Miramar, FL to Lake City, FL is 362.3 miles and takes about 6h 40m via Florida's Turnpike and I-75, with a fuel budget near $57 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Florida, moving from the southern part of the state up towards the northern region. It's a predominantly highway route, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for a direct drive. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained interstates, so it's a solid choice for a single-day journey without significant detours.
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
181.1 miles from Miramar, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Florida's Turnpike
258.5 mi
4h 41m
I 75
95.2 mi
1h 41m
Southwest State Road 47
3.6 mi
5m
Southwest Main Boulevard
1.5 mi
2m
Pembroke Road
1.2 mi
2m
South 62nd Avenue
1 mi
2m
Bahama Drive
0.4 mi
1m
West Arcadia Drive
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 258.5 mi, about 4h 41m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
11 AM
~2,820 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,734
Quietest
2 AM
~427 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.6×
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 Miramar, FL and Lake City, FL.
1
Start on Bahama Drive
0.4 mi·1 min·Bahama Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto Tropicana Street
158 ft·12 sec·Tropicana Street
3
Turn left onto West Arcadia Drive
527 ft·24 sec·West Arcadia Drive
4
Turn right onto SR 824
1.2 mi·2 min·Pembroke Road
5
Turn left onto South 62nd Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·South 62nd Avenue
6
Turn left onto SR 820
441 ft·25 sec·Hollywood Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
Turn left
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll: Miami, OrlandoUse the left lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike North, Orlando
9
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
258 mi·4 hr 40 min·Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
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.
11
Merge onto I 75
95 mi·1 hr 41 min·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 423Toward FL 47: Fort White, Lake CityUse the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto FL 47
3.6 mi·5 min·Southwest State Road 47
14
Turn straight onto US 41; US 441 Truck
1.5 mi·2 min·Southwest Main Boulevard
15
Turn right
39 ft·2 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 40m estimated drive time, starting your trip in the morning from Miramar, FL, will allow you to arrive in Lake City, FL, well before sunset. With only one recommended stop, plan for a single significant break along Florida's Turnpike, perhaps around the halfway point, to refuel and stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 258.5-mile stretch on Florida's Turnpike, as services can be spaced out. The overall highway nature of the route means you'll encounter many exits, so stay alert when you need to navigate off the main interstates towards the end.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 181.1 miles from Miramar, FL, or about 3h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 258.5 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 80 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 181.1 miles or 3h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake City, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Miramar, 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 Miramar, FL
This is one driving day of about 362.3 miles and 6h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Miramar, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Florida's Turnpike for about 258.5 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 357 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|West Arcadia Drive
Turn left onto West Arcadia Drive
Navigation decision point
9
2.8 mi into trip|~7m in
Turn left toward Florida's Turnpike Toll: Miami, Orlando
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll: Miami, Orlando
6
3 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Florida's Turnpike North, Orlando
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Florida's Turnpike North, Orlando
7
261.6 mi into trip|~4h 49m 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
357 mi into trip|~6h 31m in
Take the exit toward FL 47: Fort White, Lake City
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 423
Toward FL 47: Fort White, Lake City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.67 one way
$115.34 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg127 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$62.86
$125.72
premium
$4.74
$67.65
$135.31
diesel
$5.35
$76.31
$152.62
Estimated Tolls: $18.08
Florida's Turnpike
(258.3 mi)$18.08
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
$58
Tolls
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$101–$126
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 126.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
108.7
1
$38.04
$17.39
Efficient EV
90.6
1
$31.70
$14.49
EV Truck/SUV
144.9
1
$50.72
$23.19
Gas CO2
127 kg
EV CO2
42 kg (67% 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
Miramar, FL
Afternoon
in Miramar on Wednesday
Local time
3:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 5 mph1% 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
Lake City, FL
Afternoon
in Lake City on Wednesday
Local time
3:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 5 to 9 mph40% 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
10 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
6h 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on the highway for 98% of this 362.3-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 258.5 miles on Florida's Turnpike. After this, you'll transition to I-75 and then Southwest State Road 47, which will be your primary surface road segments. Expect a significant amount of cruising on high-speed, limited-access roads.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 258.5 mi on Florida's Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 0.5 miles in near West Arcadia Drive.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 362.3 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 0.5 miles (West Arcadia Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Lake City is a city of 12,000 people (2019) in North Central Florida. Lake City is known as "The Gateway to Florida" because it is adjacent to the intersection of Interstate 75 and Interstate 10. It was founded as the "Town of Alligator" in 1821.
Top landmarks
•Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum — museum in Lake City, Florida
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 40m. Total distance: 362.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 40m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 258.5 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $18.08 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 Lake City, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 35 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (West Arcadia Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lake City, FL before the return drive.
