Origin
Clearwater, FL
Morning in Clearwater on Sunday
Local time
6:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clearwater, FL to Highland City, 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 23m
Distance
62.8 mi
101 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clearwater, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Highland City, FL
Larry Milligan
Trip Overview
Clearwater to Highland City is 62.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via I-4 and Polk Parkway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Florida, making it an easy same-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, so expect a straightforward drive with minimal complexity. It's a practical route for connecting these two points efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 25.8 mi | 28m |
| Polk Parkway | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Courtney Campbell Causeway | 8.2 mi | 10m |
| I 275 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Drew Street | 4.2 mi | 8m |
| Bartow Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Gulf to Bay Boulevard | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| FL 60 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 25.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, FL and Highland City, FL.
1
Start on North Fort Harrison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Fort Harrison Avenue
2
Turn right onto Drew Street
4.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Drew Street
3
Take the ramp
198 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto Southbound Frontage Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Southbound Frontage Road
5
Continue on this road
376 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
6
Take the exit
233 ft
·
6 sec
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto FL 60
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Gulf to Bay Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on FL 60
8.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Courtney Campbell Causeway
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on FL 60
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
FL 60
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 60
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
FL 60
Toward FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International Airport, Spruce Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 60
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Highway
Toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 275 North: Tampa
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 275
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
I 275
Toward I 275: Tampa
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 45B
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 4
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 27
Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on FL 570 Toll
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 10
Toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto US 98
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Bartow Road
Use the right lane.
20
Continue on US 98
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Bartow Road
21
Arrive at destination
US 98
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 31.4 miles from Clearwater, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 59.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
15.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
FL 60
Keep slight right at fork onto FL 60 toward FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International Airport, Spruce Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward FL 60 East, FL 616: Tampa International...
8
16.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
FL 60 / Memorial Highway
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward FL 60: Tampa, St. Petersburg
8
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
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 27
Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
8
59.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
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 10
Toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.00 one way
$19.99 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $10.87 | $21.75 |
| premium | $4.72 | $11.68 | $23.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.87 | $27.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 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 | 18.8 | 0 | $6.59 | $3.01 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.1 | 0 | $8.79 | $4.02 |
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
Highland City, FL
Morning in Highland City on Sunday
Local time
6:03 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
5 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
1h 23m 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 mostly highway, with 67% of the drive on major roads. You'll encounter a long stretch of 25.8 miles on I-4 before transitioning to other highways like Polk Parkway. Expect a fairly consistent driving experience with dense exits and merges as you navigate between these main arteries.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.8 mi on I 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 around 4.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.8 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (FL 60): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clearwater, FL and Highland City, FL, road signs point toward St. Petersburg, Winter Haven and Bartow.
St. Petersburg
16.6 mi in
|
~26m
|
via FL 60
Winter Haven
49.6 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Bartow
59.4 mi in
|
~1h 17m
About the Cities
Starting in Clearwater, FL
Full guide →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.
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 23m. Total distance: 62.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.8 miles on I 4. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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 Highland City, 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 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (FL 60): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.6 miles (FL 60 / Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland City, 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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