning in Highland City on Saturday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Highland City, 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 23m
Distance
62.7 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Highland City, FL
Larry Milligan
Clearwater, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Highland City, FL to Clearwater, FL covers 62.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 4, Polk Parkway, FL 60 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.7 miles on I 4. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 62.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 23m highway drive covering 62.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 4 and Polk Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 25.7 miles on I 4.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 4 is the longest continuous segment at about 25.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and Polk Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 13 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
13 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 4 West: Tampa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
8
39.7 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 275 South: Tampa International Airport, Saint Petersburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 275 South: Tampa International Airport...
8
44.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward FL 60 West: Tampa International Airport, Clearwater
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 39
Toward FL 60 West: Tampa International Airport,...
7
45.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
FL 589 Toll / Veterans Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 589 Toll / Veterans Expressway toward FL 589 Toll
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward FL 589 Toll
7
46.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward FL 60 West: Clearwater
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2A
Toward FL 60 West: Clearwater
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Highland City, FL to Clearwater, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Petersburg along the way.
Saint Petersburg
39.7 mi in
|
~47m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| Polk Parkway | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| FL 60 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| I 275 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Gulf to Bay Boulevard | 4.7 mi | 9m |
| Bartow Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Court Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Veterans Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 25.7 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Highland City, FL and Clearwater, FL.
1
Start on US 98
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Bartow Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward FL 570 Toll West: Polk Parkway West
Use the right lane.
3
Merge onto FL 570 Toll
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Polk Parkway
Use the right lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 4
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 275 South: Tampa International Airport, Saint Petersburg
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 275
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
I 275
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 39
Toward FL 60 West: Tampa International Airport, Clearwater
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto FL 60
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Memorial Highway
Toward FL 60, FL 589 Toll: Tampa International Airport, Clearwater
10
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 589 Toll
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Expressway
Toward FL 589 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 2A
Toward FL 60 West: Clearwater
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on FL 60
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
FL 60
Toward FL 60: Clearwater
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on FL 60
4.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Gulf to Bay Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on FL 60
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Court Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn right onto South Ft Harrison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Ft Harrison Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Arrive at destination
North Fort Harrison Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.4 mi from Highland City, FL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.4 miles from Highland City, 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
$10.24 one way
$20.48 round trip
$4.15/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $11.35 | $22.69 |
| premium | $4.90 | $12.09 | $24.17 |
| diesel | $4.35 | $10.74 | $21.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.07
Veterans Expressway
(0.9 mi)
$0.07
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.58 | $3.01 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.1 | 0 | $8.78 | $4.01 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Morning in Clearwater on Saturday
Local time
6:12 AM
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
5 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 23m 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 Highland City, FL to Clearwater, FL covers 62.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 4, Polk Parkway, FL 60. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.4 miles from Highland City, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.24 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 62.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 13 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Highland City, FL to Clearwater, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Petersburg along the way.
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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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