Elena's Restaurant
Later in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: 7 AM–3 PM
+19415751888
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 13m
Distance
228.8 mi
368 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hollywood, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Palmetto, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Hollywood, FL to Palmetto, FL is 228.8 miles and takes about 4h 13m via I 75 and Port Everglades Expressway, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route keeps you within Florida for its entirety, primarily utilizing major highways for efficient travel. Expect a straightforward drive that's well-suited for a single-day trip, making it a practical option for getting between these two Florida locations. The majority of the trip is on the interstate, so it's a relatively quick transit.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
114.4 miles from Hollywood, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 6m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 205 mi | 3h 39m |
| Port Everglades Expressway | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| US 301 | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| I 95 | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Hollywood Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 46 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,826 veh/hr typical · worst 3,424
Quietest
2 AM
~185 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Hollywood, FL and Palmetto, FL.
Start on SR 820
Continue on SR 820
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 820
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 595
Keep slight right at fork onto I 595
Merge onto I 75
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn left onto US 301
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Given this is a 4-hour drive, leaving in the morning from Hollywood, FL, will allow you to reach Palmetto, FL, with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated at $36, you have flexibility in planning your pace. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 205 miles on I 75, so consider a brief stop before or during that segment. Keep an eye on traffic conditions, especially as you approach major urban areas within Florida, though the overall drive is designed for efficiency.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 50 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.4 miles or 2h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Palmetto, FL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Hollywood, 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 Hollywood, FL
This is one driving day of about 228.8 miles and 4h 13m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
114 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.
A short stop after about 50 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 114.4 miles from Hollywood, 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 205 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Best meal stop · final third
Punta Gorda, Florida
Later in the drive, short detour
Hours: 7 AM–3 PM
+19415751888
Unwined Wine Bar & Eatery
Punta Gorda, Florida
Tacos La Pasadita, Inc.
Palmetto, Florida
Best coffee break · home stretch
Palmetto, Florida
Near the end, right off the route
Hours: 7 AM–2 PM
+19412195282
Los Dos Cristianos Coffee Shop
North Port, Florida
Downtown Kava
Punta Gorda, Florida
Later in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: 7 AM–3 PM
+19415751888
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: 3–10 PM
+19412863296
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Palmetto, Florida
Hours: 10 AM–8 PM
+19418995972
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Venice, Florida
Hours: 11 AM–9 PM
+19412186418
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
North Port, Florida
Hours: 11 AM–9 PM
+19412578036
Later in the drive, ~12 min detour
Port Charlotte, Florida
Hours: 8 AM–4 PM
+19412583500
Visit websiteNear the end, ~10 min detour
Palmetto, Florida
+19413441336
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Palmetto, Florida
Hours: 11 AM–8 PM
+18135508972
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Palmetto, Florida
Hours: 7 AM–2 PM
+19412195282
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
North Port, Florida
Hours: 7 AM–2 PM
+19414836516
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: 7 AM–10 PM
+19415050562
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: 8 AM–2 AM
+19413477147
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Nokomis, Florida
Hours: 9 AM–8 PM
+19414124334
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
North Fort Myers, Florida
Hours: 7 AM–2 PM
+12395670300
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Venice, Florida
Hours: 9 AM–2:15 PM
+19419992428
Near the end, short detour
Venice, FL
Hours: 8 AM–3 PM
+19418823198
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, right off the route
Fort Myers, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18555023851
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18777983752
Later in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18889982546
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18447112474
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Venice, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Punta Gorda, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18777983752
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Venice, Florida
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18336224743
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Davie, Florida
Hours: 10 am–5:30 pm
+19542804359
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Plantation, Florida
Hours: 10 am–6 pm
+19544522558
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Hallandale Beach, Florida
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+19544571452
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Hollywood, Florida
Hours: 8 am–7:30 pm
+19543575161
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Hours: 8 am–5 pm
+13058490135
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
Bonita Springs, Florida
Hours: 9 am–4 pm
+12399922591
Visit websiteNear the end, ~9 min detour
Sarasota, Florida
Hours: 12–4 pm
+19413716377
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, ~9 min detour
Naples, Florida
Hours: Closed
+12392524021
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 8.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 820 / Hollywood Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward I 95 North: West Palm Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 595: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 595 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 595 / Port Everglades Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$34.64 one way
$69.27 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $38.00 | $76.01 |
| premium | $4.55 | $40.99 | $81.97 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $43.20 | $86.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 68.6 | 0 | $24.02 | $10.98 |
| Efficient EV | 57.2 | 0 | $20.02 | $9.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 91.5 | 1 | $32.03 | $14.64 |
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Hollywood on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Palmetto on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is almost entirely on highways, with a 98% highway share. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on I 75, covering a longest stretch of 205 miles on this interstate. The transition to surface roads will likely occur near your destination in Palmetto, FL, as you exit the main highway system. Expect a high volume of exits and potential traffic merging as you navigate these major arteries.
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 0.8 miles in near SR 820 / Hollywood Boulevard.
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 13 significant decision points across 228.8 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 0.8 miles (SR 820 / Hollywood Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
56 ft
Total Descent
52 ft
Highest Point
33 ft
~212.5 mi in
Elevation Range
24 ft
Founded 1921
Hollywood is a city in Florida, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. With a population of 153,000 people (2022), Hollywood is a relatively small city that retains an old, laid-back, Florida feel to it compared to the larger cities in the area.
Top landmarks
Founded 1897
Palmetto is a city in Manatee County. Destinations in nearby Ellenton are also included within this article.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 13m. Total distance: 228.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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