Tampa is a city along Florida’s Gulf Coast in the United States of America. It is known for the Busch Gardens and the famous Ybor city. Both Miami and Tampa are mainly vacation-oriented and fall under the same time zone, meaning there is no time shift while travelling between the two places.
Here, you will get to know how far is Tampa from Miami, how you can go from Miami, FL, to Tampa, FL, and how you can make your journey a road trip.
Driving Non-stop from Miami to Tampa by Road
| Nonstop Driving Distance | 280 Miles/450 KM |
| Nonstop Driving Time | 4 Hours |
The total driving distance from Miami to Tampa bay is approximately 280 miles. Driving non-stop from Miami to Tampa by car can help you reach Tampa in about 4 hours. Depending on which route you choose, you will be going through different places like Hollywood, Andytown, Cleveland, Fruitville, Port St. Lucie, Lake Wales and Bartow.
Estimated Drive Time Between Miami to Tampa
| Average Speed | Travel Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 09 hours 20 minutes |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 07 hours 00 minutes |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 05 hours 36 minutes |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 04 hours 40 minutes |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 04 hours 00 minutes |
| 75 mph (120.7 km/h) | 03 hours 44 minutes |
| 80 mph (128.75 km/h) | 03 hours 00 minutes |
There are 3 route options for you to choose from for your non-stop drive to Tampa. You can choose any of the following routes as they cover nearly the same distance in about the same time:
- Driving solely via I-75 N
- Driving via Florida’s Turnpike
- Using US-27 N and I-75 N
There is a marginal difference of 5-10 miles/15 minutes among all routes.
Note: Keep in mind that in the real world, driving non-stop also includes stopping at a gas station or a restroom, since these are necessities.
Flying Non-stop from Miami to Tampa
| Nonstop Flying Distance | 205 miles/330 km |
| Nonstop Flying Time | 40 Minutes |
To pique your curiosity of how far is Tampa from Miami by plane, it is approximately 205 miles. The flight time for Miami to Tampa is 40 minutes. The shortest flight distance is actually calculated using an Iterative Vincenty formula. The flight time is quite short for private jets, but most of the travelers use commercial flights, which can lead to longer travel time. This can be because you will have to travel to and from the airport and undergo various security checks at the airport.
Road Trip from Miami to Tampa
To lighten your load of continuous travelling, you can make the trip from Miami to Tampa by car a road trip by taking breaks in between and resuming your trip with a fresh mind.
For your road trip, there are as many as 40 stops in between, depending on which route you choose to go through. The following are some of the best stops enroute the Miami to Tampa road trip:
- South Beach: South Beach is known for its beaches, nightspots and celebrity-chef eateries. South Beach also has a few museums.
- Lincoln Road: Lincoln Road is all about chic retail shops, sidewalk cafes, bars and art galleries.
- Zoo Miami: The Zoo is spread over a massive 300 acres of land, featuring rare species of animals and different tropical plants.
- Hollywood Beach: Hollywood Beach is a great place to take a walk, as there is the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the hustle-bustle of Miami on the other. Visitors and locals skate, cycle, stroll and even ride foot-pedal buggies on the beach.
- Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens: This is a lakeside destination with authentic Japanese style tea ceremonies, classes, festivals and even a Sushi cafe.
- Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: The Sanctuary features protected wetlands with a boardwalk trail through native wildlife.
- Fishermen’s Village: Fishermen’s Village is a riverfront complex of various shops and restaurants. Lodging is also offered here.
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a must go as it is one of the most scenic drives on the Miami-Tampa drive.
Tip: The Miami to Tampa road trip can be finished in one day, but it is best experienced if extended to 2 days, including 1 overnight stop.
Reaching Tampa from Miami: Airports and Flights
When going by flights, knowing your way around does pay off. You should know about the airports and what all flights are serving your travel needs. The Miami International Airport (MIA) and Tampa International Airport (TIA) can be your respective departure and arrival airports, depending which place you’re flying from.
There are 8 airlines serving on the Miami-Tampa route.
| American Airlines | Delta Airlines | Southwest Airlines |
| Frontier Airlines | Silver Airways | United Airlines |
| Spirit Airlines | JetBlue |
These airlines offer more than 120 flying options, ranging from non-stop flights of 40 minutes to stoppage-oriented flights of almost 22.5 hours. You can choose an airline of your choice based on your preference of flight time, stoppages and cost. Out of all airlines, the best departing flights are Spirit and American Airlines.
Note: The return trip from Tampa to Miami will essentially be of the same distance. It is still recommended to check for the details of Tampa to Miami flights separately since the data can change in the real world.
Conclusion
Here, we discussed the driving distance between Miami and Tampa, the flight distance and time, how you can make your Tampa drive a road trip, and your departure and arrival airports as well as flights serving on this route.
You can explore more of our content pieces if you are fond of travelling. In case you have any other information about the journey from Miami to Tampa that should be included here, we’ll be happy to listen.
