Fort Lauderdale to San Carlos Park is 125.3 miles and takes about 2h 23m via I 75, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip entirely within Florida, connecting two points in the southern part of the state. Given its relatively short duration and high highway share, it's an ideal option for a single-day journey. You'll spend most of your time on interstate highways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently. Expect a drive that prioritizes speed and directness over scenic detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
62.7 miles from Fort Lauderdale, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
104.3 mi
1h 51m
Port Everglades Expressway
11.5 mi
13m
Three Oaks Parkway
2.8 mi
4m
East Broward Boulevard
1.6 mi
3m
Corkscrew Road
0.7 mi
1m
San Carlos Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
Tampa Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 104.3 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Lauderdale, FL and San Carlos Park, FL.
1
Start on SR 842
1.6 mi·3 min·East Broward Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 95 South: Miami
3
Keep slight right at fork
2.2 mi·3 min
Toward I 595: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International AirportUse the slight right lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork
1.0 mi·2 min
Toward I 595 WestUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 595
1.4 mi·1 min·Port Everglades Expressway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 595
10 mi·11 min·Port Everglades Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 75
104 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Exit 123Toward CR 850: EsteroUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
273 ft·8 sec
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto CR 850
0.7 mi·1 min·Corkscrew Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Three Oaks Parkway
2.8 mi·4 min·Three Oaks Parkway
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto San Carlos Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·San Carlos Boulevard
13
Turn left onto Tampa Road
0.2 mi·49 sec·Tampa Road
14
Arrive at destination
Tampa Road
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of under 2.5 hours, this is a perfect same-day trip, offering flexibility in your departure time. You can easily leave in the morning and arrive by lunchtime, or depart after lunch and reach your destination with plenty of daylight. Given the short duration and limited stops, you likely won't need extensive breaks, but it's always wise to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach the 104.3-mile stretch on I 75, as services can be spaced out on longer highway segments. Planning around the $20 fuel cost should be straightforward for this distance.
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 62.7 miles from Fort Lauderdale, FL, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.3 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 28 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.7 miles or 1h 12m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Carlos Park, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Lauderdale, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Fort Lauderdale, FL
This is one driving day of about 125.3 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Fort Lauderdale, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 104.3 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 121.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 595: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 595: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale...
7
3.9 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 595 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 595 West
6
6.3 mi into trip|~11m in|I 595 / Port Everglades Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 595 / Port Everglades Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
120.7 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Take the exit toward CR 850: Estero
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 123
Toward CR 850: Estero
6
121.1 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.94 one way
$39.89 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$21.70
$43.39
premium
$4.72
$23.30
$46.60
diesel
$5.61
$27.66
$55.33
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.6
0
$13.16
$6.01
Efficient EV
31.3
0
$10.96
$5.01
EV Truck/SUV
50.1
0
$17.54
$8.02
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Late night
in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy
E 6 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:27AM EDT until April 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued April 18 at 2:27AM EDT until April 20 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Destination
San Carlos Park, FL
Late night
in San Carlos Park on Sunday
Local time
3:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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.
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
9 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
2h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 95% of the drive utilizing major roadways like I 75. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 104.3 miles on I 75, which forms the backbone of this journey. The Port Everglades Expressway and Three Oaks Parkway also contribute to the highway character, offering quick connections. Expect a consistent driving experience characterized by higher speeds and efficient travel, typical of an interstate-centric route. The road primarily serves as a conduit, designed for covering distance swiftly.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104.3 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Port Everglades Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 125.3 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 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (I 595 / Port Everglades Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean in the US state of Florida. It is known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive canal system. Situated in Broward County in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area, the city's population is over 180,000 (2021).
The city is most famous for its beaches and boats, and while the city of Fort Lauderdale is relatively small in area, the term 'Fort Lauderdale' is often used to refer to the larger metropolis that has grown up around it. It is the county seat for Broward county, and is part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area, which has over 6.1 million people (2019).
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 125.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 104.3 miles on I 75. 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 San Carlos Park, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (I 595 / Port Everglades Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Carlos Park, FL before heading back.
