Origin
Palmetto Bay, FL
Afternoon in Palmetto Bay on Monday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmetto Bay, FL to Tallahassee, FL
Drive Time
9h 13m
Distance
496.8 mi
800 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$83
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 5m
★
6 AM
9h 13m
8 AM
9h 30m
10 AM
9h 19m
12 PM
9h 17m
3 PM
9h 20m
5 PM
9h 29m
8 PM
9h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmetto Bay, FL
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
Tallahassee, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Palmetto Bay, FL to Tallahassee, FL covers 496.8 miles and takes about 9h 13m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Florida's Turnpike, I 75, I 10 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 260.8 miles on Florida's Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $82.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
248.4 miles from Palmetto Bay, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 39m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 9h 13m highway drive covering 496.8 miles, with most of the trip on Florida's Turnpike and I 75. The longest continuous stretch is about 260.8 miles on Florida's Turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Florida's Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 260.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Florida's Turnpike and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest 82nd Avenue.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 496.8 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: near the start (Southwest 82nd Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 23.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.8 miles (Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 23 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Southwest 82nd Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Southwest 82nd Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
23.8 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Florida's Turnpike Toll North, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll North, Fort Laud...
8
31.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike toward Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North
8
400.5 mi into trip
|
~7h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 10: Jacksonville, Tallahassee
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 435
Toward I 10: Jacksonville, Tallahassee
8
400.7 mi into trip
|
~7h 23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Tallahassee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 West: Tallahassee
Towns Along This Route
Between Palmetto Bay, FL and Tallahassee, FL, road signs point toward Orlando and Florida's Turnpike Toll North.
Orlando
31.8 mi in
|
~43m
|
via Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Florida's Turnpike Toll North
31.8 mi in
|
~43m
|
via Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Florida's Turnpike | 260.8 mi | 4h 43m |
| I 75 | 108.5 mi | 1h 56m |
| I 10 | 87.7 mi | 1h 34m |
| Express Lanes | 10.9 mi | 12m |
| Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike | 8 mi | 8m |
| Palmetto Expressway | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| Mahan Drive | 6.7 mi | 11m |
| Southwest 82nd Avenue | 2.6 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 260.8 mi, about 4h 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmetto Bay, FL and Tallahassee, FL.
1
Start on Southwest 160th Street
37 ft
·
7 sec
·
Southwest 160th Street
2
Enter roundabout onto Southwest 82nd Avenue
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
Southwest 82nd Avenue
3
Continue on Southwest 82nd Avenue
2.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Southwest 82nd Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto Southwest 120th Street
74 ft
·
1 sec
·
Southwest 120th Street
5
Take the ramp
124 ft
·
4 sec
6
At end of road, turn right onto US 1
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Dixie Highway
Use the right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 826
7.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Palmetto Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto Express Lanes
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Express Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Toward SR 860: Northwest 186th Street, Miami Gardens Drive
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 75
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 5
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll North, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
7.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Toward Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
261 mi
·
4 hr 43 min
·
Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto Florida's Turnpike
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Florida's Turnpike
Toward I 75 North: Ocala
Use the straight lane.
16
Merge onto I 75
107 mi
·
1 hr 54 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 435
Toward I 10: Jacksonville, Tallahassee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 10 West: Tallahassee
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 10
88 mi
·
1 hr 34 min
·
I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Turn left onto US 90
6.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Mahan Drive
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on US 90
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Tennessee Street
22
Turn left onto CR 1555
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Franklin Boulevard
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto East Pensacola Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
East Pensacola Street
24
Turn left onto CR 1559
210 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Calhoun Street
25
Turn right onto US 27
339 ft
·
12 sec
·
Apalachee Parkway
26
Turn right onto US 27; FL 61
31 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Monroe Street
27
Arrive at destination
US 27; FL 61
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 248.4 miles from Palmetto Bay, FL, or about 4h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 260.8 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 109 miles or 2h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 248.4 miles or 4h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 248.4 miles or 4h 39m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tallahassee, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palmetto 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palmetto Bay, FL
Aim for roughly 248 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Tallahassee, FL
Aim for roughly 248 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from Palmetto Bay, FL.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Florida's Turnpike for about 260.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 248.4 mi from Palmetto Bay, FL · 4h 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
248 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Palm Bay, FLOvernight Options
Night 1
248 mi · about 4.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Palm Bay, FL after about 248 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 248.4 miles from Palmetto Bay, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Florida's Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 260.8 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 248 miles or 4.6 hours on the road.
Arriving in Tallahassee, FL
The final approach into Tallahassee, 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 Tallahassee, FL.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Tallahassee, FL with some flexibility left in the schedule.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$82.99 one way
$165.98 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
174 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $89.89 | $179.79 |
| premium | $4.90 | $95.76 | $191.52 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $110.37 | $220.74 |
Estimated Tolls: $18.72
Florida's Turnpike
(260.5 mi)
$18.24
Homestead Extension
(8 mi)
$0.48
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$83
Tolls
$19
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$232–$342
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 173.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 149 | 1 | $52.16 | $23.85 |
| Efficient EV | 124.2 | 1 | $43.47 | $19.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 198.7 | 2 | $69.55 | $31.80 |
Gas CO2
174 kg
EV CO2
58 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Tallahassee, FL
Afternoon in Tallahassee on Monday
Local time
4:36 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
9 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
9h 13m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Palmetto Bay, FL to Tallahassee, FL covers 496.8 miles and takes about 9h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Florida's Turnpike, I 75, I 10. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 248 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 248.4 miles from Palmetto Bay, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $82.99 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 496.8 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: near the start (Southwest 82nd Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 23.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.8 miles (Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Palmetto Bay, FL and Tallahassee, FL, road signs point toward Orlando and Florida's Turnpike Toll North.
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