Origin
Tampa, FL
Late night in Tampa on Friday
Local time
4:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tampa, FL to Whitfield, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
52 mi
84 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tampa, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Whitfield, FL
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
Trip Overview
This straightforward 52-mile drive from Tampa to Whitfield, Florida, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 8 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate via I-75 and the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, with a portion on Tamiami Trail. With a fuel cost estimated at $8, this trip is budget-friendly. The highway-focused profile means you'll spend a good amount of time on faster roads, making it an efficient journey. Since there are no recommended stops, you can complete this drive with minimal interruption, perfect for a quick day trip within Florida.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 52 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 52-mile trip, with 68% of the drive utilizing major roadways like I-75. The longest stretch you'll encounter without a break is 26.8 miles on I-75, offering a consistent pace. While the primary roads are interstates, you'll also experience sections of Tamiami Trail, which may offer a slight change in scenery and speed. This route is designed for efficiency, prioritizing direct travel over leisurely exploration.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 26.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Lee Roy Selmon Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 41 Business / North Tampa Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (US 41 Business / North Tampa Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (US 41 Business; FL 60 / East Jackson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 41 Business / North Tampa Street
Turn left onto US 41 Business / North Tampa Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 41 Business; FL 60 / East Jackson Street
Turn left onto US 41 Business; FL 60 / East Jackson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
35.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward I 275 North: Saint Petersburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 228
Toward I 275 North: Saint Petersburg
8
37.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward US 41: Palmetto, Bradenton
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 2
Toward US 41: Palmetto, Bradenton
8
37.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Palmetto, Bradenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / slight right lanes.
Toward Palmetto, Bradenton
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 Whitfield, FL, road signs point toward Bradenton and Palmetto.
Bradenton
37.6 mi in
|
~43m
Palmetto
37.9 mi in
|
~44m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 26.8 mi | 28m |
| Lee Roy Selmon Expressway | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| Tamiami Trail | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| 14th Street West | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| 1st Street West | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Cortez Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| I 275 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| East Jackson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 26.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and Whitfield, FL.
1
Start on FL 60
118 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Kennedy Boulevard
2
Turn left onto US 41 Business
296 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Tampa Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn left onto US 41 Business; FL 60
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jackson Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto East Jackson Street
69 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Jackson Street
5
Turn left onto North Nebraska Avenue
404 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Nebraska Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward FL 618 Toll East: Brandon
7
Merge onto FL 618 Toll
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Lee Roy Selmon Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 15A
Toward I 75 South: Naples
9
Merge onto I 75
27 mi
·
28 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 228
Toward I 275 North: Saint Petersburg
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 275
0.7 mi
·
44 sec
·
I 275
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 2
Toward US 41: Palmetto, Bradenton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
357 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Palmetto, Bradenton
Use the left / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 41
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Tamiami Trail
15
Continue on US 41; US 301
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Hernando DeSoto Bridge
16
Continue on US 41; US 301
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street West
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 41
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
1st Street West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on US 41
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cortez Road
19
Turn left onto US 41
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
14th Street West
20
Continue on US 41
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Tamiami Trail
21
Turn left onto Whitfield Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Whitfield Avenue
22
Turn right onto Buena Vista Avenue
355 ft
·
20 sec
·
Buena Vista Avenue
23
Turn left onto McArthur Avenue
525 ft
·
23 sec
·
McArthur Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
McArthur Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26 mi from Tampa, FL · 30m 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Tampa, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Whitfield, FL
The final approach into Whitfield, 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
$8.28 one way
$16.55 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $9.00 | $18.01 |
| premium | $4.72 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.48 | $22.96 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.78
Selmon Expressway
(7.8 mi)
$0.78
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
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
Whitfield, FL
Late night in Whitfield on Friday
Local time
4:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 8m 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 Whitfield, FL covers 52 miles and takes about 1h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 75, Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Tamiami Trail. 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 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 $8.28 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 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (US 41 Business / North Tampa Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (US 41 Business; FL 60 / East Jackson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Tampa, FL and Whitfield, FL, road signs point toward Bradenton and Palmetto.
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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