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Trip from Plantation, FL to Gainesville, FL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 32m

Distance

311 mi

501 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 19m ★
6 AM
4h 33m
8 AM
4h 59m
10 AM
4h 42m
12 PM
4h 39m
3 PM
4h 43m
5 PM
4h 58m
8 PM
4h 24m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Broward County, Florida, United States

Plantation, FL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 311-mile journey from Plantation, FL, to Gainesville, FL, is a manageable one-day trip taking approximately 4 hours and 32 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $52, it's an economical option for exploring more of Florida. The route primarily utilizes local roads, indicated by its zero highway share, suggesting a more engaging, turn-heavy driving experience. Given its duration and character, it’s well-suited for a single-day adventure without the need for an overnight stop. You'll be navigating through familiar Florida landscapes for the entirety of this drive.

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

155.5 miles from Plantation, FL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
8 Street — —
Northwest 65th Avenue — —
West Sunrise Boulevard — —
Florida's Turnpike — —
Orlando — —
CR 234 — —
Southeast County Road 234 — —
Southwest Williston Road — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: 8 Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Plantation, FL and Gainesville, FL.

1

Start on Garden Court

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Garden Court
2

Turn right onto 8 Street

0.2 mi · 41 sec · 8 Street
3

Turn right onto Northwest 65th Avenue

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Northwest 65th Avenue
4

Turn right onto West Sunrise Boulevard

1.1 mi · 1 min · West Sunrise Boulevard
5

Take the ramp straight toward Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami

499 ft · 19 sec · Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
6

Turn left onto Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami

253 ft · 6 sec · Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
7

Continue on Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
8

Keep slight right to continue on Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North
9

Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

249 mi · 4 hr 30 min · Florida's Turnpike
10

Keep slight left to continue on Florida's Turnpike

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Florida's Turnpike
11

Merge slight left

46 mi · 49 min
12

Take the exit slight right toward CR 234: Micanopy

0.2 mi · 32 sec · CR 234: Micanopy
13

Turn right onto Southeast County Road 234

1.3 mi · 2 min · Southeast County Road 234
14

Turn left

420 ft · 15 sec
15

Turn straight

8.0 mi · 9 min
16

Turn right onto Southwest Williston Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Southwest Williston Road
17

Turn left onto South Main Street

1.6 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
18

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward South Main Street

92 ft · 2 sec · South Main Street
19

Exit the roundabout onto South Main Street

0.2 mi · 32 sec · South Main Street
20

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward South Main Street

177 ft · 4 sec · South Main Street
21

Exit the roundabout onto South Main Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
22

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

For this 4.5-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Plantation to maximize your daylight and minimize potential traffic. Since it's a one-day trip and there's a recommended single stop, plan for a brief mid-drive break to stretch your legs and refuel. Be prepared for frequent turns and changes in speed limits as you traverse local roads for the entire 311 miles. Your estimated fuel cost is around $52, so ensure your tank is full before you leave to avoid unnecessary detours for gas on this turn-heavy route.

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 155.5 miles from Plantation, FL, or about 2h 16m into the drive.

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 68 miles or 59m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 155.5 miles or 2h 16m 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 43m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gainesville, FL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Plantation, 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 Plantation, FL

This is one driving day of about 311 miles and 4h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Plantation, 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.

Where to Stop

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

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Orlando, FL

156 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

Port Saint Lucie, FL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 68 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Orlando, FL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 155.5 miles from Plantation, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Coffee Stop

Kava Gator Coffee Shop

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Gainesville, Florida

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route mile 311

Hours: 7 am–11 pm

+13522449942

Visit website

Jabal Coffee House

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Orlando, Florida

0.6 mi

Cafe THCA

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Gainesville, Florida

0.3 mi

Holy Grain Coffee Shop

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $1 to $10 mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+14077045878

Visit website

Kava Gator Coffee Shop

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 7 am–11 pm

+13522449942

Visit website

Jabal Coffee House

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

Hours: 8 am–12 pm

+14079894499

Visit website

Cafe THCA

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

+13522348090

Visit website

Brew & Root Kava Cafe

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 9 am–1 pm

+13527741308

Visit website

lowbar coffee + skateboarding

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10 mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 8 am–3 pm

Visit website

Daydreamer Cafe

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10 mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 8 am–4 pm

Visit website

Pascal's Coffeehouse

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $1 to $10 mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+13523775480

Visit website

Coffee Culture

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour $1 to $10 mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 6 am–7 pm

+13523771700

Visit website

EVmatch Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+16508228157

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 244.4

Wildwood, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Blink Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18889982546

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Depot Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 6:30 am–11:30 pm

+13523938510

Visit website

Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 311

Gainesville, Florida

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13523718001

Visit website

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately mile 22.2

Delray Beach, Florida

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+15614950233

Visit website

Crayola Experience Orlando

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+14077571700

Visit website

The Orlando Auto Museum

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13217541700

Visit website

Fun Spot America

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour Moderately mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

Hours: 2 pm–12 am

+14073633867

Visit website

Discovery Cove

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour Very expen mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

Hours: 7 am–5 pm

+14075134600

Visit website

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 199.9

Orlando, Florida

+14073638000

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$49.50 one way

$99.01 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 109 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $53.85 $107.70
premium $4.72 $57.83 $115.66
diesel $5.61 $68.66 $137.33

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$50

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$75–$100

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 108.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 93.3 1 $32.65 $14.93
Efficient EV 77.8 0 $27.21 $12.44
EV Truck/SUV 124.4 1 $43.54 $19.90

Gas CO2

109 kg

EV CO2

36 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 Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Plantation, FL

Late night in Plantation on Sunday

Local time

12:27 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gainesville, FL

Late night in Gainesville on Sunday

Local time

12:27 AM

EDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

13 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highly 'turn-heavy' local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share. This means you'll be on surface streets for the entire 311 miles, so keep your attention sharp. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, but the profile suggests constant navigation through varied local roads rather than long, monotonous highway segments. This drive will likely feel like a true exploration of communities rather than a swift transit between them, offering a more intimate sense of the areas you pass through.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: 8 Street.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Plantation, FL to Gainesville, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

About the Cities

Starting in Plantation, FL

Full guide →

Plantation is a suburb of Fort Lauderdale in the US state of Florida. The area is the base for many large corporations, such as Motorola, Nortel and American Express.

Arriving in Gainesville, FL

Full guide →

Gainesville is in North Central Florida. It is home to the University of Florida, and Santa Fe College.

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 4h 32m. Total distance: 311 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 (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Plantation, FL to Gainesville, FL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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 Gainesville, FL, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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