Origin
Clearwater, FL
Morning in Clearwater on Friday
Local time
7:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clearwater, FL to Key West, FL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 57m
Distance
425 mi
684 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$66
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 50m
★
6 AM
8h 58m
8 AM
9h 14m
10 AM
9h 3m
12 PM
9h 2m
3 PM
9h 4m
5 PM
9h 13m
8 PM
8h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clearwater, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Key West, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Clearwater, FL to Key West, FL is 425 miles and takes about 8h 57m via Drew Street and US 19 South, with a fuel budget near $65 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Florida, taking you through coastal and southern regions of the state. With no highway driving and a surface road profile, expect a more leisurely pace. This route is recommended for 2 days, suggesting you'll want to break up the drive to fully enjoy the experience and avoid a marathon day on the road.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
212.5 miles from Clearwater, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 203.8 mi | 3h 38m |
| Overseas Highway | 104.2 mi | 2h 42m |
| Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike | 34.5 mi | 40m |
| Dixie Highway | 19.2 mi | 26m |
| US 27 | 17.9 mi | 22m |
| Sunshine Skyway Bridge | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| I 275 | 11.2 mi | 14m |
| US Highway 19 North | 10.1 mi | 14m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 203.8 mi, about 3h 38m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 92 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,831 veh/hr typical · worst 3,554
Quietest
2 AM
~187 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, FL and Key West, 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
355 ft
·
8 sec
·
Southbound Frontage Road
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 19 South
6
Merge onto US 19
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
US Highway 19 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 19
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
US Highway 19 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 19
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
34th Street North
9
Turn left onto 54th Avenue North
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
54th Avenue North
Use the left lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 275 South
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 275
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 275
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
13
Merge onto I 275; US 19
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 275
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 275
Toward I 75 South: Naples
15
Merge onto I 75
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
176 mi
·
3 hr 8 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward US 27: Miami, South Bay
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward US 27 South: Miami
19
Merge onto US 27
9.2 mi
·
11 min
·
US 27
Use the right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 27
8.6 mi
·
11 min
·
US 27
Use the straight lane.
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike South: Homestead, Key West
22
Merge onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
35 mi
·
40 min
·
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
24
Merge onto US 1
19 mi
·
26 min
·
Dixie Highway
Use the left lane.
25
Continue on US 1
104 mi
·
2 hr 42 min
·
Overseas Highway
Use the straight lane.
26
Turn right onto US 1
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
North Roosevelt Boulevard
27
Turn left onto George Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
George Street
28
Arrive at destination
George Street
Trip Plan
Given the 8-hour-plus driving time, splitting this trip over 2 days is strongly recommended to make it more enjoyable. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize your daylight hours, especially if you plan to stop and explore along the way. With 2 recommended stops, plan for at least one overnight stay to break up the 425 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel as you get further south, as services can become more spread out on surface roads.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 212.5 miles from Clearwater, FL, or about 4h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 203.8 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 94 miles or 1h 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 212.5 miles or 4h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 212.5 miles or 4h
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Key West, 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.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clearwater, FL
Aim for roughly 213 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Key West, FL
Aim for roughly 213 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 94 miles from Clearwater, FL.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 203.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
213 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Doral, FLOvernight Options
Night 1
213 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Doral, FL after about 213 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 94 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 212.5 miles from Clearwater, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 203.8 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 213 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
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 235 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 255 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward US 19 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 19 South
5
4.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 19 / US Highway 19 North
Merge onto US 19 / US Highway 19 North
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 19 / US Highway 19 North
Keep slight left at fork onto US 19 / US Highway 19 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
69.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
255 mi into trip
|
~4h 47m in
|
US 27
Keep slight right at fork onto US 27
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$65.72 one way
$131.45 round trip
$3.93/gal
25.4 MPG avg
149 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.30 | $71.98 | $143.96 |
| premium | $4.63 | $77.40 | $154.81 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $93.68 | $187.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.01
Homestead Extension
(34.5 mi)
$2.07
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
(13.4 mi)
$0.94
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$66
Tolls
$3
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$199–$309
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 148.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 127.5 | 1 | $44.63 | $20.40 |
| Efficient EV | 106.3 | 1 | $37.19 | $17.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 170 | 2 | $59.50 | $27.20 |
Gas CO2
149 kg
EV CO2
50 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Key West, FL
Morning in Key West on Friday
Local time
7:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
1 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
8h 57m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
In May 1539, Conquistador Hernando de Soto’s army of soldiers, hired mercenaries, craftsmen, and clergy made landfall in Tampa Bay. They were met with fierce resistance of indigenous people protecting...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 44
View on nps.gov
Biscayne National Park
National Park
Within sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs. Evidence of 10,000 years of human history is here to...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 293.1
View on nps.gov
Everglades National Park
National Park
Established in 1947 as the first national park created for its biodiversity, Everglades National Park protects 1.5 million acres of wetland, forest, and marine habitats and the native plants and anima...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
$35
near mile 307.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any limited-access highways. You'll primarily use Drew Street, Southbound Frontage Road, and US 19 South. With a 0% highway share, be prepared for a consistent pace with frequent intersections and potential traffic lights. The longest stretch without a stop is not specified, but given the profile, anticipate regular opportunities to pull over.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 203.8 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Overseas Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 425 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 4.7 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19 North): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19 North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
31 ft
0 ft
Total Climb
45 ft
Total Descent
71 ft
Highest Point
31 ft
~91.1 mi in
Elevation Range
31 ft
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 Key West, FL, road signs point toward Bay and Florida's Turnpike South: Homestead.
Bay
245.1 mi in
|
~4h 35m
Florida's Turnpike South: Homestead
263.6 mi in
|
~4h 58m
About the Cities
Starting in Clearwater, FL
Full guide →Founded 1891
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
Arriving in Key West, FL
Full guide →Founded 1828
Key West, in the Florida Keys, is a city and an island of the same name. It is the county seat of Monroe County and is considered the southernmost city in the continental United States.
Top landmarks
- • Ernest Hemingway House — house and museum in Key West, Florida, USA
- • Sloppy Joe's — historic bar in Key West, Florida
- • USCGC Ingham — 1936 Treasury-class cutter
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 203.8 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 213 miles on day one.
Expect about $3.01 in tolls one way, starting with Homestead Extension. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Key West, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 4.7 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19 North): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (US 19 / US Highway 19 North): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — De Soto National Memorial, Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.0 hours each way, a round trip means 17.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Key West, FL before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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