Distance From TPA/MCO-Port Charlotte?

[Milan23]

Can anyone tell me the driving distance from TPA and MCO to Port Charlotte? We are combining a visit to Great Grandma with our visit to WDW and I am debating which airport we should fly in and out of.

I looked it up on mapquest and it said 3 hrs 44 minutes from MCO and about 1.5 hrs from TPA, but I have often gotten incorrect information from those services, so I wondered if that was true.

[Rockstar Boyfriends]

I live in Ft. Myers, which is an hour's drive south of Port Charlotte. It takes me 4 hours to get to Orlando. It usually takes about 3.5 hours to get to WDW property. Ft. Myers to Busch Gardens in Tampa takes me 3 hours. Ft. Myers to the Tampa airport is about 2.5 hours.

With Mapquest, I usually add an hour to the estimated time to take into account traffic, restroom stops, etc.

[murphy1]

I second the 2.5 hours from TIA to FM. It is a pretty straight shot on I275. I think the drive is really nice, too.

[CleveSJM]

We've made both trips from Charlotte Harbor (right next to Port Charlotte - Great Grampa). It's only about 2.75 hours to MCO, but only a little over 2 hours to WDW. Depending on the time/day, you might want to take 17/98/540/I4 between WDW and Port Charlotte. It might take a little longer with all the little towns but the traffic is lighter than I4/I75.

Tampa International is about 1.5 hours from Port Charlotte.

I'm not a speed demon but I usually go a little over the limit to keep up with everyone else.

[Milan23]

Thanks for the information...and sorry it took me so long to get back to this thread!

We are going to fly into/out of MCO because I figured we would be up for a drive on the beginning of the trip but not so much after a week at WDW.

[CleveSJM]

Good decision. Have you been down Port Charlotte way before? Great stuff to do down there for families, couples, etc... From Sanibel to Venice the beaches are great. Lots of fossils, shells and sharks teeth at certain beaches. Nice restaurants too. PM me if you'd like to know our family favorites in the area.

Have a safe, fun trip!