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Trip from Mulberry, FL to Orlando, FL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 23m

Distance

66.6 mi

107 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 17m ★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Polk County, Florida, United States

Mulberry, FL

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States

Orlando, FL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Mulberry, FL to Orlando, FL is 66.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via I-4, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that connects two areas within Florida, making it ideal for a single-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, so expect a direct and efficient journey. The relatively short distance and clear route mean you can easily fit this into a busy schedule, whether you're heading to Orlando for business or pleasure.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 4 39.6 mi 45m
Polk Parkway 17.1 mi 20m
South Church Avenue 7.1 mi 11m
South Division Avenue 1.2 mi 3m
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 Mulberry, FL and Orlando, FL.

1

Start on FL 37

7.1 mi · 11 min · South Church Avenue
2

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward FL 570 East Toll: Polk Parkway East
3

Merge onto FL 570 Toll

5.4 mi · 6 min · Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Keep slight left at fork onto FL 570 Toll

12 mi · 13 min · Polk Parkway
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 36 sec
Toward I 4 East: Orlando
6

Merge onto I 4

20 mi · 21 min · I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 4

13 mi · 16 min · I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 4

6.3 mi · 7 min · I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 81 Toward Kaley Avenue, Michigan Street Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec
11

Turn slight right onto West Kaley Street

264 ft · 14 sec · West Kaley Street
12

Turn left onto South Division Avenue

1.2 mi · 3 min · South Division Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Turn right onto West South Street

0.3 mi · 51 sec · West South Street
14

Turn slight right

103 ft · 3 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Polk City, FL, FL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Polk City, FL

33 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.

Popular next leg

Polk City, FL to Orlando, FL

42.3 mi · 53m

Pacing Suggestions

Auburndale, FL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Polk City, FL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.3 miles from Mulberry, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 7.4 and 65 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
7.4 mi into trip | ~12m 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
44.7 mi into trip | ~54m 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
58.2 mi into trip | ~1h 10m 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
64.5 mi into trip | ~1h 18m 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
65 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in | South Division Avenue

Turn left onto South Division Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.60 one way

$21.20 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $11.53 $23.06
premium $4.72 $12.38 $24.77
diesel $5.61 $14.70 $29.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20 0 $6.99 $3.20
Efficient EV 16.7 0 $5.83 $2.66
EV Truck/SUV 26.6 0 $9.32 $4.26

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Mulberry, FL

Late night in Mulberry on Tuesday

Local time

5:16 AM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Orlando, FL

Late night in Orlando on Tuesday

Local time

5:16 AM

EDT

Current temp

90°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

90°F

Polk City, FL

33 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

25 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 23m 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?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with an impressive 85% of the journey taking place on major roads like I-4. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 39.6 miles on I-4, offering a consistent pace. While the primary route is on high-speed highways, you will also utilize roads like Polk Parkway and South Church Avenue, providing a brief transition off the interstate. The overall character is one of efficient travel, designed for covering ground quickly between these two Florida locations.

85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 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?

9/10

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 7.4 miles in near FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 7.4 miles (FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.7 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.2 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Mulberry, FL

Full guide →

Mulberry is a small city of roughly 3,000 residents in southwestern Polk County, Florida.

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 23m. Total distance: 66.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (85%). 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 7.4 miles (FL 570 Toll / Polk Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.7 miles (I 4): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.2 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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