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Trip from Tampa, FL to Inwood, FL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

48.5 mi

78 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m

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 Florida, United States

Tampa, FL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Inwood, FL, FL

Inwood, FL

DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ

Trip Overview

This 48.5-mile journey from Tampa to Inwood, Florida, is a quick one, clocking in at just over an hour. It's primarily an interstate drive, making it an easy day trip with no need for an overnight stay. You'll spend about 80% of your time on highways, including stretches of I-4 and the Polk Parkway. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $8, which is quite budget-friendly. This route offers a straightforward way to get from one point in Florida to another, suitable for those prioritizing efficiency.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 4 25.8 mi 28m
Polk Parkway 12.2 mi 14m
East Main Street 2 mi 3m
Thornhill Road 1.8 mi 3m
Winter Lake Road 1.3 mi 1m
I 275 0.7 mi 1m
Avenue G Northwest 0.7 mi 1m
34th Street Northwest 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 4 — 25.8 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and Inwood, FL.

1

Start on FL 60

400 ft · 17 sec · East Kennedy Boulevard
2

Turn right onto North Ashley Drive

0.3 mi · 49 sec · North Ashley Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 275
4

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 20 sec
Toward I 275 North Use the slight right lane.
5

Merge onto I 275

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 275
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 42 sec
Exit 45B Toward I 4 East: Orlando Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 4

26 mi · 28 min · I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Exit 27 Toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on FL 570 Toll

12 mi · 14 min · Polk Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto FL 570 Toll

199 ft · 2 sec · Polk Parkway
11

Take the exit

424 ft · 10 sec
Exit 14 Toward FL 540: Winter Lake Road
12

Keep slight right at fork

105 ft · 2 sec
13

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward FL 540 East: Winter Haven, Legoland Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on FL 540

1.3 mi · 1 min · Winter Lake Road
16

Turn left onto Thornhill Road

1.8 mi · 3 min · Thornhill Road
17

Turn right onto CR 542

2.0 mi · 3 min · East Main Street
18

At end of road, turn right onto FL 655

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Recker Highway
19

Turn left onto CR 542

0.7 mi · 1 min · Avenue G Northwest
Use the left lane.
20

Turn left onto 34th Street Northwest

0.5 mi · 1 min · 34th Street Northwest
Use the left lane.
21

Turn right onto Avenue M Northwest

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Avenue M Northwest
22

Arrive at destination

Avenue M Northwest

Where to Stop

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

city in Polk County, Florida, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lakeland, FL

24 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

Temple Terrace, FL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Plant City, FL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Tampa, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 41.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Ashley Drive

Turn right onto North Ashley Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 275 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 275 North
7
1.5 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit toward I 4 East: Orlando

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 45B Toward I 4 East: Orlando
8
27.7 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the exit toward FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven

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 FL 570 Toll East: Lakeland, Winter Haven
8
41.4 mi into trip | ~49m in

Keep slight left at fork toward FL 540 East: Winter Haven, Legoland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward FL 540 East: Winter Haven, Legoland

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.72 one way

$15.44 round trip

$4.04/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.40 $8.40 $16.80
premium $4.72 $9.02 $18.04
diesel $5.61 $10.71 $21.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.09 $2.33
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.24 $1.94
EV Truck/SUV 19.4 0 $6.79 $3.10

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 14, 2026

Origin

Tampa, FL

Morning in Tampa on Tuesday

Local time

6:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Mostly Clear

E 7 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued April 14 at 4:28PM EDT until April 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Miami FL

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued April 14 at 12:29PM EDT until April 15 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL

Destination

Inwood, FL

Morning in Inwood on Tuesday

Local time

6:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

1 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 3m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 1-hour, 3-minute drive. With 80% of the route on highways like I-4 and Polk Parkway, you'll encounter mostly faster-paced travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll navigate is 25.8 miles on I-4, offering a solid period of consistent cruising. While primarily a highway drive, you will transition to East Main Street as you approach your destination, offering a slight change in scenery and speed.

80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.8 mi on I 4.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and Polk Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Ashley Drive.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.1 miles (North Ashley Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Tampa, FL and Inwood, FL, road signs point toward Winter Haven and Legoland.

Winter Haven

27.7 mi in | ~32m

Legoland

41.4 mi in | ~49m

About the Cities

Starting in Tampa, FL

Full guide →

The city of Tampa is the county seat of Hillsborough County and the largest city on Florida's West Coast.

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 1h 3m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 25.8 miles on I 4. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Inwood, 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 0.1 miles (North Ashley Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 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 Inwood, FL before heading back.

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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