Origin
Winter Haven, FL
Morning in Winter Haven on Tuesday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winter Haven, FL to Baird, FL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winter Haven, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Baird, FL
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through Florida, the 36-mile stretch from Winter Haven to Baird is an ideal candidate for a simple day trip. You can expect to spend about 51 minutes behind the wheel, making it a highly manageable trek that fits easily into a single afternoon. Budgeting roughly $6 for fuel is sufficient for this short journey, allowing you to keep your travel costs minimal. Because this route stays entirely within Florida, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the drive. Whether you are running errands or just looking for a change of scenery, this trip offers a straightforward way to get from point A to point B without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Church Avenue | 10.7 mi | 14m |
| US 17 | 8.5 mi | 11m |
| FL 60 | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| Old Highway 37 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Van Fleet Drive | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| 6th Street Southwest | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| CR 630 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Streamsong Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Church Avenue
— 10.7 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winter Haven, FL and Baird, FL.
1
Start on West Central Avenue
68 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Central Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 17
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
6th Street Southwest
3
Continue on US 17
8.5 mi
·
11 min
·
US 17
4
Turn right onto US 98
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Van Fleet Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Continue on FL 60
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
FL 60
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto FL 37
11 mi
·
14 min
·
South Church Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto CR 630
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
CR 630
8
Turn right onto Old Highway 37
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Old Highway 37
9
Turn straight onto Streamsong Drive
195 ft
·
14 sec
·
Streamsong Drive
10
Arrive at destination
Streamsong Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Winter Haven, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 17 / 6th Street Southwest
Turn left onto US 17 / 6th Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
4
10.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 98 / Van Fleet Drive
Turn right onto US 98 / Van Fleet Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
19.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
FL 37 / South Church Avenue
Turn left onto FL 37 / South Church Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
30.4 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
CR 630
Turn left onto CR 630
Navigation decision point
4
31.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Old Highway 37
Turn right onto Old Highway 37
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.73 one way
$11.46 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $6.23 | $12.47 |
| premium | $4.72 | $6.69 | $13.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Baird, FL
Morning in Baird on Tuesday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
51m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This 36-mile journey offers a mixed driving experience, balancing local navigation with regional highway travel. You will spend about 58% of your time on highways, providing a nice contrast to the slower-paced segments. The drive begins with a 10.7-mile stretch on South Church Avenue, which serves as your longest uninterrupted segment before transitioning onto US 17 and FL 60. As you move between these roads, the character of the route shifts from local thoroughfares to more fluid highway driving. It is a practical route that moves you efficiently through the landscape, giving you a functional mix of road types to navigate.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.7 mi on South Church Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 17 / 6th Street Southwest.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 51m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 17 / 6th Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (US 98 / Van Fleet Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles (FL 37 / South Church Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Winter Haven, FL
Full guide →Winter Haven is the second largest city in Polk County, Florida. The city was an agricultural center, but in the 1990s and 2000s, it has become a largely residential and manufacturing city. Winter Haven is home to Legoland and the "Chain of Lakes".
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 51m. Total distance: 36 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.7 miles on South Church Avenue. 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: near the start (US 17 / 6th Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (US 98 / Van Fleet Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles (FL 37 / South Church Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Baird, 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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