If you are planning a trip from Sunshine Ranches to Port Saint Lucie, expect a straightforward journey covering approximately 103.9 miles. This drive typically takes about 1 hour and 41 minutes, making it a manageable day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via local roads like Stirling Road, South University Drive, and Griffin Road rather than relying on high-speed interstates. Budgeting around $17 for fuel should cover your travel costs comfortably. Since this route stays entirely within Florida, you will experience a consistent regional feel as you transition from the suburban outskirts of Sunshine Ranches toward the coastal landscape of Port Saint Lucie.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.5 miles from Sunshine Ranches, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Florida's Turnpike
88.6 mi
1h 38m
Stirling Road
4.8 mi
9m
Griffin Road
2.3 mi
4m
Southeast Airoso Boulevard
1.6 mi
2m
South University Drive
1.3 mi
2m
Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
0.8 mi
1m
Southwest 136th Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 88.6 mi, about 1h 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sunshine Ranches, FL and Port Saint Lucie, FL.
1
Start on Southwest 136th Avenue
0.1 mi·33 sec·Southwest 136th Avenue
2
Turn left onto Stirling Road
4.8 mi·9 min·Stirling Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto SR 817
1.3 mi·2 min·South University Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto SR 818
2.3 mi·4 min·Griffin Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left
269 ft·6 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward Florida's Turnpike North: OrlandoUse the straight / left lanes.
7
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
89 mi·1 hr 38 min·Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 142Toward Port Saint LucieUse the right lane.
9
Continue on Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
483 ft·15 sec·Southwest Bayshore Boulevard
10
Turn right onto FL 716
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest Port Saint Lucie Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto CR 615
1.6 mi·2 min·Southeast Airoso Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
12
Turn left onto Southwest Carter Avenue
215 ft·9 sec·Southwest Carter Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Southwest Carter Avenue
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. Given that the entire 103.9-mile route is comprised of local roads, traffic density will be your primary variable; try to avoid peak commuting hours to keep your travel time closer to the 1-hour and 41-minute estimate. You won't need to plan for formal stops, but keep an eye on your fuel gauge before leaving Sunshine Ranches to ensure you don't need to hunt for a station mid-route. One concrete tip: because you are sticking to local roads, ensure your GPS is set to avoid highway routes if you want to stick strictly to the intended path. Keeping your focus on navigation is key, as the frequent turns require more vigilance than a standard interstate drive.
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 50.5 miles from Sunshine Ranches, FL, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 88.6 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 22 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.5 miles or 1h 3m 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 39m
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 Sunshine Ranches, 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 Sunshine Ranches, FL
This is one driving day of about 100.9 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Sunshine Ranches, 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 88.6 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 99.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Stirling Road
Turn left onto Stirling Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
6.3 mi into trip|~12m in|SR 818 / Griffin Road
Turn right onto SR 818 / Griffin Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
97.6 mi into trip|~1h 55m 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
98.5 mi into trip|~1h 58m 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.
6
99.3 mi into trip|~1h 59m in|CR 615 / Southeast Airoso Boulevard
Turn left onto CR 615 / Southeast Airoso Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / uturn lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.06 one way
$32.12 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$17.47
$34.94
premium
$4.72
$18.76
$37.52
diesel
$5.61
$22.28
$44.55
Estimated Tolls: $6.20
Florida's Turnpike
(88.6 mi)$6.20
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
$16
Tolls
$6
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.3
0
$10.59
$4.84
Efficient EV
25.2
0
$8.83
$4.04
EV Truck/SUV
40.4
0
$14.13
$6.46
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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 16, 2026
Origin
Sunshine Ranches, FL
Morning
in Sunshine Ranches on Sunday
Local time
9:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Port Saint Lucie, FL
Morning
in Port Saint Lucie on Sunday
Local time
9:25 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
2h 2m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Because 0% of this route involves highway travel, you will be navigating through frequent intersections and local traffic patterns rather than cruising at high speeds. The journey lacks long, uninterrupted stretches, meaning you should anticipate a constant pace of stop-and-go driving. This personality makes the trip feel more like a series of connected local segments than a singular open road experience. Staying alert is essential, as the reliance on local roads like Griffin Road keeps the driving dynamic and interactive from start to finish.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 88.6 mi on Florida's Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Florida's Turnpike and Stirling Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Stirling Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 2m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Stirling Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (SR 818 / Griffin Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 97.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
26 ft-2 ft
Total Climb
51 ft
Total Descent
41 ft
Highest Point
26 ft
~92.5 mi in
Elevation Range
28 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Sunshine Ranches, FL to Port Saint Lucie, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Florida's Turnpike North: Orlando along the way.
Florida's Turnpike North: Orlando
8.6 mi in|~16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 100.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 88.6 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.20 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, 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Stirling Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (SR 818 / Griffin Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 97.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Port Saint Lucie, FL before heading back.
