Port Canaveral to Tampa drive: Distance, time & best stops
The best stops on the Port Canaveral to Tampa drive are Orlando, Disney World and Lakeland. The distance from Port Canaveral to Tampa by car is 128 miles, with a 2h10m driving time.
Planning a Port Canaveral to Tampa road trip itinerary
The Port Canaveral to Tampa drive takes you from a Florida east coast cruise hub to the biggest city on the west coast.
Port Canaveral is one of the busiest cruise hubs on earth. The likes of Disney Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Carnival dock here.
If you’re not planning to go on a cruise, you can take a tour of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse or visit the Kennedy Space Center. Cocoa Beach Helicopter Tours also offers its scenic flights from here.
Well-rated Port Canaveral accommodation options include the Country Inn and Suites plus the Hampton Inn and Suites.
Tampa is justifiably one of the most popular holiday destinations in Florida. It’s home to top attractions such as the Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa, the Adventure Island water park and Busch Gardens theme park.
Other great Tampa experiences include historic Ybor City food walking tours, seeing the highlights in a street legal golf cart and a Haunted Tampa tour that combines ghosts and pubs.
Also on offer are Segway tours, history cruises, dolphin-watching and celebrity homes tours.
Tampa accommodation is best booked in advance – look for deals here.
Port Canaveral to Tampa distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Port Canaveral to Tampa is 128 miles. You can expect a driving time of around two hours and 10 minutes. The quickest route is along the FL-528 and I-4.
For more suggestions, check out the guides to the individual sections of the journey.
Best stops between Port Canaveral and Tampa: Orlando
Orlando is known worldwide as the home of Disney World, but there’s far more to it than Mickey and Co. You can get crazy selfies at the Museum of Illusions or WonderWorks, learn how chocolate is made at Chocolate Kingdom and ride the Wheel at ICON Park or Orlando StarFlyer. Alternatively, visit Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, play adventure golf at Pirates’ Cove and say hi to the stingrays at Sea Life.
In the evenings, there’s the Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show, Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn To Life and the Outta Control magic comedy show.
Other Orlando experiences include glow-in-the-dark kayaking, foodie walking tours and kayaking through Cypress forest.
The secret to getting Orlando accommodation deals is flexibility. There are hundreds of hotels, and you’ll likely be driving everywhere anyway. So hunt down the cheapest rates, and don’t get too hung up on exact location.
Port Canaveral to Tampa drive: Disney World
To approach Disney World as an ordinary theme park is a mistake. In reality, it is several theme parks in one. Just rock up on the day and work it out as you go along, and you’ll not get the most out of it. Read up and plan in advance – there’s a reason why some people stay for several days. Also remember that it’s as much about the shows and parades as the rides.
Several types of ticket are available. Pick the one that suits your party best.
Port Canaveral to Tampa road trip attractions: Lakeland FL
Lakeland is a somewhat overlooked Florida City which is, as the name suggests, based around a series of lakes. Of these, Lake Mirror is the most popular, with a promenade and amphitheatre. It also has Hollis Garden, an impressive botanical garden, at the southern end. For something less sculpted, the Circle B Bar Reserve is a former cattle ranch that is now a great place to see alligators.
The city is also home to Florida Southern University, which has the world’s largest concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.
Good Lakeland hotel choices include the spacious SpringHill Suites and the affordable, pool-equipped Travelodge.
More Port Canaveral road trips
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