Origin
Panama City, FL
Morning in Panama City on Monday
Local time
11:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Panama City, FL to Tampa, FL
Drive Time
5h 44m
Distance
375.4 mi
604 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$63
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 32m
★
6 AM
5h 45m
8 AM
6h 11m
10 AM
5h 54m
12 PM
5h 51m
3 PM
5h 55m
5 PM
6h 10m
8 PM
5h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Panama City, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Tampa, FL
Arian Fernandez
Trip Overview
The drive from Panama City, FL to Tampa, FL covers 375.4 miles and takes about 5h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East 7th Street, Harrison Avenue, Selman Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $62.71 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
187.7 miles from Panama City, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 52m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 44m drive with frequent turns across 375.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East 7th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 44m 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 Panama City, FL to Tampa, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East 7th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Harrison Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Selman Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Greensboro Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 10 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I-75 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 275 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Downtown East-West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
East 7th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Panama City, FL and Tampa, FL.
1
Start on Luverne Avenue
430 ft
·
26 sec
·
Luverne Avenue
2
Turn left onto East 7th Street
226 ft
·
14 sec
·
East 7th Street
3
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Harrison Avenue
4
Continue straight
1.6 mi
·
2 min
5
Continue straight
1.3 mi
·
2 min
6
Continue straight
21 mi
·
27 min
7
Turn right
28 mi
·
39 min
8
Turn left
18 mi
·
24 min
9
Turn right onto Selman Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Selman Street
10
Continue on Greensboro Highway
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Greensboro Highway
11
Take the ramp slight right toward I 10 East: Tallahassee
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 East: Tallahassee
12
Merge slight left
121 mi
·
2 hr 10 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward I-75 South: Tampa
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
I-75 South: Tampa
14
Merge slight left
161 mi
·
2 hr 52 min
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 275 South: Tampa, Saint Petersburg
16 mi
·
19 min
·
I 275 South: Tampa, Saint Petersburg
16
Take the exit slight right toward Downtown East-West
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Downtown East-West
17
Keep slight right
253 ft
·
6 sec
18
Keep slight left to continue on Downtown East, Jefferson Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Downtown East, Jefferson Street
19
Continue on North Orange Avenue
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Orange Avenue
20
Turn straight onto Pierce Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Pierce Street
21
Turn right onto East Kennedy Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Kennedy Boulevard
22
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 187.7 miles from Panama City, FL, or about 2h 52m 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 83 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 187.7 miles or 2h 52m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tampa, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Panama City, 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 Panama City, FL
This is one driving day of about 375.4 miles and 5h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 83 miles from Panama City, 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.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 187.7 mi from Panama City, FL · 2h 52m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
188 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 83 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 187.7 miles from Panama City, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tampa, FL
The final approach into Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$62.71 one way
$125.42 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
131 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $67.93 | $135.85 |
| premium | $4.90 | $72.36 | $144.72 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $83.40 | $166.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$63
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 131.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 112.6 | 1 | $39.42 | $18.02 |
| Efficient EV | 93.9 | 1 | $32.85 | $15.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 150.2 | 1 | $52.56 | $24.03 |
Gas CO2
131 kg
EV CO2
44 kg (66% 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
Tampa, FL
Afternoon in Tampa on Monday
Local time
12:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
2 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
5h 44m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Panama City, FL to Tampa, FL covers 375.4 miles and takes about 5h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East 7th Street, Harrison Avenue, Selman Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 187.7 miles from Panama City, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $62.71 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 44m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Panama City, FL to Tampa, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Panama City, FL to Tampa, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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