Origin
Jacksonville, FL
Afternoon in Jacksonville on Saturday
Local time
4:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jacksonville, FL to North Sarasota, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 53m
Distance
249 mi
401 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$40
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 40m
★
6 AM
4h 53m
8 AM
5h 20m
10 AM
5h 3m
12 PM
5h 0m
3 PM
5h 4m
5 PM
5h 19m
8 PM
4h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jacksonville, FL
Wikimedia Commons
North Sarasota, FL
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
Trip Overview
The drive from Jacksonville, FL to North Sarasota, FL covers 249 miles and takes about 4h 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ocean Street, State Street, Kings Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.63 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
124.5 miles from Jacksonville, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 26m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Street | — | — |
| State Street | — | — |
| Kings Road | — | — |
| I 95 South | — | — |
| I 10 West | — | — |
| Sid Martin Highway | — | — |
| Northwest 70th Street | — | — |
| Northwest 77th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Ocean Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville, FL and North Sarasota, FL.
1
Start on Union Street
210 ft
·
13 sec
·
Union Street
2
Turn left onto Ocean Street
282 ft
·
15 sec
·
Ocean Street
3
Turn left onto State Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
4
Continue on Kings Road
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Kings Road
5
Take the ramp slight left toward I 95 South: Jacksonville
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 South: Jacksonville
6
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 West: Lake City
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 West: Lake City
7
Merge slight left
17 mi
·
20 min
8
Take the exit slight right
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
9
Keep slight right
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
10
Merge slight left
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
11
Continue straight
37 mi
·
47 min
12
Keep slight left to continue on Sid Martin Highway
39 mi
·
48 min
·
Sid Martin Highway
13
Turn right onto Northwest 70th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 70th Street
14
Continue on Northwest 77th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 77th Street
15
Take the ramp straight toward I 75 South: Tampa
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 75 South: Tampa
16
Merge slight left
83 mi
·
1 hr 28 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on South I 75: Naples
60 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
South I 75: Naples
18
Take the exit slight right toward CR 610: Sarasota, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
CR 610: Sarasota, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
19
Keep slight right to continue on CR 610 West: Sarasota, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
CR 610 West: Sarasota, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
20
Turn straight onto University Parkway
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
University Parkway
21
Turn left onto North Tuttle Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Tuttle Avenue
22
Turn right onto Golf Course Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golf Course Drive
23
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 124.5 miles from Jacksonville, FL, or about 2h 26m 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 55 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.5 miles or 2h 26m 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Sarasota, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, FL
This is one driving day of about 249 miles and 4h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Jacksonville, 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 124.5 miles from Jacksonville, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.63 one way
$79.27 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
87 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $43.11 | $86.23 |
| premium | $4.72 | $46.30 | $92.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $54.98 | $109.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74.7 | 0 | $26.15 | $11.95 |
| Efficient EV | 62.3 | 0 | $21.79 | $9.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 99.6 | 1 | $34.86 | $15.94 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 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
North Sarasota, FL
Afternoon in North Sarasota on Saturday
Local time
4:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
4 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
4h 53m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
249 mi in 4h 53m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Ocean Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 4h 53m 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 Jacksonville, FL to North Sarasota, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Jacksonville, FL
Full guide →Jacksonville occupies one of the most coveted spots on the Atlantic coast. Set amongst abundant beaches and possessing an ideal subtropical climate, its crown jewel is the unique habitat and natural beauty of the St. Johns River. For this reason and more, "The River City" is a popular destination for vacationers looking for a laid-back Sunshine State escape.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 53m. Total distance: 249 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jacksonville, FL to North Sarasota, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.8 hours — manageable with a long break at North Sarasota, FL, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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