Tampa, FL to West Park, FL is 132.6 miles and takes about 2h 28m via I 75, with a fuel budget near $21 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip focuses on Florida's highway system, primarily utilizing I 75 for the majority of the journey. Expect a straightforward drive with minimal deviations, making it an efficient option for connecting these two Florida locations. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for a prompt arrival at your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
66.3 miles from Tampa, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
112.9 mi
2h
I 275
17 mi
20m
West Newberry Road
1 mi
2m
Northwest 55th Street
0.6 mi
1m
North Ashley Drive
0.3 mi
<1m
East Kennedy Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 112.9 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tampa, FL and West Park, 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 NorthUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 275
17 mi·20 min·I 275
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 75
113 mi·2 hr·I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Exit 387Toward FL 26: Newberry Road, Gainesville, NewberryUse the slight right lane.
8
Turn right
141 ft·6 sec
Toward FL 26 East: Newberry Road, Gainesville, University Of Florida
9
Turn right onto FL 26
1.0 mi·2 min·West Newberry Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto Northwest 55th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Northwest 55th Street
Use the left lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Northwest 55th Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under 2.5 hours, this route offers considerable flexibility for departure. Leaving in the morning or mid-afternoon are both viable options, allowing you to avoid peak traffic. The longest stretch is over 112 miles, so plan your fuel stops accordingly before embarking on this segment. Since this is a single-day trip, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations, and can focus on reaching West Park efficiently.
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 66.3 miles from Tampa, FL, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.9 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 29 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.3 miles or 1h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Park, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL
This is one driving day of about 132.6 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Tampa, FL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 112.9 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 132 — 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
5
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|I 275
Merge onto I 275
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
130.6 mi into trip|~2h 23m in
Take the exit toward FL 26: Newberry Road, Gainesville, Newberry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 387
Toward FL 26: Newberry Road, Gainesville, Newbe...
6
132 mi into trip|~2h 26m in|Northwest 55th Street
Turn left onto Northwest 55th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.11 one way
$42.21 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$22.96
$45.92
premium
$4.72
$24.66
$49.31
diesel
$5.61
$29.28
$58.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.8
0
$13.92
$6.36
Efficient EV
33.2
0
$11.60
$5.30
EV Truck/SUV
53
0
$18.56
$8.49
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
16 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 18, 2026
Origin
Tampa, FL
Morning
in Tampa on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
WSW 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:06PM EDT until April 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued April 18 at 2:06PM EDT until April 20 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Destination
West Park, FL
Morning
in West Park on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 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
27 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 28m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with a 98% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on I 75, experiencing a long, uninterrupted stretch of 112.9 miles. This means you can expect consistent speeds and a predictable driving experience for the bulk of the trip. The infrastructure is designed for efficient travel, making it easy to maintain momentum as you head south through Florida.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 112.9 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and I 275. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Ashley Drive.
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 132.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.8 miles (I 275): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 132.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 112.9 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 22 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 West Park, 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. There are 22 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 0.8 miles (I 275): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Park, FL before heading back.
