Origin
Beacon Square, FL
Late night in Beacon Square on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Beacon Square, FL
Samuel Etienne
Tampa, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Beacon Square to Tampa is 32.3 miles and takes about 53 minutes via US Highway 19, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, short drive entirely within Florida, connecting two points in the same state. The route offers a mixed driving experience, meaning you'll encounter both faster highway sections and more local road segments. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a single-day trip, and you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Plan for a quick journey, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 19 | 9.8 mi | 14m |
| Tampa Road | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| West Hillsborough Avenue | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| I 275 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Memorial Highway | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Moog Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Independence Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Veterans Expressway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Beacon Square, FL and Tampa, FL.
Start on Springfield Drive
Turn right onto Moog Road
Turn right onto US 19
Turn left onto CR 752
Continue on FL 580
Turn right onto CR 576
Turn slight right onto Independence Parkway
Take the ramp
Merge onto FL 589 Toll
Continue on FL 60
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 60
Take the exit
Merge onto I 275
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Turn slight right onto US 41 Business
Turn left onto East Twiggs Street
Turn right onto North Franklin Street
Turn right onto FL 60
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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.
A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Beacon Square, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 31.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 19 / US Highway 19
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 60 / Memorial Highway toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Downtown East, Downtown West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown West, Ashley Drive, Tampa Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Tampa Street, Seaport Aquarium, Amalie Arena, Harbour Island, Convention Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.14 one way
$10.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $5.59 | $11.19 |
| premium | $4.72 | $6.01 | $12.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Beacon Square on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Tampa on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This drive features a mixed profile, with about 47% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll experience a 9.8-mile stretch on US Highway 19, which provides a taste of consistent driving. The road will transition between these faster sections and the more stop-and-go nature of local roads like Tampa Road and West Hillsborough Avenue. Expect a dynamic drive that requires attention as you navigate these different environments. It’s not a monotonous cruise, but rather a varied trip that keeps you engaged behind the wheel.
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 1 miles in near US 19 / US Highway 19.
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 15 decision points packed into just 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Beacon Square, FL and Tampa, FL, road signs point toward Saint Petersburg and St. Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg
St. Petersburg
The city of Tampa is the county seat of Hillsborough County and the largest city on Florida's West Coast.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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