Origin
Lakeland, FL
Morning in Lakeland on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakeland, FL to Sweetwater, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
53.4 mi
86 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeland, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Sweetwater, FL
Matt Fitz Gibaud
Trip Overview
This 53.4-mile drive from Lakeland, FL, to Sweetwater, FL, is a straightforward, single-day trip that should take about 1 hour and 24 minutes to complete. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, it's an economical option for a quick journey within Florida. The route is primarily highway-focused, making it an efficient way to travel between these two points. You'll spend about 65% of your time on highways, experiencing a consistent driving pace. Given its short duration, this route is perfectly suited for a day trip without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Spessard Holland Parkway | 30.1 mi | 43m |
| Bartow Road | 10.7 mi | 16m |
| Sweetwater Road | 5.9 mi | 14m |
| US 17 | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Van Fleet Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Broadway Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Lime Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Walnut Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Spessard Holland Parkway
— 30.1 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeland, FL and Sweetwater, FL.
1
Start on East Walnut Street
279 ft
·
16 sec
·
East Walnut Street
2
Turn left onto South Lake Avenue
269 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Lake Avenue
3
Turn right onto East Lime Street
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
East Lime Street
4
Turn right onto US 98
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Bartow Road
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on US 98
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 98; FL 60
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Fleet Drive
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto US 17; US 98
30 mi
·
43 min
·
Spessard Holland Parkway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 17
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 17
9
Continue on US 17
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
US 17
10
Continue on US 17
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 17
11
Turn left onto Sweetwater Road
5.9 mi
·
14 min
·
Sweetwater Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Crewsville Road
84 ft
·
2 sec
·
Crewsville Road
13
Arrive at destination
Crewsville Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.7 miles from Lakeland, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 47.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Lake Avenue
Turn left onto South Lake Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Lime Street
Turn right onto East Lime Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 98 / Bartow Road
Turn right onto US 98 / Bartow Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
11.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 98; FL 60 / Van Fleet Drive
Turn left onto US 98; FL 60 / Van Fleet Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
Sweetwater Road
Turn left onto Sweetwater Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.50 one way
$17.00 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $9.25 | $18.49 |
| premium | $4.72 | $9.93 | $19.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.79 | $23.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.48 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Sweetwater, FL
Morning in Sweetwater on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 24m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 53.4-mile trip. Approximately 65% of the drive will be on faster-paced roads, allowing you to cover ground efficiently. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.1 miles along Spessard Holland Parkway. As you transition from Bartow Road to Sweetwater Road, the character of the drive remains largely consistent with its highway-centric profile, offering a predictable journey for drivers.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.1 mi on Spessard Holland Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Spessard Holland Parkway and Bartow Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Lake Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 24m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Lake Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Lime Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 98 / Bartow Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
196 ft
63 ft
Total Climb
100 ft
Total Descent
210 ft
Highest Point
196 ft
Elevation Range
133 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Lakeland, FL
Full guide →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.
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 24m. Total distance: 53.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.1 miles on Spessard Holland Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (South Lake Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Lime Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 98 / Bartow Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sweetwater, 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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