Alachua County Rest Area (I-75 southbound)
0 mi from route
Trip from Tallahassee, FL to Sunset, FL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 4m
Distance
492.3 mi
792 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$78
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 56m
★
6 AM
9h 4m
8 AM
9h 21m
10 AM
9h 10m
12 PM
9h 9m
3 PM
9h 11m
5 PM
9h 20m
8 PM
9h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tallahassee, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Sunset, FL
Arian Fernandez
Trip Overview
Tallahassee to Sunset is 492.3 miles and takes about 9h 4m via Florida's Turnpike, I 75, and I 10, with a fuel budget near $85 and enough daylight to finish in a day if you start early. This route stays within Florida, taking you across the state. With a 97% highway share, expect mostly freeway driving. This trip is best suited for two days, allowing for a comfortable pace and time to enjoy your destination. Consider this an efficient way to get from the Panhandle to South Florida.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
246.1 miles from Tallahassee, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 31m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Florida's Turnpike | 261 mi | 4h 43m |
| I 75 | 107.2 mi | 1h 54m |
| I 10 | 86.9 mi | 1h 33m |
| Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike | 23.5 mi | 26m |
| Mahan Drive | 6.5 mi | 11m |
| Southwest 40th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Southwest 107th Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Southwest 56th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 261 mi, about 4h 43m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,065 veh/hr typical · worst 5,018
Quietest
2 AM
~398 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tallahassee, FL and Sunset, FL.
1
Start on US 27; FL 61
181 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Monroe Street
2
Turn right onto East Pensacola Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Pensacola Street
3
Turn left onto CR 1555
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Franklin Boulevard
4
Turn right onto US 90
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Tennessee Street
5
Continue on US 90
6.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Mahan Drive
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: Lake City
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 10
87 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
I 10
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 296A
Toward I-75 South: Tampa
9
Merge onto I 75
107 mi
·
1 hr 54 min
·
I 75
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit onto Florida's Turnpike
261 mi
·
4 hr 43 min
·
Florida's Turnpike
Exit 328
Toward Florida's Turnpike South, Orlando
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
11
Take the exit onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South, Homestead
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
23 mi
·
25 min
·
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Toward Homestead
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward SR 976: Southwest 40th Street, Bird Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto SR 976
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 40th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto SR 985
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 107th Avenue
16
Turn left onto Southwest 56th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 56th Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Southwest 97th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest 97th Avenue
18
Turn right onto Southwest 68th Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Southwest 68th Street
19
Arrive at destination
Southwest 68th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 9h 4m estimated driving time, splitting this trip over two days is highly recommended. Aim to leave Tallahassee early on day one to cover the longest stretch of 261 miles on Florida's Turnpike. Plan to stop for the night around the halfway point or slightly beyond. For day two, you'll continue on I 75 and then I 10 to reach Sunset. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on the turnpike, as services can sometimes be spaced further apart than on other interstates. Your estimated fuel cost is $85.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 246.1 miles from Tallahassee, FL, or about 4h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 261 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 108 miles or 2h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 246.1 miles or 4h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 246.1 miles or 4h 31m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sunset, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tallahassee, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Tallahassee, FL
Aim for roughly 246 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Sunset, FL
Aim for roughly 246 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 108 miles from Tallahassee, FL.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Florida's Turnpike for about 261 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
246 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Belle Isle, FLOvernight Options
Night 1
246 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Belle Isle, FL after about 246 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 108 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 246.1 miles from Tallahassee, FL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Florida's Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 261 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 246 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Turkey Lake Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
West Palm Beach Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Canoe Creek Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Columbia County Rest Area (I-75 northbound)
0.1 mi from route
Jefferson County Rest Area Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Fort Drum Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pompano Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Madison County Rest Area Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Columbia County Rest Area (I-75 northbound)
0.1 mi from route
Alachua County Rest Area (I-75 northbound)
0.1 mi from route
Marion County Rest Area Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Okahumpka Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Port Saint Lucie - Fort Pierce Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Jefferson County Rest Area Eastbound
0.2 mi from route
Madison County Rest Area Eastbound
0.2 mi from route
Suwannee County Rest Area Eastbound
0.2 mi from route
Columbia County Rest Area Westbound
0.2 mi from route
Columbia County Rest Area (I-75 southbound)
0.2 mi from route
Marion County Rest Area Southbound
0.2 mi from route
Wildwood I-75 Weigh Station Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Busy Bee Truck Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Wildwood I-75 Weigh Station Southbound
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
40392
0.8 mi from route
40391
1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
1.6 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
1.7 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 487.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Pensacola Street
Turn right onto East Pensacola Street
Navigation decision point
8
203 mi into trip
|
~3h 45m in
|
Florida's Turnpike
Take the exit onto Florida's Turnpike toward Florida's Turnpike South, Orlando
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 328
Toward Florida's Turnpike South, Orlando
7
464 mi into trip
|
~8h 28m in
|
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Take the exit onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South, Homestead
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.
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South, Homestead
7
464.2 mi into trip
|
~8h 28m in
|
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike toward Homestead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Homestead
8
487.6 mi into trip
|
~8h 54m in
Take the exit toward SR 976: Southwest 40th Street, Bird Road
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 23
Toward SR 976: Southwest 40th Street, Bird Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$78.36 one way
$156.72 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
172 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.41 | $85.42 | $170.83 |
| premium | $4.74 | $91.93 | $183.86 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $103.69 | $207.39 |
Estimated Tolls: $19.68
Florida's Turnpike
(261 mi)
$18.27
Homestead Extension
(23.5 mi)
$1.41
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
$78
Tolls
$20
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$228–$338
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 172.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 147.7 | 1 | $51.69 | $23.63 |
| Efficient EV | 123.1 | 1 | $43.08 | $19.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 196.9 | 2 | $68.92 | $31.51 |
Gas CO2
172 kg
EV CO2
58 kg (66% 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.
Origin
Tallahassee, FL
Evening in Tallahassee on Wednesday
Local time
5:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 0 to 5 mph
25% chance
Live forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 31 at 11:16AM EDT until June 2 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Destination
Sunset, FL
Evening in Sunset on Wednesday
Local time
5:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
S 2 mph
23% chance
Live forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 31 at 11:16AM EDT until June 2 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
5 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
9h 4m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Biscayne National Park
National Park
Within sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs. Evidence of 10,000 years of human history is here to...
17 mi from route
~43 min detour
Free
near mile 492.3
Caution: Boater Awareness
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on major highways, with 97% of the 492.3 miles being freeway. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway on Florida's Turnpike, covering 261 miles. Expect frequent exits and potentially dense traffic merging as you approach urban areas. The vast majority of this trip is cruising on interstates and turnpikes, minimizing time on slower surface roads.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 261 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 I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Pensacola Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 492.3 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: near the start (East Pensacola Street): Navigation decision point; at 203 miles (Florida's Turnpike): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 464 miles (Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
204 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
135 ft
Total Descent
333 ft
Highest Point
204 ft
Elevation Range
198 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tallahassee, FL and Sunset, FL, road signs point toward Florida's Turnpike South, Orlando, Florida's Turnpike Toll South and Homestead.
Florida's Turnpike South
203 mi in
|
~3h 45m
|
via Florida's Turnpike
Orlando
203 mi in
|
~3h 45m
|
via Florida's Turnpike
Florida's Turnpike Toll South
464 mi in
|
~8h 28m
|
via Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead
464 mi in
|
~8h 28m
|
via Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
About the Cities
Starting in Tallahassee, FL
Full guide →Founded 1824
Tallahassee is the capital city of Florida, in the Florida Panhandle region of the state. In addition to housing the state government, it is a university town home to Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College. Tallahassee has a good selection of restaurants for a city of its size. The universities' theater, art, and music programs, in addition to an active Council of Culture and Arts, also make for an unusually vibrant arts scene.
Top landmarks
- • Florida State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Florida
- • Florida Governor's Mansion — official residence of the governor of Florida
- • Tallahassee — railway station in Tallahassee, the United States of America
Arriving in Sunset, FL
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 261 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 246 miles on day one.
Expect about $19.68 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 43 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 Sunset, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 43 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Pensacola Street): Navigation decision point; at 203 miles (Florida's Turnpike): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 464 miles (Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Biscayne National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.1 hours each way, a round trip means 18.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sunset, FL before the return drive.
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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