This straightforward 70.7-mile drive from Crescent City, FL, to Orlando, FL, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 36 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $11, it's an economical option for a quick journey within Florida. The route primarily utilizes I-4, with initial and final segments on local roads like South Summit Street and Center Street. Given its short duration and minimal stops recommended, you'll have plenty of flexibility to depart at your convenience and arrive in Orlando refreshed. This trip offers a simple transition from one Florida locale to another.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.4 miles from Crescent City, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 4
29.7 mi
35m
South Summit Street
12.1 mi
16m
Center Street
11.6 mi
15m
North Spring Garden Avenue
5.1 mi
8m
North US Highway 17
3.9 mi
5m
FL 472
2.7 mi
3m
South Woodland Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
South State Road 15a
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 29.7 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crescent City, FL and Orlando, FL.
1
Start on Central Avenue
74 ft·7 sec·Central Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 17
12 mi·16 min·South Summit Street
3
Continue on US 17
12 mi·15 min·Center Street
4
Enter roundabout onto US 17
117 ft·1 sec·North US Highway 17
5
Continue on US 17
3.8 mi·5 min·North US Highway 17
6
Take the exit
254 ft·6 sec
7
Continue on FL 15A
5.1 mi·8 min·North Spring Garden Avenue
8
Continue on FL 15A
1.4 mi·2 min·South State Road 15a
9
Continue on FL 15A
0.3 mi·31 sec·West Taylor Road
10
Turn right onto US 17; US 92
1.4 mi·2 min·South Woodland Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
12
Continue on FL 472
2.7 mi·3 min·FL 472
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 4 WestUse the right lane.
14
Merge onto I 4
19 mi·21 min·I 4
Use the right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 4
10 mi·13 min·I 4
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 84BToward Ivanhoe BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
17
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·1 min·this road
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
18
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·34 sec·this road
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
19
Merge onto I 4
0.7 mi·55 sec·I 4
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·27 sec
Exit 83Toward Anderson StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn left onto West Anderson Street
0.2 mi·44 sec·West Anderson Street
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto Boone Avenue
0.1 mi·22 sec·Boone Avenue
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto West South Street
198 ft·4 sec·West South Street
24
Turn slight right
103 ft·3 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 1-hour and 36-minute drive covering 70.7 miles, departing in the morning or mid-afternoon can help you avoid the heaviest traffic heading into Orlando. Since it's a relatively short trip with no recommended stops, you can easily complete it in one go, but consider a quick fuel top-off before leaving Crescent City to ensure you have enough for your Orlando plans. The estimated $11 fuel cost is budget-friendly, so you won't need to worry much about gas. A specific tip for this route is to pay close attention to your GPS as you transition off I-4, as the final approach into Orlando involves navigating several local roads.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.4 miles from Crescent City, FL, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.7 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 16 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.4 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Orlando, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Crescent City, FL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Crescent City, FL
This is one driving day of about 70.7 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Crescent City, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 4 for about 29.7 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 39.1 and 70.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
39.1 mi into trip|~56m in
Take the exit toward I 4 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 4 West
6
57.9 mi into trip|~1h 17m in|I 4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
68.3 mi into trip|~1h 31m in
Take the exit toward Ivanhoe Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 84B
Toward Ivanhoe Boulevard
7
70.1 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward Anderson Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 83
Toward Anderson Street
6
70.6 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|Boone Avenue
Turn left onto Boone Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.25 one way
$22.51 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$12.24
$24.48
premium
$4.72
$13.15
$26.29
diesel
$5.61
$15.61
$31.22
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.7 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
21.2
0
$7.42
$3.39
Efficient EV
17.7
0
$6.19
$2.83
EV Truck/SUV
28.3
0
$9.90
$4.52
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Crescent City, FL
Late night
in Crescent City on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Orlando, FL
Late night
in Orlando on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Patchy Fog then Sunny
NE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive 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.
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
33 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
1h 36m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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.
Fort Matanzas National Monument
National Monument
Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified coquina watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. It also protect...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, with 51% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 29.7 miles on I-4, offering a period of consistent speed. However, the drive begins and ends with time spent on local streets such as South Summit Street and Center Street, which may involve more varied traffic and lower speeds. This blend means you'll experience both efficient highway travel and the more typical characteristics of urban and suburban road navigation as you approach Orlando.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.7 mi on I 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 39.1 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 39.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.9 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 68.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 70.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.7 miles on I 4. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 39.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.9 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 68.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Fort Matanzas National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Orlando, FL before heading back.
