How far is Fort Lauderdale, FL from Cape Canaveral, FL?

The driving distance from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Cape Canaveral, FL is about 183.1 miles (294.6 km), with a travel time of about 03h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 160.3 miles (258 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 10m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
183.06 mi
03h 35m
Flight
160.3 mi
257.98 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fort Lauderdale.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
160.3 mi
Kilometers
257.98 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
183.06 mi
Kilometers
294.61 km
Drive Time
03h 35m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 03h 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cape Canaveral
Wed, Apr 29, 6:43 AM EDT
Return by in Fort Lauderdale
Wed, Apr 29, 10:18 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Lauderdale
2026-04-29T03:07
Arrive Cape Canaveral
Wed, Apr 29, 6:43 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:35 AM to 11:35 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:50 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Lauderdale
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Indian River Estates
FL

Census-designated place in St.

From Fort Lauderdale
91.8 mi
01h 47m
To Cape Canaveral
91.3 mi
01h 47m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SE
Destination
82°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral.

  1. 1

    Start on East Broward Boulevard

    1 km · 1 min · East Broward Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Northwest 9th Avenue

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Northwest 9th Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Powerline Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Powerline Road

  4. 4

    Continue on South Powerline Road

    2.4 mi · 5 min · South Powerline Road

  5. 5

    Continue on South Pompano Parkway

    1 mi · 2 min · South Pompano Parkway

  6. 6

    Turn left onto West Atlantic Boulevard

    2984 ft · 1 min · West Atlantic Boulevard

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Northwest 31st Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · Northwest 31st Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on Florida's Turnpike Toll, Miami, Orlando

    610 ft · 17 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Orlando, Florida's Turnpike North

    1761 ft · 43 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

    84.6 mi · 1 hr 33 min · Florida's Turnpike

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward FL 70: Fort Pierce, Vero Beach

    2817 ft · 54 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on FL 70 East: Fort Pierce

    65 m · 5 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Okeechobee Road

    1641 ft · 35 sec · Okeechobee Road

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95

    969 ft · 24 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 95 North: Daytona Beach

    2718 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    73.5 mi · 1 hr 19 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward FL 524: Cocoa

    1148 ft · 28 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on FL 524: UCF Cocoa Campus, Cocoa, Eastern Florida State College, Museum

    76 m · 8 sec

  19. 19

    Turn right

    2.8 mi · 4 min

  20. 20

    Continue straight

    580 ft · 13 sec

  21. 21

    Turn left onto East Industry Road

    117 m · 15 sec · East Industry Road

  22. 22

    Take the ramp slight right toward FL 528 East: Canaveral Cape-Port-AFS

    3076 ft · 54 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight left onto Beachline Expressway

    144 m · 7 sec · Beachline Expressway

  24. 24

    Continue on Bennett Causeway

    8 mi · 10 min · Bennett Causeway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward B Terminals 1-3, South Cargo Piers, Jetty Park

    1343 ft · 37 sec

  26. 26

    Turn left onto George J King Boulevard

    1.5 km · 2 min · George J King Boulevard

  27. 27

    Turn left onto Intermodal Gate

    153 m · 46 sec · Intermodal Gate

  28. 28

    Continue on Intermodal Gate

    103 m · 25 sec · Intermodal Gate

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Intermodal Gate

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
29 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
4 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Florida's Turnpike
84.6 mi · 46%
I 95 North
74 mi · 40%
Bennett Causeway
8.02 mi · 4%
Northwest 9th Avenue
2.91 mi · 2%
South Powerline Road
2.41 mi · 1%
Powerline Road
1.14 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Florida's Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

84.6 mi · 01h 33m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 35m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.8 mi
160.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Indian River Estates
01h 47m from Fort Lauderdale
Leave By
9:50 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Fort Lauderdale and Sunny near Cape Canaveral.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Cape Canaveral?

The road trip is about 183.1 miles (294.6 km) and usually takes 03h 35m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Indian River Estates is a useful midpoint, sitting about 91.8 miles from Fort Lauderdale and 91.3 miles from Cape Canaveral.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 160.3 miles (258 km), while the road route adds roughly 22.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:50 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $26.80 one way or $53.59 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 57.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Fort Lauderdale and Sunny near Cape Canaveral.

Stop Ideas Near Indian River Estates

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Indian River Estates, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Indian River Estates.

RAIL

Okeechobee

53 mi away
801 North Parrott Avenue
RAIL

West Palm Beach

77 mi away
201 South Tamarind Ave
RAIL

Delray Beach

103 mi away
345 South Congress Ave
RAIL

Sebring

112 mi away
601 East Center St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral. Straight-line distance: 160.3 mi (257.98 km).

Fort Lauderdale

#1 Fort Lauderdale

The second most populous city in Broward County, Florida.

Population184,245
Coordinates26.1223100, -80.1433800
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Cape Canaveral

#2 Cape Canaveral

Cape at the Atlantic coast of Florida, United States

Population10,427
Coordinates28.4058400, -80.6047700
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Lauderdale (-80.14338, 26.12231)
End: Cape Canaveral (-80.60477, 28.40584)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 295 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 39m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 03m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 36m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.46 gal
24.45 L · about $26.80
Round trip
$53.59
12.92 gal · 48.9 L
Estimated CO2
57.4 kg one way
Round trip: 114.8 kg / 253 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $26.80 $53.59
Mid-grade $4.60 $29.69 $59.38
Premium $4.90 $31.63 $63.26
Diesel $4.35 $28.10 $56.20

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Florida · Apr 29, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral. The current time is 03:07:42.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.