How far is Fort Lauderdale, FL from Highland City, FL?

The driving distance from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Highland City, FL is about 203.1 miles (326.8 km), with a travel time of about 04h 05m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 166.2 miles (267.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 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
203.04 mi
04h 05m
Flight
166.15 mi
267.39 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
166.15 mi
Kilometers
267.39 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
203.04 mi
Kilometers
326.76 km
Drive Time
04h 05m

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 04h 05m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Highland City
Sat, Apr 18, 2:30 AM EDT
Return by in Fort Lauderdale
Sat, Apr 18, 6:35 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Lauderdale
2026-04-17T22:24
Arrive Highland City
Sat, Apr 18, 2:30 AM EDT
Route Timing
04h 05m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:05 AM to 12:05 PM EDT

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

Leave by
8:50 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
Florida Ridge
FL

Census-designated place in Indian River County, Florida

From Fort Lauderdale
101.7 mi
02h 02m
To Highland City
101.4 mi
02h 02m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E
Destination
90°F
Friday

Patchy Fog then Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Lauderdale and Highland City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Lauderdale and Highland City.

  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

    125.2 mi · 2 hr 17 min · Florida's Turnpike

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward US 441, FL 60: Yeehaw Junction

    1.1 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight right

    75 m · 7 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    61.6 mi · 1 hr 19 min

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Van Fleet Drive

    3253 ft · 1 min · Van Fleet Drive

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Broadway Avenue

    3184 ft · 1 min · Broadway Avenue

  16. 16

    Continue on Bartow Road

    4.2 mi · 6 min · Bartow Road

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Bartow Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Lauderdale and Highland City.

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
17 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
2 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Florida's Turnpike
125 mi · 62%
US 441
62.4 mi · 31%
Bartow Road
4.17 mi · 2%
Northwest 9th Avenue
2.91 mi · 1%
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

125 mi · 02h 17m

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
04h 05m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+36.9 mi
166.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Florida Ridge
02h 02m from Fort Lauderdale
Leave By
8:50 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Fort Lauderdale and Patchy Fog then Sunny near Highland City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Highland City?

The road trip is about 203.1 miles (326.8 km) and usually takes 04h 05m 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?

Florida Ridge is a useful midpoint, sitting about 101.7 miles from Fort Lauderdale and 101.4 miles from Highland City.

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

The direct path is about 166.2 miles (267.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 36.9 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 8:50 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $29.70 one way or $59.40 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 63.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Fort Lauderdale and Patchy Fog then Sunny near Highland City.

Stop Ideas Near Florida Ridge

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Florida Ridge, 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 Florida Ridge.

RAIL

Okeechobee

57 mi away
801 North Parrott Avenue
RAIL

West Palm Beach

102 mi away
201 South Tamarind Ave
RAIL

Sebring

104 mi away
601 East Center St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Lauderdale and Highland City. Straight-line distance: 166.15 mi (267.39 km).

Fort Lauderdale

#1 Fort Lauderdale

The second most populous city in Broward County, Florida.

Population184,245
Coordinates26.1223100, -80.1433800
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Highland City

#2 Highland City

Census-designated place in Polk County, Florida

Population10,834
Coordinates27.9653000, -81.8778600
Altitude36
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Lauderdale (-80.14338, 26.12231)
End: Highland City (-81.87786, 27.9653)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 327 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 04m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 03m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 54m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 31m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.16 gal
27.12 L · about $29.70
Round trip
$59.40
14.32 gal · 54.24 L
Estimated CO2
63.6 kg one way
Round trip: 127.3 kg / 281 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $29.70 $59.40
Mid-grade $4.60 $32.91 $65.81
Premium $4.90 $35.06 $70.11
Diesel $4.35 $31.15 $62.29

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Lauderdale and Highland City. The current time is 22:24:46.

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.