Origin
St. Petersburg, FL
Evening in St. Petersburg on Friday
Local time
8:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from St. Petersburg, FL to Winston, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
52.5 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
St. Petersburg, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Winston, FL
Matt Fitz Gibaud
Trip Overview
The drive from St. Petersburg, FL to Winston, FL covers 52.5 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 4, I 275, New Tampa Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.7 miles on I 4. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 52.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 6m highway drive covering 52.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 4 and I 275. The longest continuous stretch is about 24.7 miles on I 4.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 4 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and I 275. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near I 275.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (I 275): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 275
Merge onto I 275
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
23.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 4 East: Orlando
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 45B
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
7
48.6 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward County Line Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25
Toward County Line Road
5
49 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
County Line Road
Turn right onto County Line Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
49.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
US 92 / New Tampa Highway
Turn left onto US 92 / New Tampa Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 24.7 mi | 27m |
| I 275 | 21.4 mi | 27m |
| New Tampa Highway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| 5th Avenue North | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| County Line Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 34th Street South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Airport Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Old Tampa Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 24.7 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St. Petersburg, FL and Winston, FL.
1
Start on US 19
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
34th Street South
2
Turn right onto FL 595
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
5th Avenue North
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 275 North
4
Merge onto I 275
21 mi
·
27 min
·
I 275
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 45B
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 4
25 mi
·
27 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 25
Toward County Line Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto County Line Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
County Line Road
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto US 92
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
New Tampa Highway
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto FL 572
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Airport Road
11
Turn left onto CR 542
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Old Tampa Highway
12
Arrive at destination
CR 542
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.2 mi from St. Petersburg, FL · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 26.2 miles from St. Petersburg, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Winston, FL
The final approach into Winston, 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
$8.36 one way
$16.71 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $9.09 | $18.18 |
| premium | $4.72 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.59 | $23.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.35 | $3.36 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Winston, FL
Evening in Winston on Friday
Local time
8:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
26 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 6m 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 Winston, FL covers 52.5 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 4, I 275, New Tampa Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.2 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 $8.36 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (I 275): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from St. Petersburg, FL to Winston, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include De Soto National Memorial.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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