How far is Panama City, FL from Cape Coral, FL?

The driving distance from Panama City, FL to Cape Coral, FL is about 508 miles (817.5 km), with a travel time of about 07h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 335.5 miles (540 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 27m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
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
508 mi
07h 43m
Flight
335.57 mi
540.05 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Panama City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
335.57 mi
Kilometers
540.05 km
Flight Time
00h 40m

Driving Distance

Road route
508 mi
Kilometers
817.55 km
Drive Time
07h 43m

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 07h 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cape Coral
Fri, Apr 17, 4:12 PM EDT
Return by in Panama City
Fri, Apr 17, 10:55 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Panama City
2026-04-17T07:28
Arrive Cape Coral
Fri, Apr 17, 3:12 PM CDT
Route Timing
07h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:44 PM to 4:14 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
8:32 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Panama City
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Gainesville
FL

The third most populous city in Florida.

From Panama City
249.5 mi
03h 51m
To Cape Coral
258.5 mi
03h 51m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SSE
Destination
86°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Panama City and Cape Coral.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Panama City and Cape Coral.

  1. 1

    Start on Luverne Avenue

    131 m · 24 sec · Luverne Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East 7th Street

    69 m · 14 sec · East 7th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Harrison Avenue

    1 mi · 3 min · Harrison Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue straight

    1.6 mi · 3 min

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    1.3 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    21.2 mi · 27 min

  7. 7

    Turn right

    28.4 mi · 39 min

  8. 8

    Turn left

    18.1 mi · 24 min

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Selman Street

    3018 ft · 1 min · Selman Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Greensboro Highway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Greensboro Highway

  11. 11

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 10 East: Tallahassee

    2453 ft · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    121.5 mi · 2 hr 10 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward I-75 South: Tampa

    1959 ft · 37 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    234.8 mi · 4 hr 12 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left

    42.2 mi · 45 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward CR 762: North Fort Myers, Cape Coral

    1532 ft · 37 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on CR 762 West, to US 41

    859 ft · 21 sec

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Tuckers Grade

    1.4 km · 2 min · Tuckers Grade

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Tamiami Trail

    10.4 mi · 13 min · Tamiami Trail

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Del Prado Boulevard North

    6.5 mi · 11 min · Del Prado Boulevard North

  21. 21

    Continue on Del Prado Boulevard South

    6.2 mi · 13 min · Del Prado Boulevard South

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Cape Coral Parkway East

    1669 ft · 41 sec · Cape Coral Parkway East

  23. 23

    Turn right

    61 m · 15 sec

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Panama City and Cape Coral.

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
24 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-75 South
277 mi · 55%
I 10 East
122 mi · 24%
Harrison Avenue
25.1 mi · 5%
Tamiami Trail
10.4 mi · 2%
Del Prado Boulevard North
6.5 mi · 1%
Del Prado Boulevard South
6.15 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I-75 South

Merge slight left

235 mi · 04h 12m

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
07h 43m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+172.5 mi
335.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Gainesville
03h 51m from Panama City
Leave By
8:32 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Panama City and Sunny near Cape Coral.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Panama City to Cape Coral?

The road trip is about 508 miles (817.5 km) and usually takes 07h 43m 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?

Gainesville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 249.5 miles from Panama City and 258.5 miles from Cape Coral.

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

The direct path is about 335.5 miles (540 km), while the road route adds roughly 172.5 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 CDT. 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 $74.37 one way or $148.75 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 159.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Panama City and Cape Coral, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Panama City and Sunny near Cape Coral.

Stop Ideas Near Gainesville

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

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

BUS

Gainesville, Florida

201 East University Ave.
BUS

Waldo, Florida

22 mi away
14648 NE 147th Avenue
BUS

Ocala, Florida

54 mi away
531 Northeast First Ave
RAIL

Palatka

66 mi away
220 North 11th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Panama City and Cape Coral. Straight-line distance: 335.57 mi (540.05 km).

Panama City

#1 Panama City

County seat of Bay County, Florida, United States

Population34,667
Coordinates30.1594600, -85.6598300
Altitude8
CountryUnited States
Cape Coral

#2 Cape Coral

The second most populous city in Lee County, Florida.

Population200,972
Coordinates26.5628500, -81.9495300
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Start: Luverne Avenue (-85.659629, 30.15946)
End: (-81.94953, 26.562855)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 818 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 42m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 09m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 28m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.93 gal
67.86 L · about $74.37
Round trip
$148.75
35.86 gal · 135.72 L
Estimated CO2
159.3 kg one way
Round trip: 318.7 kg / 703 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $74.37 $148.75
Mid-grade $4.60 $82.41 $164.81
Premium $4.90 $87.79 $175.57
Diesel $4.35 $78.00 $155.99

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 17, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Panama City, FL and Cape Coral, FL. The current time in Panama City is 07:28:55, although it is 08:28:55 in Cape Coral.

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.