How far is Sun City Center, FL from Fort Lauderdale, FL?

The driving distance from Sun City Center, FL to Fort Lauderdale, FL is about 242 miles (389.5 km), with a travel time of about 03h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 175.1 miles (281.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 20m 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
242.01 mi
03h 40m
Flight
175.11 mi
281.81 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sun City Center.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
175.11 mi
Kilometers
281.81 km
Flight Time
00h 21m

Driving Distance

Road route
242.01 mi
Kilometers
389.47 km
Drive Time
03h 40m

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 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fort Lauderdale
Sun, Apr 19, 4:47 AM EDT
Return by in Sun City Center
Sun, Apr 19, 8:27 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sun City Center
2026-04-19T01:06
Arrive Fort Lauderdale
Sun, Apr 19, 4:47 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:40 AM to 11:40 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
9:40 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sun City Center
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
Estero
FL

Census-designated place in Lee County, Florida

From Sun City Center
120.7 mi
01h 50m
To Fort Lauderdale
121.4 mi
01h 50m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 12 mph NNW
Destination
85°F
Sunday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph SE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    113 m · 28 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Cherry Hills Drive

    1010 ft · 44 sec · Cherry Hills Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Pebble Beach Boulevard

    1151 ft · 41 sec · North Pebble Beach Boulevard

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Sun City Center Boulevard

    2 mi · 3 min · Sun City Center Boulevard

  5. 5

    Continue on College Avenue

    696 ft · 12 sec · College Avenue

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 75 South: Naples

    2805 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    40 mi · 43 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    181.3 mi · 3 hr 14 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Port Everglades Expressway

    10.1 mi · 12 min · Port Everglades Expressway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 84 East: Marina Mile Boulevard

    1302 ft · 32 sec

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto I 595 East, SR 84 East

    991 ft · 19 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on SR 84 East

    2 mi · 4 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Marina Boulevard

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Marina Boulevard

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Southwest 4th Avenue

    2736 ft · 1 min · Southwest 4th Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Southwest 17th Street

    1594 ft · 34 sec · Southwest 17th Street

  16. 16

    Continue on Southeast 17th Street

    780 ft · 25 sec · Southeast 17th Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Southeast 3rd Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Southeast 3rd Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn left onto East Broward Boulevard

    988 ft · 35 sec · East Broward Boulevard

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Broward Boulevard

Car Route Details

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

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
19 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 75 South
222 mi · 92%
Port Everglades Expressway
10.1 mi · 4%
SR 84 East
2.21 mi · 1%
Sun City Center Boulevard
2.01 mi · 1%
Marina Boulevard
1.57 mi · 1%
Southeast 3rd Avenue
1.48 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 75 South

Keep slight left

181 mi · 03h 14m

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 40m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+66.9 mi
175.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Estero
01h 50m from Sun City Center
Leave By
9:40 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Sun City Center and Partly Sunny near Fort Lauderdale.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 242 miles (389.5 km) and usually takes 03h 40m 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?

Estero is a useful midpoint, sitting about 120.7 miles from Sun City Center and 121.4 miles from Fort Lauderdale.

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

The direct path is about 175.1 miles (281.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 66.9 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 9:40 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $35.42 one way or $70.85 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 75.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Sun City Center and Partly Sunny near Fort Lauderdale.

Stop Ideas Near Estero

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

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

BUS

Fort Myers, Florida

28 mi away
6050 Plaza Drive
BUS

Port Charlotte, Florida

68 mi away
909 King Highway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sun City Center and Fort Lauderdale. Straight-line distance: 175.11 mi (281.81 km).

Sun City Center

#1 Sun City Center

Census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida

Population19,258
Coordinates27.7180900, -82.3517600
Altitude15
CountryUnited States
Fort Lauderdale

#2 Fort Lauderdale

The second most populous city in Broward County, Florida.

Population184,245
Coordinates26.1223100, -80.1433800
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Start: (-82.351771, 27.718038)
End: East Broward Boulevard (-80.143384, 26.122355)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 389 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 03m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 50m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 02m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 01m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.54 gal
32.33 L · about $35.42
Round trip
$70.85
17.08 gal · 64.66 L
Estimated CO2
75.9 kg one way
Round trip: 151.8 kg / 335 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $35.42 $70.85
Mid-grade $4.60 $39.25 $78.50
Premium $4.90 $41.81 $83.62
Diesel $4.35 $37.15 $74.30

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Sun City Center and Fort Lauderdale. The current time is 01:06:59.

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.