Plant City to Pembroke Pines is 228.8 miles and takes about 4h 32m via Florida's Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route covers ground within Florida, moving from the central part of the state down towards South Florida. Given its mostly highway profile and a single recommended day, this trip is a straightforward drive for those looking to get from point A to point B efficiently. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical choice for a quick transit between these two Florida locations.
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
114.4 miles from Plant City, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 24m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Florida's Turnpike
142.7 mi
2h 36m
FL 60
61.7 mi
1h 19m
Polk Parkway
8.7 mi
10m
Bartow Road
6.9 mi
9m
East Baker Street
3.5 mi
5m
New Tampa Highway
1.1 mi
1m
Broadway Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Van Fleet Drive
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 142.7 mi, about 2h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plant City, FL and Pembroke Pines, FL.
1
Start on North Warnell Street
342 ft·25 sec·North Warnell Street
2
Turn left onto US 92
351 ft·8 sec·Reynolds Street
3
Continue on US 92
3.5 mi·5 min·East Baker Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Continue on US 92
1.1 mi·1 min·New Tampa Highway
5
Turn right onto Clark Road
0.1 mi·23 sec·Clark Road
6
Turn right onto CR 542
0.1 mi·21 sec·Old Tampa Highway
7
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward FL 570 East Toll: Polk Parkway East
8
Merge onto FL 570 Toll
8.7 mi·10 min·Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Exit 10Toward US 98: Lakeland, BartowUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto US 98
6.9 mi·9 min·Bartow Road
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 98
0.6 mi·1 min·Broadway Avenue
12
Turn left onto US 98; FL 60
0.5 mi·1 min·Van Fleet Drive
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on FL 60
0.3 mi·26 sec·FL 60
14
Continue on FL 60
11 mi·13 min·FL 60
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on FL 60
4.3 mi·5 min·FL 60
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on FL 60
46 mi·59 min·FL 60
Use the left lane.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on this road
295 ft·7 sec·this road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike South: MiamiUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
143 mi·2 hr 36 min·Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.4 mi·43 sec
Exit 49BToward SR 820 West: Pines BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto SR 820
0.2 mi·36 sec·Hollywood Boulevard
23
Turn left onto Southwest 64th Way
0.5 mi·1 min·Southwest 64th Way
Use the left lane.
24
Continue on Southwest 8th Street
0.2 mi·56 sec·Southwest 8th Street
25
Arrive at destination
Southwest 8th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 32m estimated drive time, starting your trip in the morning will allow you to arrive well before evening. The route is designed for a single day, so you won't need to plan for an overnight stop. You'll encounter one primary highway, Florida's Turnpike, for the longest stretch, so be mindful of potential toll costs and plan your fuel stops accordingly before you get too low, especially during the 142.7-mile segment. Consider grabbing a snack or stretching your legs before you begin the longest highway portion to maximize comfort.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 114.4 miles from Plant City, FL, or about 2h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 142.7 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 50 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.4 miles or 2h 24m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pembroke Pines, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Plant City, 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 Plant City, FL
This is one driving day of about 228.8 miles and 4h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Plant City, 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 142.7 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 14.2 and 228 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
14.2 mi into trip|~19m in
Take the exit toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward US 98: Lakeland, Bartow
6
84.4 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
84.6 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Florida's Turnpike South: Miami
7
227.4 mi into trip|~4h 28m in
Take the exit toward SR 820 West: Pines Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 49B
Toward SR 820 West: Pines Boulevard
6
228 mi into trip|~4h 29m in|Southwest 64th Way
Turn left onto Southwest 64th Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.64 one way
$69.27 round trip
$3.85/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$38.00
$76.01
premium
$4.55
$40.99
$81.97
diesel
$4.80
$43.20
$86.40
Estimated Tolls: $9.99
Florida's Turnpike
(142.7 mi)$9.99
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
$35
Tolls
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.6
0
$24.02
$10.98
Efficient EV
57.2
0
$20.02
$9.15
EV Truck/SUV
91.5
1
$32.03
$14.64
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Plant City, FL
Morning
in Plant City on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 mph61% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Pembroke Pines, FL
Morning
in Pembroke Pines on Sunday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
93°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 7 to 13 mph19% chanceLive forecast
96°F
Dundee, FL
114 mi in
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
2 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
4h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly on highways, with 93% of the 228.8 miles on major roads like Florida's Turnpike and Polk Parkway. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 142.7 miles along Florida's Turnpike. You'll transition to surface roads for the final portion of the trip after extensive highway cruising. Expect a high volume of exits and entrances for a significant portion of the drive due to the highway nature of the route.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 142.7 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 FL 60. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.2 miles in.
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 15 significant decision points across 228.8 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 14.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
127 ft4 ft
Total Climb
56 ft
Total Descent
177 ft
Highest Point
127 ft
Elevation Range
123 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Plant City, FL and Pembroke Pines, FL, road signs point toward Bartow and Florida's Turnpike South: Miami.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 32m. Total distance: 228.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 142.7 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $9.99 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 13 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 Pembroke Pines, 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 13 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Pembroke Pines, FL, but most travelers stay overnight.
