Origin
Apollo Beach, FL
Morning in Apollo Beach on Tuesday
Local time
6:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apollo Beach, FL to Brandon, FL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
17.8 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apollo Beach, FL
Chris The Island
Brandon, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion between Apollo Beach and Brandon, Florida, you will find this 17.8-mile trip to be a straightforward connection. Clocking in at approximately 26 minutes, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend about $3 on fuel for the journey, making it a very economical commute. By utilizing a combination of I-75, Tamiami Trail, and West Brandon Boulevard, you will navigate through the heart of the Florida region with ease. This drive is ideal for those who prefer a practical, no-nonsense path between these two points without the need for additional stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| West Brandon Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Tamiami Trail | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Big Bend Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Apollo Beach Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| Fairway Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 7.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apollo Beach, FL and Brandon, FL.
1
Start on Fairway Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Fairway Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Apollo Beach Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Apollo Beach Boulevard
3
Turn left onto US 41
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Tamiami Trail
4
Turn right onto CR 672
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Big Bend Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
1.4 mi
·
3 min
Toward I 75 North: Tampa
6
Merge onto I 75
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 257
Toward FL 60: Brandon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward FL 60: Brandon
9
Keep slight right at fork
514 ft
·
14 sec
Toward FL 60 East: Brandon
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto FL 60
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Brandon Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 60
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Brandon Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on FL 60
98 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Brandon Boulevard
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
FL 60
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 5.6 and 16.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward FL 60: Brandon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 257
Toward FL 60: Brandon
5
14.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward FL 60: Brandon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward FL 60: Brandon
7
15.1 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward FL 60 East: Brandon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward FL 60 East: Brandon
6
16.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
FL 60 / West Brandon Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 60 / West Brandon Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.83 one way
$5.67 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $3.08 | $6.16 |
| premium | $4.72 | $3.31 | $6.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.93 | $7.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.87 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Brandon, FL
Morning in Brandon on Tuesday
Local time
6:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°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
3 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
26m 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?
Expect a mixed driving experience that blends fast-paced interstate travel with busier local corridors. About 44% of your journey will take place on highways, providing a balanced feel behind the wheel. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 7.9-mile segment on I-75, where you can maintain a steady pace before transitioning into the more localized flow of West Brandon Boulevard. The route shifts from the open feel of the interstate to the more frequent intersections characteristic of Tamiami Trail. Overall, it provides a functional transition between regions rather than a monotonous grind, keeping your drive engaging as the environment shifts.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.6 miles in near I 75.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 17.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in Apollo Beach, FL
Full guide →Founded 1923
Arriving in Brandon, FL
Full guide →Founded 1857
Brandon is a commuter city to the east of Tampa near Florida's West Coast, near the junction of Interstate 4 and Interstate 75.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 17.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Brandon, FL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — De Soto National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brandon, FL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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