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Trip from Palm Bay, FL to Lehigh Acres, FL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 32m

Distance

160 mi

258 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$25

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

36 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 20m ★
6 AM
3h 33m
8 AM
3h 57m
10 AM
3h 41m
12 PM
3h 39m
3 PM
3h 42m
5 PM
3h 56m
8 PM
3h 25m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Palm Bay, FL, FL

Palm Bay, FL

Hetvi Patel

census designated place in Lee County, Florida, United States

Lehigh Acres, FL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Palm Bay, FL to Lehigh Acres, FL covers 160 miles and takes about 3h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on FL 78, I 95, Okeechobee Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.2 miles on FL 78. At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.47 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

80 miles from Palm Bay, FL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
FL 78 49.2 mi 1h 4m
I 95 43.4 mi 46m
Okeechobee Road 27.7 mi 34m
Hickpochee Avenue 11.5 mi 15m
Joel Boulevard 4.5 mi 7m
FL 29 4 mi 6m
US 27 3.7 mi 4m
FL 70 3.4 mi 6m
Longest stretch: FL 78 — 49.2 mi, about 1h 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palm Bay, FL and Lehigh Acres, FL.

1

Start on Palm Bay Road Northeast

2.0 mi · 4 min · Palm Bay Road Northeast
2

Turn left onto FL 507

2.5 mi · 4 min · Babcock Street Northeast
3

Turn right onto FL 514

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Malabar Road
Use the right lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 95 South: Miami
5

Turn sharp left

0.4 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 95 South: Miami Use the left lane.
6

Merge onto I 95

43 mi · 46 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Exit 129 Toward FL 70: Okeechobee, Fort Pierce Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork

492 ft · 12 sec
Toward FL 70 West: Okeechobee Use the right lane.
9

Merge onto FL 70

28 mi · 34 min · Okeechobee Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto FL 70

3.4 mi · 6 min · FL 70
11

Turn left onto Southeast 6th Avenue

0.3 mi · 39 sec · Southeast 6th Avenue
12

At end of road, turn right onto Southeast 4th Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Southeast 4th Street
13

Turn left onto US 98; US 441

2.9 mi · 5 min · Parrott Avenue
Use the left lane.
14

Turn right onto FL 78

4.4 mi · 6 min · FL 78
Use the left lane.
15

Continue on FL 78

30 mi · 39 min · FL 78
16

Turn right onto US 27; FL 78

3.7 mi · 4 min · US 27; FL 78
17

Turn left onto FL 78

15 mi · 18 min · FL 78
18

Turn left onto FL 29

4.0 mi · 6 min · FL 29
19

Turn right onto FL 29; FL 80

12 mi · 15 min · Hickpochee Avenue
Use the left lane.
20

Turn left onto CR 884

4.5 mi · 7 min · Joel Boulevard
21

Turn right onto East 12th Street

1.7 mi · 4 min · East 12th Street
22

Turn left onto Richmond Avenue North

1.2 mi · 2 min · Richmond Avenue North
23

Arrive at destination

Richmond Avenue North

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 80 miles from Palm Bay, FL, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.2 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 35 miles or 42m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 80 miles or 1h 37m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 48m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lehigh Acres, FL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Palm Bay, 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 Palm Bay, FL

This is one driving day of about 160 miles and 3h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Palm Bay, 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 78 for about 49.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pahokee, FL

80 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

Vero Beach, FL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pahokee, FL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 80 miles from Palm Bay, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 80

Okeechobee, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Lynkwell Charging Station

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 102.9

Okeechobee, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Tesla Destination Charger

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 68.6

Okeechobee, Florida

Visit website

LaBelle Nature Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 137.1

LaBelle, Florida

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 49.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
4.6 mi into trip | ~8m in | FL 514 / Malabar Road

Turn right onto FL 514 / Malabar Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
5.1 mi into trip | ~9m in

Turn sharp left toward I 95 South: Miami

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 95 South: Miami
5
5.6 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 95

Merge onto I 95

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
49 mi into trip | ~57m in

Take the exit toward FL 70: Okeechobee, Fort Pierce

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 129 Toward FL 70: Okeechobee, Fort Pierce
7
49.5 mi into trip | ~58m in

Keep slight right at fork toward FL 70 West: Okeechobee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward FL 70 West: Okeechobee

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$25.47 one way

$50.94 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 56 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $27.70 $55.41
premium $4.72 $29.75 $59.50
diesel $5.61 $35.33 $70.65

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$25

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 56 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

36 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Florida Nexxus Park- Tesla Supercharger

Fort Pierce, FL

Tesla

40 DCFC

Target - Tesla Supercharger

Melbourne, FL

Tesla

20 DCFC

Target - Tesla Supercharger

Vero Beach, FL

Tesla

16 DCFC

TA, Vero Beach, FL

Vero Beach, FL

BP_PULSE

12 DCFC

Fort Pierce, FL Rechargery @ Wawa - Selvitz Rd

Fort Pierce, FL

IONNA

10 DCFC

Hammock Landing - Tesla Supercharger

West Melbourne, FL

Tesla

8 DCFC

BP - Tesla Supercharger

Sebastian, FL

Tesla

8 DCFC

Wawa - Tesla Supercharger

Vero Beach, FL

Tesla

8 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 15 Tesla: 9 FPLEV: 5 eVgo Network: 2 Blink Network: 1 Electrify America: 1 BP_PULSE: 1 IONNA: 1 RED_E: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 48 0 $16.80 $7.68
Efficient EV 40 0 $14.00 $6.40
EV Truck/SUV 64 0 $22.40 $10.24

Gas CO2

56 kg

EV CO2

19 kg (66% 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

Palm Bay, FL

Afternoon in Palm Bay on Saturday

Local time

3:03 PM

EDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lehigh Acres, FL

Afternoon in Lehigh Acres on Saturday

Local time

3:03 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

13 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

3h 32m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a 3h 32m highway drive covering 160 miles, with most of the trip on FL 78 and I 95. The longest continuous stretch is about 49.2 miles on FL 78.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
FL 78 is the longest continuous segment at about 49.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on FL 78 and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near FL 514 / Malabar Road.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 160 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 4.6 miles (FL 514 / Malabar Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Palm Bay, FL to Lehigh Acres, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Pierce along the way.

Fort Pierce

49 mi in | ~57m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 32m. Total distance: 160 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Palm Bay, FL to Lehigh Acres, FL covers 160 miles and takes about 3h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are FL 78, I 95, Okeechobee Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 80 miles from Palm Bay, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.47 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 160 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 4.6 miles (FL 514 / Malabar Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Palm Bay, FL to Lehigh Acres, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Pierce 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Return Trip

Lehigh Acres, FL to Palm Bay, FL

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