Tampa to Melbourne FL road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Tampa to Melbourne FL drive are Lakeland, Disney World and Kissimmee. The distance from Tampa to Melbourne FL is 133 miles, with a 2h10m driving time.

Planning a Tampa to Melbourne FL road trip itinerary

The Tampa to Melbourne drive takes you across central Florida from west to east.

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.

Melbourne is a relatively low key city on Florida’s Space Coast. It’s on the Indian River Lagoon, which is a great spot for seeing dolphins. You can take a two hour dolphin-watching boat cruise to make the most of it.

Otherwise, there’s a string of beaches to enjoy on the barrier island on the other side of the lagoon.

Top accommodation options in Melbourne FL include the beachside Bleu Beach Resort and the Hotel Melby downtown.

Tampa to Melbourne FL distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Tampa to Melbourne FL is 133 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 10 minutes. The quickest route is via the I-4 and US-192.

The best stops to add to a Tampa to Melbourne road trip itinerary are Lakeland, Disney World and Kissimmee.

For more suggestions, check out the guides to the separate legs of the journey.

Tampa to Melbourne FL drive: Lakeland, Florida

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.

Tampa to Melbourne FL road trip attractions: 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.

Best stops between Tampa and Melbourne FL: Kissimmee

Effectively a southern suburb of Orlando, family-friendly Kissimmee goes its own way. The Old Town Entertainment District, full of restaurants, bars and fairground-esque attractions, is the centerpiece.

Good Kissimmee experiences include airboat swamp tours, self-guided lakefront tours on an electrified adult trike and scenic helicopter flights over Florida’s theme parks.

Perhaps best of all, though, is a two hour eco-kayaking tour. This heads through the cypress forest on Shingle Creek – the headwaters of the Everglades.

Reliably good Kissimmee hotels include the Banana Bay Resort and the affordably retro Hotel Monte Carlo.