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

The driving distance from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Lake City, FL is about 351.2 miles (565.2 km), with a travel time of about 06h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 319.5 miles (514.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 01m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
351.17 mi
06h 30m
Flight
319.49 mi
514.17 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
319.49 mi
Kilometers
514.17 km
Flight Time
00h 38m

Driving Distance

Road route
351.17 mi
Kilometers
565.16 km
Drive Time
06h 30m

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 06h 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake City
Sat, May 30, 7:53 PM EDT
Return by in Fort Lauderdale
Sun, May 31, 2:24 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Lauderdale
2026-05-30T13:22
Arrive Lake City
Sat, May 30, 7:53 PM EDT
Route Timing
06h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:31 PM to 2:01 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:58 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Lauderdale
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Saint Cloud
FL

A city in Osceola County, Florida.

From Fort Lauderdale
175.9 mi
03h 15m
To Lake City
175.3 mi
03h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Saturday

Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph SW
Destination
85°F
Saturday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Lauderdale and Lake 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

    240.4 mi · 4 hr 20 min · Florida's Turnpike

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Florida's Turnpike

    1281 ft · 16 sec · Florida's Turnpike

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    95.2 mi · 1 hr 42 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward FL 47: Fort White, Lake City

    1114 ft · 29 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto Southwest State Road 47

    3.6 mi · 6 min · Southwest State Road 47

  15. 15

    Turn straight onto Southwest Main Boulevard

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Southwest Main Boulevard

  16. 16

    Turn right

    12 m · 3 sec

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
17 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
2 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Florida's Turnpike
336 mi · 96%
Southwest State Road 47
3.57 mi · 1%
Northwest 9th Avenue
2.91 mi · 1%
South Powerline Road
2.41 mi · 1%
Southwest Main Boulevard
1.48 mi
Powerline Road
1.14 mi
Longest Stretch

Florida's Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

240 mi · 04h 20m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 30m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+31.7 mi
319.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Saint Cloud
03h 15m from Fort Lauderdale
Leave By
10:58 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Fort Lauderdale and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lake City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 351.2 miles (565.2 km) and usually takes 06h 30m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Saint Cloud is a useful midpoint, sitting about 175.9 miles from Fort Lauderdale and 175.3 miles from Lake City.

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

The direct path is about 319.5 miles (514.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 31.7 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 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $51.39 one way or $102.79 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 110.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Fort Lauderdale and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lake City.

Stop Ideas Near Saint Cloud

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Saint Cloud, 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 Saint Cloud.

RAIL

Kissimmee

13 mi away
111 East Dakin Ave.
RAIL

Orlando Health/Amtrak

32 mi away
1400 Sligh Blvd.
RAIL

Winter Park

39 mi away
150 West Morse Blvd
RAIL

Winter Haven

52 mi away
1800 7th St SW

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Lauderdale and Lake City. Straight-line distance: 319.49 mi (514.17 km).

Fort Lauderdale

#1 Fort Lauderdale

The second most populous city in Broward County, Florida.

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

#2 Lake City

County seat of Columbia County, Florida, United States

Population12,352
Coordinates30.1896800, -82.6392900
Altitude59
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Lauderdale (-80.14338, 26.12231)
End: Lake City (-82.63929, 30.18968)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 565 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 51m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 01m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.39 gal
46.91 L · about $51.39
Round trip
$102.79
24.78 gal · 93.82 L
Estimated CO2
110.1 kg one way
Round trip: 220.2 kg / 485 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $51.39 $102.79
Mid-grade $4.60 $56.94 $113.89
Premium $4.90 $60.66 $121.32
Diesel $4.35 $53.90 $107.79

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 · May 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Fort Lauderdale and Lake City. The current time is 13:22:54.

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.