Hialeah to Live Oak is 392.6 miles and takes about 7h 19m via Florida's Turnpike and I-75, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Florida, taking you from the southern part of the state up towards the Georgia border. With 98% of the route on major highways, expect a consistent pace for most of the trip. Plan for about two stops along the way to break up the drive. Given the duration, it's a manageable one-day trip if you get an early start.
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
196.3 miles from Hialeah, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Florida's Turnpike
264.1 mi
4h 47m
I 75
99.8 mi
1h 46m
West US Highway 90
19.9 mi
27m
SR 9
2.6 mi
4m
Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector
1.4 mi
2m
Northwest 135th Street
1 mi
2m
East 8th Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
East 4th Avenue
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 264.1 mi, about 4h 47m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~2,482 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,683
Quietest
2 AM
~405 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Hialeah, FL and Live Oak, FL.
1
Start on East 39th Street
191 ft·9 sec·East 39th Street
2
Turn right onto East 2nd Avenue
0.1 mi·31 sec·East 2nd Avenue
3
Turn right onto East 41st Street
0.3 mi·43 sec·East 41st Street
4
Turn left onto East 4th Avenue
0.5 mi·59 sec·East 4th Avenue
5
Turn right onto SR 932
0.5 mi·56 sec·East 49th Street
6
Turn left onto SR 953
0.7 mi·1 min·East 8th Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector
Toward SR 826 West: Florida's Turnpike TollUse the right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike
14
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
264 mi·4 hr 47 min·Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto Florida's Turnpike
0.2 mi·15 sec·Florida's Turnpike
Toward I 75 North: OcalaUse the straight lane.
16
Merge onto I 75
100 mi·1 hr 46 min·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 427Toward US 90: Lake City, Live OakUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
216 ft·10 sec
Toward US 90 WestUse the left lane.
19
Turn left onto US 90
20 mi·27 min·West US Highway 90
Use the straight lane.
20
Turn left onto Dowling Avenue
347 ft·15 sec·Dowling Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Dowling Avenue
Trip Plan
To comfortably complete this 7-hour drive in one day, aim to leave Hialeah by mid-morning at the latest. With two stops planned, you can break up the 392.6 miles into roughly two 3-hour segments. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 264.1-mile stretch on Florida's Turnpike, as services might be less frequent than you'd expect. The fuel cost is estimated at $62, so ensure your tank is full before you depart or at your first stop. The transition from highway to West US Highway 90 will signal the final leg of your trip.
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 196.3 miles from Hialeah, FL, or about 3h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 264.1 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 86 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 196.3 miles or 3h 40m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Live Oak, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hialeah, 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 Hialeah, FL
This is one driving day of about 392.6 miles and 7h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Hialeah, 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 Florida's Turnpike for about 264.1 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 372.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector
Keep slight right at fork onto Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.8 mi into trip|~9m in|SR 9
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 9
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
272.3 mi into trip|~5h 3m in|Florida's Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto Florida's Turnpike toward I 75 North: Ocala
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 75 North: Ocala
8
372.3 mi into trip|~6h 50m in
Take the exit toward US 90: Lake City, Live Oak
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 427
Toward US 90: Lake City, Live Oak
8
372.6 mi into trip|~6h 51m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 90 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 90 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$62.49 one way
$124.98 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg137 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$68.12
$136.24
premium
$4.74
$73.31
$146.62
diesel
$5.35
$82.69
$165.39
Estimated Tolls: $18.47
Florida's Turnpike
(263.9 mi)$18.47
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
$62
Tolls
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$106–$131
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 137.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
117.8
1
$41.22
$18.84
Efficient EV
98.2
1
$34.35
$15.70
EV Truck/SUV
157
1
$54.96
$25.13
Gas CO2
137 kg
EV CO2
46 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.
Forecast as of Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Hialeah, FL
Afternoon
in Hialeah on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
W 2 to 7 mph67% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued June 1 at 4:37AM EDT until June 2 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Destination
Live Oak, FL
Afternoon
in Live Oak on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 5 to 9 mph31% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued June 1 at 4:37AM EDT until June 2 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Tallahassee 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
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 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 19m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on highways for nearly the entire 392.6-mile trip, with 98% of it on major roads like Florida's Turnpike and I-75. The longest continuous stretch without significant exits or changes is 264.1 miles on Florida's Turnpike. After that, you'll transition to West US Highway 90 for the remainder of the drive, which will feel more like cruising through towns. Be prepared for a significant amount of highway driving.
98% 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: 264.1 mi on Florida's Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Florida's Turnpike and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector.
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 19 significant decision points across 392.6 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 2.1 miles (Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (SR 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 272.3 miles (Florida's Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 19m. Total distance: 392.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 19m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 264.1 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $18.47 in tolls one way, starting with Florida's Turnpike. 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.
Yes — we found about 35 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 Live Oak, 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 35 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (Northwest 42nd Avenue-37th Avenue Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (SR 9): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 272.3 miles (Florida's Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Biscayne National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.3 hours each way, a round trip means 14.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Live Oak, FL before the return drive.
