Origin
Kissimmee, FL
Morning in Kissimmee on Tuesday
Local time
6:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kissimmee, FL to Lakeland, FL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
43.5 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kissimmee, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Lakeland, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Kissimmee to Lakeland is 43.5 miles and takes about 1 hour via I 4 and South Orange Blossom Trail, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Florida, moving from the Orlando metro area towards the Tampa Bay region. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on highway, making it an easy choice for a quick relocation or an add-on to another Florida adventure. You won't need an overnight stay for this leg, offering flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 23.3 mi | 25m |
| South Orange Blossom Trail | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| Osceola Polk Line Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| John Young Parkway | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Lakeland Hills Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Massachusetts Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Socrum Loop Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Lake Morton Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 23.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kissimmee, FL and Lakeland, FL.
1
Start on this road
58 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
288 ft
·
23 sec
3
Turn right
234 ft
·
19 sec
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 17 Truck; US 92 Truck
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
John Young Parkway
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 17; US 92
6.8 mi
·
10 min
·
South Orange Blossom Trail
6
Take the exit
423 ft
·
11 sec
Use the right lane.
7
Turn straight onto CR 532
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Osceola Polk Line Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn slight left onto CR 532
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Champions Gate Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
10
Merge onto I 4
23 mi
·
25 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 33
Toward CR 582: Lakeland
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto CR 582
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
North Socrum Loop Road
13
Turn right onto FL 33
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Lakeland Hills Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on North Massachusetts Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Massachusetts Avenue
15
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Morton Drive
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lake Morton Drive
16
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
422 ft
·
18 sec
·
East Walnut Street
17
Arrive at destination
East Walnut Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Kissimmee, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 17 Truck; US 92 Truck / John Young Parkway
At end of road, turn right onto US 17 Truck; US 92 Truck / John Young Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
10.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
15.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 4
Merge onto I 4
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
38.4 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward CR 582: Lakeland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 33
Toward CR 582: Lakeland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.92 one way
$13.85 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
| premium | $4.72 | $8.09 | $16.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.60 | $19.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.57 | $2.09 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Lakeland, FL
Morning in Lakeland on Tuesday
Local time
6:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
89°F
Davenport, FL
22 mi in
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
2 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 on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
About 61% of this 43.5-mile route is highway, with the longest continuous stretch on I 4 covering 23.3 miles. Once you leave the interstate, you'll transition to surface roads like South Orange Blossom Trail and Osceola Polk Line Road. Expect a more suburban feel with frequent intersections as you move off the main highway.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on I 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and South Orange Blossom Trail. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.5 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 17 Truck; US 92 Truck / John Young Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
196 ft
62 ft
Total Climb
162 ft
Total Descent
38 ft
Highest Point
196 ft
~43.5 mi in
Elevation Range
134 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.
On the drive from Kissimmee, FL to Lakeland, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 582: Lakeland along the way.
Cr 582: Lakeland
38.4 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Starting in Kissimmee, FL
Full guide →Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County. Kissimmee (pronounced /kiˈsimi/, accent on second syllable) is a popular Central Florida tourist destination because of its sunny weather, spring training baseball for major league clubs, and close proximity to Disney World.
Arriving in Lakeland, FL
Full guide →Founded 1875
Lakeland is the largest city in Polk County, Florida. It is home to Florida Southern College, which has the largest collection of buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright at a single site in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Child of the Sun — Florida
- • Polk Theatre — movie theater and theater in Lakeland, Florida
- • Beacon Hill-Alta Vista Residential District — historic district in Florida, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 43.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 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 Lakeland, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 17 Truck; US 92 Truck / John Young Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lakeland, FL before heading back.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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