Origin
St. Petersburg, FL
Afternoon in St. Petersburg on Sunday
Local time
3:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL
Drive Time
3h 13m
Distance
176.7 mi
284 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
St. Petersburg, FL
Arian Fernandez
Trip Overview
The drive from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL covers 176.7 miles and takes about 3h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 5th Avenue North, I 275 North, I 4 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.52 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
88.4 miles from St. Petersburg, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 36m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 13m drive with frequent turns across 176.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
5th Avenue North 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL is easy. At 3h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 5th Avenue North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 275 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 4 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| FL 570 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Polk Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 98 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bartow Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Broadway Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
5th Avenue North
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St. Petersburg, FL and Port Saint Lucie, FL.
1
Start on 34th Street South
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
34th Street South
2
Turn right onto 5th Avenue North
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
5th Avenue North
3
Take the ramp left toward I 275 North
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 275 North
4
Merge slight left
21 mi
·
27 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 4 East: Orlando
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
I 4 East: Orlando
6
Continue straight
26 mi
·
28 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
8
Continue on Polk Parkway
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Polk Parkway
9
Take the exit slight right toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
10
Turn right onto Bartow Road
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Bartow Road
11
Continue on Broadway Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway Avenue
12
Turn left onto Van Fleet Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Fleet Drive
13
Continue straight
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
14
Continue straight
11 mi
·
13 min
15
Continue straight
4.3 mi
·
5 min
16
Continue straight
46 mi
·
59 min
17
Take the exit left
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
18
Continue straight
295 ft
·
7 sec
19
Keep slight right to continue on Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
20
Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike
50 mi
·
53 min
·
Florida's Turnpike
21
Take the exit slight right toward Port Saint Lucie
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Port Saint Lucie
22
Continue on Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
482 ft
·
15 sec
·
Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
23
Turn right onto Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
24
Turn left onto Southeast Airoso Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast Airoso Boulevard
25
Turn left onto Southwest Carter Avenue
217 ft
·
9 sec
·
Southwest Carter Avenue
26
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 88.4 miles from St. Petersburg, FL, or about 1h 36m 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 80 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.4 miles or 1h 36m 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 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Port Saint Lucie, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving St. Petersburg, 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 St. Petersburg, FL
This is one driving day of about 176.7 miles and 3h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from St. Petersburg, 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 88.4 mi from St. Petersburg, FL · 1h 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
88 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 88.4 miles from St. Petersburg, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Port Saint Lucie, FL
The final approach into Port Saint Lucie, 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 Port Saint Lucie, 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
$29.52 one way
$59.03 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
62 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $31.97 | $63.95 |
| premium | $4.90 | $34.06 | $68.12 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $39.26 | $78.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 53 | 0 | $18.55 | $8.48 |
| Efficient EV | 44.2 | 0 | $15.46 | $7.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.7 | 0 | $24.74 | $11.31 |
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Destination
Port Saint Lucie, FL
Afternoon in Port Saint Lucie on Sunday
Local time
3:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
63°F
Eagle Lake, FL
88 mi in
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
2 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 13m 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 St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL covers 176.7 miles and takes about 3h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 5th Avenue North, I 275 North, I 4 East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 88.4 miles from St. Petersburg, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.52 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.
The drive from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL is easy. At 3h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from St. Petersburg, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Port Saint Lucie, FL
More trips to Port Saint Lucie, FL
Explore more options from St. Petersburg, FL or browse trips ending in Port Saint Lucie, FL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse FL road trips.
Explore maps for St. Petersburg, FL or Port Saint Lucie, FL on MapSof.net.