Origin
Bartow, FL
Late night in Bartow on Sunday
Local time
3:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bartow, FL to Orlando, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
64.1 mi
103 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bartow, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Orlando, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bartow, FL to Orlando, FL is 64.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via I 4, Polk Parkway, and Bartow Road, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip between two points in central Florida, primarily utilizing major highways. You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, making it a quick connection for those looking to travel between these two cities. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times. The route is efficient, designed for swift transit rather than leisurely sightseeing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 39.6 mi | 45m |
| Polk Parkway | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| Bartow Road | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| South Division Avenue | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Broadway Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West South Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Kaley Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 39.6 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bartow, FL and Orlando, FL.
1
Start on Main Street
51 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto Broadway Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 98
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Bartow Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward FL 570 East Toll: Polk Parkway East
5
Merge onto FL 570 Toll
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Polk Parkway
6
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 570 Toll
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Polk Parkway
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
8
Merge onto I 4
20 mi
·
21 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 4
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 4
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 81
Toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
13
Turn slight right onto West Kaley Street
264 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Kaley Street
14
Turn left onto South Division Avenue
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
South Division Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto West South Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
West South Street
16
Turn slight right
103 ft
·
3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32 miles from Bartow, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 62.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Broadway Avenue
Turn right onto Broadway Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
42.3 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
I 4
Keep slight left at fork onto I 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
55.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
I 4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
62 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 81
Toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street
6
62.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
South Division Avenue
Turn left onto South Division Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.20 one way
$20.41 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $11.10 | $22.20 |
| premium | $4.72 | $11.92 | $23.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.15 | $28.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
| Efficient EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.97 | $4.10 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Orlando, FL
Late night in Orlando on Sunday
Local time
3:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°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
1h 20m 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 route is 83% highway, meaning you'll be on high-speed roads for the vast majority of your drive. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 39.6 miles on I 4. You'll transition from Bartow Road onto the Polk Parkway before merging onto I 4. Expect a high volume of traffic and numerous exits as you approach the Orlando area, typical for a major interstate corridor.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.6 mi on I 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and Polk Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Broadway Avenue.
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 64.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 (Broadway Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.3 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.7 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Bartow, FL
Full guide →Bartow is a historic, Southern town in Polk County, Florida. As county seat, there is a large difference in the number of people in the town during the day and the number of people who reside in Bartow.
Arriving in Orlando, FL
Full guide →For the broader urban area including suburbs and other nearby destinations, please see the Greater Orlando article. Orlando deserves its reputation as the theme park capital of the world, with an estimated 52 million visitors a year. The city is best known for its theme parks Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, but it holds a lot to offer besides those two amusement meccas. Countless hotels and restaurants cater to business conventions and other events hosted by organizations from all over the country. Outside the theme park districts and hotels, however, lies much more to be explored, including downtown, areas of untouched wilderness, world-class museums and theaters, and old towns with dining and nightlife. At the center of the state of Florida, in Orange County, Orlando is about an hour from each coast.
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 1h 20m. Total distance: 64.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.6 miles on I 4. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Orlando, 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: near the start (Broadway Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.3 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.7 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Orlando, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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