The drive from Tampa, FL to Fellsmere, FL covers 134.8 miles and takes about 2h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on FL 60, I 4, CR 512 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 78.6 miles on FL 60.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.46 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
67.4 miles from Tampa, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 24m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 50m. Total distance: 134.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 50m highway drive covering 134.8 miles, with most of the trip on FL 60 and I 4. The longest continuous stretch is about 78.6 miles on FL 60.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
FL 60 is the longest continuous segment at about 78.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on FL 60 and I 4. You will hit about 11 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 Effort6/10
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 134.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 11 key points
These 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
8
27.7 mi into trip|~32m in
Take the exit toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
8
37.6 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tampa, FL and Fellsmere, FL, road signs point toward Winter Haven and Bartow.
Winter Haven
27.7 mi in|~32m
Bartow
37.6 mi in|~44m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
FL 60
78.6 mi
1h 39m
I 4
25.8 mi
28m
CR 512
10.1 mi
14m
Polk Parkway
9.4 mi
10m
Bartow Road
6.9 mi
9m
I 275
0.7 mi
1m
Broadway Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Van Fleet Drive
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
FL 60
— 78.6 mi, about 1h 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and Fellsmere, 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 NorthUse 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 45BToward I 4 East: OrlandoUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 4
26 mi·28 min·I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Exit 27Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter HavenUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on FL 570 Toll
9.4 mi·10 min·Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Exit 10Toward US 98: Lakeland, BartowUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 98
6.9 mi·9 min·Bartow Road
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on US 98
0.6 mi·1 min·Broadway Avenue
13
Turn left onto US 98; FL 60
0.5 mi·1 min·Van Fleet Drive
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on FL 60
0.3 mi·26 sec·FL 60
15
Continue on FL 60
11 mi·13 min·FL 60
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on FL 60
4.3 mi·5 min·FL 60
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on FL 60
63 mi·1 hr 19 min·FL 60
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto CR 512
10 mi·14 min·CR 512
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left
56 ft·4 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 67.4 miles from Tampa, FL, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.6 miles.
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 30 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.4 miles or 1h 24m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fellsmere, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL
This is one driving day of about 134.8 miles and 2h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Tampa, 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.
The longest stretch is on FL 60 for about 78.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 67.4 mi from Tampa, FL
· 1h 24m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.46 one way
$42.91 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$23.34
$46.68
premium
$4.72
$25.07
$50.13
diesel
$5.61
$29.76
$59.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
3 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Blink Charging Station
Bartow, Florida
Blink
1 DCFC
Pilot Flying J Charging Station
Okeechobee, Florida
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Bartow, Florida
Tesla
1 DCFC
Blink: 1
Other: 1
Tesla: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.4
0
$14.15
$6.47
Efficient EV
33.7
0
$11.80
$5.39
EV Truck/SUV
53.9
0
$18.87
$8.63
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Tampa, FL
Afternoon
in Tampa on Saturday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Sunny
SSW 2 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Fellsmere, FL
Afternoon
in Fellsmere on Saturday
Local time
12:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
Eagle Lake, FL
67 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
28 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
2h 50m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 Fellsmere, FL covers 134.8 miles and takes about 2h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are FL 60, I 4, CR 512. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 67.4 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 $21.46 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 134.8 miles you will encounter 11 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.
Between Tampa, FL and Fellsmere, FL, road signs point toward Winter Haven and Bartow.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
