Origin
Tampa, FL
Evening in Tampa on Thursday
Local time
7:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tampa, FL to Ridgecrest, FL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
35m
Distance
23.4 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tampa, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Ridgecrest, FL
Matt Fitz Gibaud
Trip Overview
The drive from Tampa, FL to Ridgecrest, FL covers 23.4 miles and takes about 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 275, Ulmerton Road, North Ashley Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.9 miles on I 275. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 23.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Tampa, FL to Ridgecrest, FL covers 23.4 miles and takes about 35m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 275 is the longest continuous segment at about 11.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 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 23.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.1 miles (I 275): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 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.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 275 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 275 South
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 275
Merge onto I 275
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
FL 688; CR 803
Take the exit onto FL 688; CR 803 toward FL 688 West: St Pete–Clearwater International Airport, Indian Rocks Beach, Largo
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 31
Toward FL 688 West: St Pete–Clearwater Internat...
8
13.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
FL 688 / Ulmerton Road
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 688 / Ulmerton Road toward FL 688 West: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Ulmerton Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward FL 688 West: St. Pete-Clearwater Interna...
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 Ridgecrest, FL, road signs point toward Indian Rocks Beach and Largo.
Indian Rocks Beach
13 mi in
|
~17m
|
via FL 688; CR 803
Largo
13 mi in
|
~17m
|
via FL 688; CR 803
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 275 | 11.9 mi | 14m |
| Ulmerton Road | 9.9 mi | 16m |
| North Ashley Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| FL 688 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 121st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 120th Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Kennedy Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 275
— 11.9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and Ridgecrest, 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 left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 275 South
Use the slight left lane.
5
Merge onto I 275
12 mi
·
14 min
·
I 275
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto FL 688; CR 803
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
FL 688; CR 803
Exit 31
Toward FL 688 West: St Pete–Clearwater International Airport, Indian Rocks Beach, Largo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 688
9.9 mi
·
16 min
·
Ulmerton Road
Toward FL 688 West: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Ulmerton Road
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto 121st Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
121st Street
9
Continue on 120th Lane
441 ft
·
19 sec
·
120th Lane
10
Arrive at destination
120th Lane
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.72 one way
$7.45 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $4.05 | $8.10 |
| premium | $4.72 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.17 | $10.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Ridgecrest, FL
Evening in Ridgecrest on Thursday
Local time
7:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
35m 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 Ridgecrest, FL covers 23.4 miles and takes about 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 275, Ulmerton Road, North Ashley Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.7 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 $3.72 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 23.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.1 miles (I 275): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Tampa, FL and Ridgecrest, FL, road signs point toward Indian Rocks Beach and Largo.
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