Origin
Tampa, FL
Morning in Tampa on Friday
Local time
7:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tampa, FL to Auburndale, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
44.5 mi
72 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tampa, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Auburndale, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Tampa to Auburndale is 44.5 miles and takes about 59 minutes via I 4, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive entirely within Florida, connecting two points in the central part of the state. Given the brief duration and minimal mileage, this trip is perfectly suited for a same-day excursion. You'll primarily be on interstate highway, making it an efficient way to get from point A to point B with little fuss. Consider this route for its simplicity and speed when you need to travel between these two locations.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 44.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 64% of the journey taking place on high-speed roads, primarily I 4. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 27.7 miles on I 4, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions onto East Memorial Boulevard and then Memorial Boulevard as you approach your destination, introducing a more local feel after the interstate segment. Expect a relatively smooth and direct experience, with minimal complexity as you navigate between these central Florida cities.
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 27.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and East Memorial Boulevard. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Ashley Drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 44.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (North Ashley Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Ashley Drive
Turn right onto North Ashley Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 275 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 275 North
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m 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
29.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Lakeland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28
Toward Lakeland
6
44.1 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tampa, FL to Auburndale, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Lakeland along the way.
Lakeland
29.6 mi in
|
~34m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| East Memorial Boulevard | 10.6 mi | 17m |
| Memorial Boulevard | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| I 275 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Ashley Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Kennedy Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Bartow Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 27.7 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and Auburndale, FL.
1
Start on FL 60
400 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Kennedy Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Ashley Drive
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Ashley Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 275
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 275 North
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 275
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 275
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 45B
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 4
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 28
Toward Lakeland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto FL 546
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Memorial Boulevard
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on US 92
11 mi
·
17 min
·
East Memorial Boulevard
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
North Bartow Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.3 mi from Tampa, FL · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.3 miles from Tampa, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Auburndale, FL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Auburndale, FL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.08 one way
$14.17 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $7.71 | $15.41 |
| premium | $4.72 | $8.27 | $16.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.83 | $19.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.23 | $2.85 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Auburndale, FL
Morning in Auburndale on Friday
Local time
7:14 AM
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
4 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
59m 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 Tampa, FL to Auburndale, FL covers 44.5 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 4, East Memorial Boulevard, Memorial Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.3 miles from Tampa, FL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.08 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 44.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (North Ashley Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tampa, FL to Auburndale, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Lakeland along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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