Clearwater, FL to Callaway, FL is 327.3 miles and takes about 7h 25m via US 19 and Blountstown Highway, with a fuel budget near $51 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Florida, moving from the Gulf Coast inland. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel, making it a solid option for a single-day trip. The estimated fuel cost provides a good baseline for budgeting your expenses.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
163.7 miles from Clearwater, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 19
177.5 mi
3h 59m
Blountstown Highway
49.2 mi
1h 7m
Hampton Springs Avenue
38.6 mi
49m
Bloxham Cutoff Road
30.8 mi
42m
US 231
16.1 mi
20m
Star Avenue
6.7 mi
10m
Sunset Point Road
2.6 mi
4m
North Belcher Road
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 19
— 177.5 mi, about 3h 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, FL and Callaway, FL.
1
Start on North Fort Harrison Avenue
1.1 mi·2 min·North Fort Harrison Avenue
2
Turn right onto Marshall Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·Marshall Street
3
Continue on Marshall Street
118 ft·2 sec·Marshall Street
4
Continue on Fulton Avenue
0.1 mi·12 sec·Fulton Avenue
5
Enter roundabout onto Fairmont Street
32 ft·0 sec·Fairmont Street
6
Continue on Fairmont Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·Fairmont Street
7
Continue on Douglas Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Douglas Avenue
8
Turn right onto CR 576
2.6 mi·4 min·Sunset Point Road
9
Turn left onto CR 501
1.1 mi·1 min·North Belcher Road
10
Keep slight right at fork onto Countryside Boulevard
0.8 mi·1 min·Countryside Boulevard
11
Turn left onto US 19 Northbound Frontage Road
0.5 mi·59 sec·US 19 Northbound Frontage Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward US 19 North
13
Merge onto US 19
178 mi·3 hr 59 min·US 19
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 98
39 mi·49 min·Hampton Springs Avenue
15
Turn right onto FL 267
31 mi·42 min·Bloxham Cutoff Road
16
At end of road, turn left onto FL 20; FL 267
0.7 mi·57 sec·Jackson Bluff Road
17
Continue on FL 20; FL 267
49 mi·1 hr 7 min·Blountstown Highway
18
Turn left onto US 231
16 mi·20 min·US 231
19
Turn left onto CR 2293; CR 2315
6.7 mi·10 min·Star Avenue
20
Turn right onto FL 22
0.2 mi·24 sec·Wewa Highway
21
Arrive at destination
FL 22
Trip Plan
To maximize daylight and minimize fatigue, aim to depart Clearwater in the early morning. With two recommended stops and a drive time of over 7 hours, breaking up the journey is wise. Consider taking your first break around the halfway point, or after completing the 177.5-mile stretch on US 19. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition to Blountstown Highway and Hampton Springs Avenue, where services might be less frequent than on the main highway. The $51 fuel estimate is a good starting point for planning your budget.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 163.7 miles from Clearwater, FL, or about 3h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 72 miles or 1h 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163.7 miles or 3h 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Callaway, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clearwater, FL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clearwater, FL
This is one driving day of about 327.3 miles and 7h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 miles from Clearwater, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 19 for about 177.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 7.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|Fairmont Street
Enter roundabout onto Fairmont Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|CR 576 / Sunset Point Road
Turn right onto CR 576 / Sunset Point Road
Navigation decision point
4
5.9 mi into trip|~11m in|Countryside Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto Countryside Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
6.7 mi into trip|~13m in|US 19 Northbound Frontage Road
Turn left onto US 19 Northbound Frontage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
7.5 mi into trip|~14m in|US 19
Merge onto US 19
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.63 one way
$105.25 round trip
$4.08/gal25.4 MPG avg115 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.46
$57.41
$114.81
premium
$4.78
$61.62
$123.24
diesel
$6.28
$80.87
$161.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
98.2
1
$34.37
$15.71
Efficient EV
81.8
0
$28.64
$13.09
EV Truck/SUV
130.9
1
$45.82
$20.95
Gas CO2
115 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Oct 21, 2026
Origin
Clearwater, FL
Night
in Clearwater on Thursday
Local time
9:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Clear
NE 7 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 21 at 2:24AM EDT until October 23 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 21 at 2:24AM EDT until October 23 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL
Destination
Callaway, FL
Evening
in Callaway on Thursday
Local time
8:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Clear
NE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 21 at 2:24AM EDT until October 23 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 21 at 2:24AM EDT until October 23 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Jacksonville FL
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
12 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 25m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is 59% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of the 7h 25m driving on higher-speed roads. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 177.5 miles on US 19. You’ll transition from highway speeds to surface roads, indicated by changes in the road environment and potentially more local traffic. Expect to encounter a mix of cruising and navigating through populated areas.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 177.5 mi on US 19.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near Fairmont Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 25m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 13 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (Fairmont Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.2 miles (CR 576 / Sunset Point Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (Countryside Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Clearwater is a city in Pinellas County, a region in Florida.
Perhaps most easily recognized as the headquarters city of the Church of Scientology, Clearwater also has miles of beautiful beaches and close proximity to other cities in the Tampa Bay area.
Top landmarks
•Belleview-Biltmore Hotel — hotel in Clearwater, United States of America
•Donald Roebling Estate — historic residential estate in Clearwater, within Pinellas County, FL
The longest stretch is about 177.5 miles on US 19. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Callaway, FL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (Fairmont Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.2 miles (CR 576 / Sunset Point Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (Countryside Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.4 hours each way, a round trip means 14.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Callaway, FL before the return drive.
