Origin
Lakeland Highlands, FL
Morning in Lakeland Highlands on Sunday
Local time
6:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakeland Highlands, FL to Orlando, 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 19m
Distance
61.5 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeland Highlands, FL
Matt Fitz Gibaud
Orlando, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a short trip from Lakeland Highlands, Florida, to Orlando, Florida? This drive covers 61.5 miles and should take you about 1 hour and 19 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey, making it perfect for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily be on I-4 and Polk Parkway, with a small portion on Lake Miriam Drive. With an estimated fuel cost of just $10, it's an economical option for a quick getaway within the same state. This route is designed for efficiency, getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 39.6 mi | 45m |
| Polk Parkway | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| Lake Miriam Drive | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Lakeland Highlands Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Division Avenue | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Scott Lake Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West South Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Kaley Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 39.6 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeland Highlands, FL and Orlando, FL.
1
Start on CR 37A
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Scott Lake Road
2
Turn right onto Lake Miriam Drive
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Miriam Drive
3
Turn left onto CR 37B
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Lakeland Highlands Road
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward FL 570 East Toll: Polk Parkway East
5
Merge onto FL 570 Toll
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 570 Toll
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Polk Parkway
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
8
Merge onto I 4
20 mi
·
21 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 4
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 4
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 81
Toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
13
Turn slight right onto West Kaley Street
264 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Kaley Street
14
Turn left onto South Division Avenue
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
South Division Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto West South Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
West South Street
16
Turn slight right
103 ft
·
3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.7 miles from Lakeland Highlands, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 59.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway
Merge onto FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
I 4
Keep slight left at fork onto I 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
53.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
I 4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
59.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 81
Toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street
6
59.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
South Division Avenue
Turn left onto South Division Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.79 one way
$19.58 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $10.65 | $21.30 |
| premium | $4.72 | $11.44 | $22.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.58 | $27.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.5 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 | 18.5 | 0 | $6.46 | $2.95 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.61 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Orlando, FL
Morning in Orlando on Sunday
Local time
6:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 5 mph
1% chance
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
29 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 19m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 89% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 39.6 miles on I-4 without interruption, indicating a consistent pace for much of your journey. The profile suggests a smooth, predictable experience, ideal for covering ground quickly. While primarily interstate, the inclusion of Polk Parkway and Lake Miriam Drive might offer slight variations in the road's character as you transition between these main arteries. Expect a driving experience geared towards reaching your destination efficiently.
89% 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: 39.6 mi on I 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and Polk Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in near FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.5 miles you will encounter 12 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: at 4.5 miles (FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.1 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Orlando, FL
Full guide →For the broader urban area including suburbs and other nearby destinations, please see the Greater Orlando article. Orlando deserves its reputation as the theme park capital of the world, with an estimated 52 million visitors a year. The city is best known for its theme parks Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, but it holds a lot to offer besides those two amusement meccas. Countless hotels and restaurants cater to business conventions and other events hosted by organizations from all over the country. Outside the theme park districts and hotels, however, lies much more to be explored, including downtown, areas of untouched wilderness, world-class museums and theaters, and old towns with dining and nightlife. At the center of the state of Florida, in Orange County, Orlando is about an hour from each coast.
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 19m. Total distance: 61.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.6 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 Orlando, 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: at 4.5 miles (FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.1 miles (I 4): 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 Orlando, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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