Plantation to Port Saint Lucie is 89.2 miles and takes about 1h 44m via Florida's Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip primarily within Florida, connecting two points in the same state. Expect a consistent driving experience for the majority of the journey. The relatively short duration makes it an ideal option for a day trip or a quick relocation, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. Consider this route for its efficiency and directness.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
44.6 miles from Plantation, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Florida's Turnpike
83.7 mi
1h 32m
Southeast Airoso Boulevard
1.6 mi
2m
West Sunrise Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
0.8 mi
1m
8 Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Northwest 65th Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Garden Court
0.1 mi
<1m
Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 83.7 mi, about 1h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plantation, FL and Port Saint Lucie, FL.
1
Start on Garden Court
0.1 mi·27 sec·Garden Court
2
Turn right onto 8 Street
0.2 mi·40 sec·8 Street
3
Turn right onto Northwest 65th Avenue
0.2 mi·32 sec·Northwest 65th Avenue
4
Turn right onto SR 838
1.1 mi·1 min·West Sunrise Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
498 ft·18 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
6
Turn left
254 ft·6 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
7
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·17 sec·this road
Toward Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll NorthUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
84 mi·1 hr 32 min·Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 142Toward Port Saint LucieUse the right lane.
11
Continue on Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
483 ft·15 sec·Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
12
Turn right onto FL 716
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto CR 615
1.6 mi·2 min·Southeast Airoso Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
14
Turn left onto Southwest Carter Avenue
215 ft·9 sec·Southwest Carter Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
Southwest Carter Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short drive time of just under two hours, you have considerable flexibility with when to depart. Leaving Plantation in the morning allows you to arrive in Port Saint Lucie with plenty of the day remaining. With no designated stops recommended and a fuel cost estimated at $14, planning for one fuel stop before you leave or shortly after hitting Florida's Turnpike is a sensible approach. Keep an eye on traffic conditions, especially as you approach the Turnpike from local roads. Since this is a brief trip, you can easily adjust your departure based on real-time traffic updates.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 44.6 miles from Plantation, FL, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.7 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44.6 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Port Saint Lucie, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Plantation, FL
This is one driving day of about 89.2 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Plantation, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Florida's Turnpike for about 83.7 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 86.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|SR 838 / West Sunrise Boulevard
Turn right onto SR 838 / West Sunrise Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in
Turn left toward Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Florida's Turnpike: Orlando, Miami
9
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll North
7
85.9 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the exit toward Port Saint Lucie
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 142
Toward Port Saint Lucie
6
86.8 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|FL 716 / Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
Turn right onto FL 716 / Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.20 one way
$28.40 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$15.44
$30.89
premium
$4.72
$16.59
$33.17
diesel
$5.61
$19.69
$39.39
Estimated Tolls: $5.86
Florida's Turnpike
(83.7 mi)$5.86
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
$14
Tolls
$6
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.8
0
$9.37
$4.28
Efficient EV
22.3
0
$7.81
$3.57
EV Truck/SUV
35.7
0
$12.49
$5.71
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Plantation, FL
Late night
in Plantation on Sunday
Local time
12:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Port Saint Lucie, FL
Late night
in Port Saint Lucie on Sunday
Local time
12:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the journey taking place on high-speed roads. You'll spend most of your time on Florida's Turnpike, experiencing an uninterrupted stretch of 83.7 miles. This means you can expect a consistent pace for the bulk of your travel. While the main arteries are highways, the initial and final segments might involve navigating local roads like Southeast Airoso Boulevard and West Sunrise Boulevard before merging onto the Turnpike. The overall character is one of efficient travel rather than scenic exploration.
94% 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: 83.7 mi on Florida's Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Florida's Turnpike and Southeast Airoso Boulevard. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near SR 838 / West Sunrise Boulevard.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 89.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.6 miles (SR 838 / West Sunrise Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 89.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 83.7 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $5.86 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.
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 Port Saint Lucie, 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 0.6 miles (SR 838 / West Sunrise Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Port Saint Lucie, FL before heading back.
