Origin
Winter Park, FL
Late night in Winter Park on Sunday
Local time
4:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winter Park, FL to Lakeland, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
59.7 mi
96 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winter Park, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Lakeland, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Winter Park to Lakeland is 59.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 19 minutes via I 4, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Florida, moving from the Orlando metro area to the Tampa Bay region. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on the interstate, making it a convenient option for a quick journey. You'll find the route efficient for getting from point A to point B without significant detours. Consider this an easy, practical drive for a single day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 4 | 50.5 mi | 58m |
| Lakeland Hills Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Orange Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Massachusetts Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Fairbanks Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| North Socrum Loop Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Osceola Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Westminster Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 4
— 50.5 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winter Park, FL and Lakeland, FL.
1
Start on FL 426
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Brewer Avenue
2
Continue on FL 426
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
Osceola Avenue
3
Continue on FL 426
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairbanks Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto FL 426
241 ft
·
9 sec
·
Fairbanks Avenue
5
Continue on Orange Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Orange Avenue
6
Turn right onto Westminster Street
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Westminster Street
7
At end of road, turn right onto Clay Avenue
157 ft
·
11 sec
·
Clay Avenue
8
Turn left onto Par Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Par Street
9
Turn slight left
62 ft
·
5 sec
Use the left lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 4 West
11
Merge onto I 4
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 84B
Toward Ivanhoe Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
14
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
this road
Toward I 4 West: Tampa
15
Merge onto I 4
49 mi
·
57 min
·
I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 33
Toward CR 582: Lakeland
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn left onto CR 582
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
North Socrum Loop Road
18
Turn right onto FL 33
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Lakeland Hills Boulevard
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on North Massachusetts Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Massachusetts Avenue
20
At end of road, turn left onto Lake Morton Drive
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lake Morton Drive
21
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
422 ft
·
18 sec
·
East Walnut Street
22
Arrive at destination
East Walnut Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.9 miles from Winter Park, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 54.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Clay Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Clay Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 4 West
Navigation decision point
Toward I 4 West
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 4
Merge onto I 4
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
4.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward Ivanhoe Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 84B
Toward Ivanhoe Boulevard
7
54.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward CR 582: Lakeland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 33
Toward CR 582: Lakeland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.50 one way
$19.01 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $10.34 | $20.67 |
| premium | $4.72 | $11.10 | $22.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.18 | $26.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.9 | 0 | $8.36 | $3.82 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Lakeland, FL
Late night in Lakeland on Sunday
Local time
4:49 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
16 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 19m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 85% of the 59.7 miles on highways. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 50.5 miles on I 4. The character of the road is largely that of a busy interstate, designed for efficient travel between cities. While the majority of the route is on I 4, the final portions will involve local roads like Lakeland Hills Boulevard and Orange Avenue as you approach Lakeland. Expect typical interstate conditions for most of the journey.
85% 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: 50.5 mi on I 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 4 and Lakeland Hills Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near Clay Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 2.7 miles (Clay Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (I 4): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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 Winter Park, FL to Lakeland, FL, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 582: Lakeland along the way.
Cr 582: Lakeland
54.6 mi in
|
~1h 9m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lakeland, FL
Full guide →Lakeland is the largest city in Polk County, Florida. It is home to Florida Southern College, which has the largest collection of buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright at a single site in the world.
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 19m. Total distance: 59.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.5 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 Lakeland, 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 2.7 miles (Clay Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (I 4): 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 Lakeland, 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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