# Topics > Planning Summer RoadTrips >  Driving Tampa Fl to Denver Co

## ALorraine

Husband has route fro Tampa to Tallahassee to Mobile to Shreveport to Dallas to Amarillo to Denver
27-28 hours
All other maps have us going North first.

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## Midwest Michael

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I'm confused, mostly because I don't see a question in your post. 

You also posted in this in the map center support section - do you have a question about general trip planning, or are you having difficulty using the program?

Regardless, ignore the "hours" being spit out by google or other similar mapping programs, they simply aren't accurate in the real world. You're looking at a trip that's at least 1900 miles no matter which route you chose, which means you need a minimum of 3.5 days to safely make this drive.

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## glc

Welcome to RTA!

First of all, don't believe the driving times from a computer, they are fantasy.  You need to add 20% to account for traffic, delays, bathroom, fuel, and food stops, etc.

I calculate that this route with those waypoints is 1900 miles, which is 3 full days and part of a 4th at the very least.  This would require overnights in Mobile, Dallas, and Clayton NM.  This is also not the most efficient route to go from Tampa to Denver, it involves a lot of non-Interstate highways. The most efficient would be via Atlanta, Nashville, and St. Louis, overnights in Chattanooga, Columbia MO, and Goodland KS.

You didn't really ask a question, does this help?

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## DonnaR57

The only thing I see about the route that GLC suggested, that stands out, is "Atlanta". Perhaps your husband, in planning the longer "southern" route, wanted to avoid driving through Atlanta. It's about 100 miles longer that way, but due to the non-interstates, it will take extra time over the extra 2 hours. 

Another way to figure out how long to allot for a trip: Take the total number of miles (Google Maps is usually "right on") and divide by 55 or 60 for interstates, 50 for US and state highways. That should give you the number of hours. How many days? Take total mileage and divide by 500.  

If you took the overnights suggested for the "northern route", there are loads of motels at exit 128a and b in Columbia, MO, and down by Stadium Blvd.  Goodland KS also has a ton of different motels. If you wanted to drive a shorter day, you could also stop in Hays, KS, where there's a lot of different motels. 

Whatever route you choose, when staying in a large city overnight (such as Dallas or Chattanooga), stay on the opposite side of the city so that you don't have to start your day dealing with Rush Hour traffic. 


Donna

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