Origin
Tampa, FL
Afternoon in Tampa on Saturday
Local time
3:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tampa, FL to Montverde, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 47m
Distance
81.6 mi
131 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 40m
★
6 AM
1h 48m
8 AM
2h 4m
10 AM
1h 53m
12 PM
1h 52m
3 PM
1h 54m
5 PM
2h 3m
8 PM
1h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tampa, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Montverde, FL
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
Trip Overview
Tampa to Montverde is 81.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 47 minutes via I 4, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Florida, taking you from the Tampa region to the Montverde area. It's a fairly direct trip focused on getting you to your destination efficiently. Given its relatively short duration, this is an easy same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.8 miles from Tampa, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 47m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 37.1 mi | 40m |
| Commonwealth Avenue | 11.3 mi | 15m |
| Commonwealth Avenue North | 10.8 mi | 13m |
| CR 561 | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Lakeshore Drive | 4.6 mi | 8m |
| CR 455 | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| FL 50 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Citrus Tower Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 37.1 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and Montverde, 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
37 mi
·
40 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 38
Toward FL 33: Polk City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto FL 33
373 ft
·
5 sec
·
Lakeland Hills Boulevard
10
Continue on FL 33
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Commonwealth Avenue
11
Enter roundabout onto FL 33
131 ft
·
2 sec
·
Commonwealth Avenue North
12
Continue on FL 33
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Commonwealth Avenue North
13
Turn slight right onto CR 561
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
CR 561
14
Turn slight right onto Lakeshore Drive
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Lakeshore Drive
15
Turn left onto Lakeshore Drive
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Lakeshore Drive
16
Turn right onto Anderson Hill Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Anderson Hill Road
17
At end of road, turn right onto US 27
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
US 27
18
Turn left onto Johns Lake Road
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Johns Lake Road
19
Turn left onto Citrus Tower Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Citrus Tower Boulevard
20
Turn right onto FL 50
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
FL 50
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on FL 50
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
FL 50
22
Turn left onto CR 455
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
CR 455
23
Enter roundabout onto CR 455; CR Old 50
101 ft
·
2 sec
·
CR 455; CR Old 50
24
Continue on CR 455; CR Old 50
482 ft
·
10 sec
·
CR 455; CR Old 50
25
Enter roundabout onto CR 455
162 ft
·
3 sec
·
CR 455
26
Continue on CR 455
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
CR 455
27
Enter roundabout
93 ft
·
1 sec
28
Continue
146 ft
·
3 sec
29
Turn straight onto CR 455
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Street
30
Turn right onto Franklin Avenue
228 ft
·
9 sec
·
Franklin Avenue
31
Arrive at destination
Franklin Avenue
Trip Plan
With a total drive time under two hours, this route offers great flexibility for when you choose to depart. Leaving early in the morning can help you avoid potential traffic congestion on I 4. Since there are no specific stops suggested, you can decide to fuel up before you leave Tampa or at a convenient point along I 4, keeping the $13 fuel budget in mind. The 37.1-mile stretch on I 4 means you can cover a good distance without needing to exit, so plan your restroom breaks accordingly before embarking on longer highway segments.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.8 miles from Tampa, FL, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.1 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 18 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.8 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Montverde, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Tampa, FL
This is one driving day of about 81.6 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Tampa, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 4 for about 37.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.8 miles from Tampa, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 74.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
39.1 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward FL 33: Polk City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38
Toward FL 33: Polk City
6
74.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 36m in
|
FL 50
Turn right onto FL 50
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.99 one way
$25.98 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $14.13 | $28.26 |
| premium | $4.72 | $15.17 | $30.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.02 | $36.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.57 | $3.92 |
| Efficient EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.14 | $3.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.6 | 0 | $11.42 | $5.22 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Montverde, FL
Afternoon in Montverde on Saturday
Local time
3:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
81°F
Polk City, FL
41 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
15 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 47m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive has a highway-focused profile, with 62% of the journey utilizing major roadways like I 4. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 37.1 miles on I 4, which suggests a significant portion of the drive will be on this high-speed corridor. Expect a steady pace for much of the trip, interspersed with transitions onto Commonwealth Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue North as you approach Montverde. The character is primarily about efficient travel rather than winding backroads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 31 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 37.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and Commonwealth Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Ashley Drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 81.6 miles you will encounter 18 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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 81.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Tampa, FL to Montverde, FL covers 81.6 miles and takes about 1h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 4, Commonwealth Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue North. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.8 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 $12.99 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 81.6 miles you will encounter 18 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.
The route from Tampa, FL to Montverde, FL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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