This straightforward 82.1-mile drive from Stuart, FL to Fort Lauderdale, FL is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 89% of it on major roads, so expect a quick journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $13, this drive offers an economical way to travel between these two South Florida locations. You'll primarily be utilizing I-95 and South Kanner Highway, making for a predictable and efficient travel experience. This route is ideal if you're looking for a no-fuss transition between cities within the same state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.1 miles from Stuart, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 95
72.8 mi
1h 22m
South Kanner Highway
5.2 mi
9m
West Broward Boulevard
1.8 mi
3m
Southwest Kanner Highway
0.8 mi
1m
South Colorado Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
East Broward Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 72.8 mi, about 1h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stuart, FL and Fort Lauderdale, FL.
1
Start on South Colorado Avenue
0.2 mi·37 sec·South Colorado Avenue
2
Enter roundabout onto South Colorado Avenue
50 ft·1 sec·South Colorado Avenue
3
Continue on South Colorado Avenue
0.2 mi·29 sec·South Colorado Avenue
4
Continue on FL 76
5.2 mi·9 min·South Kanner Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on FL 76
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest Kanner Highway
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
Toward I 95 South: West Palm Beach
7
Merge onto I 95
52 mi·58 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
21 mi·23 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 27Toward SR 842: Broward Boulevard, DowntownUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto SR 842
1.8 mi·3 min·West Broward Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on SR 842
0.2 mi·35 sec·East Broward Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
SR 842
Trip Plan
Given the short 1 hour and 40-minute duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, offering flexibility in your departure time. Leaving in the morning, perhaps before 9 AM, can help you avoid the heaviest traffic as you approach Fort Lauderdale. With no designated stops and a fuel cost of around $13, you won't need extensive planning for breaks or budgeting. The longest stretch on I-95 means you can easily cover a large portion of the distance without interruption, so consider filling up your tank before you depart Stuart to ensure a seamless drive all the way to your destination.
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 41.1 miles from Stuart, FL, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.8 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 18 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.1 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Lauderdale, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Stuart, FL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Stuart, FL
This is one driving day of about 82.1 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Stuart, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 95 for about 72.8 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 80.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Colorado Avenue
Enter roundabout onto South Colorado Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
6.8 mi into trip|~12m in|I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
59 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|I 95
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
79.6 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward SR 842: Broward Boulevard, Downtown
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 27
Toward SR 842: Broward Boulevard, Downtown
4
80.2 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|SR 842 / West Broward Boulevard
Turn left onto SR 842 / West Broward Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.07 one way
$26.14 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$14.22
$28.43
premium
$4.72
$15.27
$30.53
diesel
$5.61
$18.13
$36.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.6
0
$8.62
$3.94
Efficient EV
20.5
0
$7.18
$3.28
EV Truck/SUV
32.8
0
$11.49
$5.25
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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
Stuart, FL
Late night
in Stuart on Tuesday
Local time
5:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Late night
in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday
Local time
5:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°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
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
1h 40m 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?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 82.1-mile journey, with nearly 90% of your travel time spent on major interstates and highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a significant 72.8 miles on I-95, offering a consistent pace. You'll transition from South Kanner Highway to I-95, and finally to West Broward Boulevard as you approach Fort Lauderdale. While not characterized by dramatic scenery, the highway nature ensures a steady and direct path, allowing you to cover ground efficiently. This route is built for speed and directness rather than winding country roads.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.8 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and South Kanner Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Colorado Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 40m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (South Colorado Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.8 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 59 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Stuart, dubbed the "Sailfish Capital of the World", is a small city about 100 miles north of Miami, considered a hidden gem by its residents. With development restrictions and little tourism, Stuart has everything that you would expect for a Florida destination, just without all the tourists.
Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean in the US state of Florida. It is known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive canal system. Situated in Broward County in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area, the city's population is over 180,000 (2021).
The city is most famous for its beaches and boats, and while the city of Fort Lauderdale is relatively small in area, the term 'Fort Lauderdale' is often used to refer to the larger metropolis that has grown up around it. It is the county seat for Broward county, and is part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area, which has over 6.1 million people (2019).
Top landmarks
•Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale — art museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
•Bryan Building — building in Florida, United States
•North Woodlawn Cemetery — cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The longest stretch is about 72.8 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.2 miles (South Colorado Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6.8 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 59 miles (I 95): 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL before heading back.
