Origin
Shady Hills, FL
Evening in Shady Hills on Thursday
Local time
5:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shady Hills, FL to Lakeland, FL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
55.6 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shady Hills, FL
Jose Valverde
Lakeland, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Shady Hills, FL to Lakeland, FL covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 98, State Road 52, Shady Hills Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.5 miles on US 98. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 55.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Shady Hills, FL to Lakeland, FL covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 26m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 98 is the longest continuous segment at about 25.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Monteverde Drive.
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 26m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Monteverde Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Shady Hills Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (FL 52 / State Road 52): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Monteverde Drive
Turn left onto Monteverde Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Shady Hills Road
At end of road, turn left onto Shady Hills Road
Navigation decision point
5
6.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
FL 52 / State Road 52
At end of road, turn left onto FL 52 / State Road 52
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
28.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
US 98
Turn left onto US 98
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
54.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
North Massachusetts Avenue
Turn right onto North Massachusetts Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 98 | 25.5 mi | 35m |
| State Road 52 | 14.8 mi | 21m |
| Shady Hills Road | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| McCabe Road | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Clinton Avenue | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| North Massachusetts Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Bosley Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Monteverde Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 98
— 25.5 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shady Hills, FL and Lakeland, FL.
1
Start on Dalberg Drive
137 ft
·
11 sec
·
Dalberg Drive
2
Turn left onto Monteverde Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Monteverde Drive
3
Turn right onto Bosley Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Bosley Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto Shady Hills Road
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Shady Hills Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto FL 52
15 mi
·
21 min
·
State Road 52
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on FL 52
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
McCabe Road
7
Continue on FL 52
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Clinton Avenue
8
Turn right onto US 98; US 301
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 98; US 301
9
Turn left onto US 98
25 mi
·
34 min
·
US 98
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto US 92
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Memorial Boulevard
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto North Massachusetts Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Massachusetts Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Morton Drive
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lake Morton Drive
13
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
422 ft
·
18 sec
·
East Walnut Street
14
Arrive at destination
East Walnut Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.8 mi from Shady Hills, FL · 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 27.8 miles from Shady Hills, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lakeland, FL
The final approach into Lakeland, 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
$8.85 one way
$17.70 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $9.63 | $19.25 |
| premium | $4.72 | $10.34 | $20.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.28 | $24.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.78 | $3.56 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (63% 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
Lakeland, FL
Evening in Lakeland on Thursday
Local time
5:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
22 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
1h 26m 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 Shady Hills, FL to Lakeland, FL covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 98, State Road 52, Shady Hills Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.8 miles from Shady Hills, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.85 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 26m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Monteverde Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (Shady Hills Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (FL 52 / State Road 52): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Shady Hills, FL to Lakeland, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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