Origin
North Sarasota, FL
Morning in North Sarasota on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Sarasota, FL to St. Petersburg, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
34.2 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Sarasota, FL
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
St. Petersburg, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
North Sarasota to St. Petersburg is 34.2 miles and takes about 48 minutes via Sunshine Skyway Bridge and US 19/301, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip connects two points in Florida, offering a straightforward transit between them. You'll primarily be on a mix of highway and surface roads, making it an easy drive. With only one day recommended, this route is perfect for a quick transfer or a day trip without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Skyway Bridge | 14.3 mi | 16m |
| US 301 | 12.3 mi | 18m |
| US 19 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| University Parkway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Tuttle Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 31st Street South | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 34th Street South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Golf Course Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
— 14.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Sarasota, FL and St. Petersburg, FL.
1
Start on Golf Course Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golf Course Drive
2
Turn left onto North Tuttle Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Tuttle Avenue
3
Turn left onto University Parkway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
University Parkway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto US 301
12 mi
·
18 min
·
US 301
5
Turn straight onto US 19
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 19
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit onto US 19
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 19
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
8
Merge onto I 275; US 19
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 20
Toward 31st Street South
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
161 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Winery, Treasure Island, Tropicana Field
11
Turn left onto 31st Street South
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
31st Street South
12
Turn left onto 5th Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
5th Avenue South
13
Turn right onto US 19
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
34th Street South
14
Arrive at destination
US 19
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from North Sarasota, 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 1.3 and 33.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
University Parkway
Turn left onto University Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
18.6 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Merge onto I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
32.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward 31st Street South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 20
Toward 31st Street South
7
33.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Winery, Treasure Island, Tropicana Field
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Winery, Treasure Island, Tropicana Field
5
33.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
US 19 / 34th Street South
Turn right onto US 19 / 34th Street South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.44 one way
$10.89 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $5.92 | $11.84 |
| premium | $4.72 | $6.36 | $12.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.00
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
(14.3 mi)
$1.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
St. Petersburg, FL
Morning in St. Petersburg on Sunday
Local time
9:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°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
22 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
48m 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 half of this 34.2-mile drive is on highways. The longest continuous stretch, 14.3 miles, is on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, so expect a significant portion of the drive to be on elevated, high-speed roadways. After the highway sections, you'll transition to US 19 and US 301, which will have more exits and local traffic to navigate. Keep an eye out for urban merging as you approach St. Petersburg.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.3 mi on Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near University Parkway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 34.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (University Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 34.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.3 miles on Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.00 in tolls one way, starting with Sunshine Skyway Bridge. 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 2 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 St. Petersburg, 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 1.3 miles (University Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 275; US 19 / Sunshine Skyway Bridge): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — De Soto National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at St. Petersburg, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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