Origin
Macclenny, FL
Afternoon in Macclenny on Friday
Local time
2:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Macclenny, FL to Gainesville, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
54 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Macclenny, FL
Matt Fitz Gibaud
Trip Overview
Macclenny, FL to Gainesville, FL is 54 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via South 6th Street and Waldo Road, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within Florida, connecting two regional hubs. The drive is characterized by frequent turns and local road conditions rather than a high-speed highway experience. Plan for a relatively short journey that keeps you on surface streets for a significant portion.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 54 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (18%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive leans heavily on local roads, with only an 18% share of highway driving. Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" profile, meaning you'll navigate through towns and intersections frequently. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 16.2 miles along South 6th Street. Be prepared for a driving experience that requires attention to local traffic patterns and speed limits as you transition between different road types.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South 6th Street is the longest continuous segment at about 16.2 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near South Boulevard West.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 14m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Boulevard West): Navigation decision point; at 16.7 miles (FL 16): Navigation decision point; at 27 miles (US 301 ALT / Starke Bypass): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Boulevard West
Turn right onto South Boulevard West
Navigation decision point
4
16.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
FL 16
Turn left onto FL 16
Navigation decision point
5
27 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
US 301 ALT / Starke Bypass
Merge onto US 301 ALT / Starke Bypass
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
40.1 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
FL 24 / Kennard Street
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 24 / Kennard Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
53.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
FL 20; FL 24; FL 26 / East University Avenue
Turn right onto FL 20; FL 24; FL 26 / East University Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 6th Street | 16.2 mi | 21m |
| Starke Bypass | 13.1 mi | 16m |
| Waldo Road | 12.1 mi | 16m |
| FL 16 | 10 mi | 13m |
| East University Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Northeast Waldo Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Kennard Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North 5th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South 6th Street
— 16.2 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Macclenny, FL and Gainesville, FL.
1
Start on FL 228
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
North 5th Street
2
Turn right onto South Boulevard West
445 ft
·
23 sec
·
South Boulevard West
3
Turn left onto FL 121
16 mi
·
21 min
·
South 6th Street
4
Turn left onto FL 16
10.0 mi
·
13 min
·
FL 16
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
6
Merge onto US 301 ALT
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Starke Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 24
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Kennard Street
8
Continue on FL 24
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Waldo Road
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on FL 24
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Northeast Waldo Road
10
Continue on FL 24
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Waldo Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto FL 20; FL 24; FL 26
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
East University Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto CR 329
115 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
CR 329
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27 mi from Macclenny, FL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27 miles from Macclenny, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gainesville, FL
The final approach into Gainesville, 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
$8.60 one way
$17.19 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $9.35 | $18.70 |
| premium | $4.72 | $10.04 | $20.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.92 | $23.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Gainesville, FL
Afternoon in Gainesville on Friday
Local time
2:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°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
27 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 14m 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 Macclenny, FL to Gainesville, FL covers 54 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South 6th Street, Starke Bypass, Waldo Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27 miles from Macclenny, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.60 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 is a straightforward 1h 14m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Boulevard West): Navigation decision point; at 16.7 miles (FL 16): Navigation decision point; at 27 miles (US 301 ALT / Starke Bypass): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Macclenny, FL to Gainesville, 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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