Longest stretch of highway without exits in the entire US is this historic road in Florida

Florida is home to some seriously long roads, but one particular stretch could leave drivers feeling like they’ve been on the same highway forever.

The road cuts through a surprisingly remote part of the Sunshine State, despite being part of a major toll route.

And for almost 50 miles, there is nowhere to get off.

It’s also part of a historic highway that first opened nearly 70 years ago.

Florida’s Turnpike has a huge gap between exits

The stretch of road in question is part of Florida’s Turnpike, which runs for hundreds of miles through the state and serves millions of car drivers every day.

Between Kissimmee-St. Cloud and Yeehaw Junction, drivers have to travel 48.9 miles without encountering an exit, that’s the longest exit-free stretch of highway in the entire US.

The route passes through a largely rural section of central Florida, with plenty of open land and relatively little development compared with the state’s busy coastal cities.

There are service areas along parts of the Turnpike, so drivers aren’t completely cut off from fuel and food.

But if you want to actually leave the highway, you’ll have to keep driving.

The stretch is particularly unusual because the Turnpike is otherwise a major transportation route connecting some of Florida’s biggest population centers.

The historic highway dates back to the 1950s

Florida’s Turnpike began life as the Sunshine State Parkway, with construction starting in the mid-1950s.

The first 110-mile section opened on January 25, 1957, helping drivers travel between Miami and Fort Pierce without dealing with traffic lights along the route.

The road was designed to provide a faster alternative to existing highways as Florida’s population and car ownership rapidly increased.

The Turnpike was later extended northward, eventually reaching Orlando and Wildwood, and today, the mainline stretches for around 312 miles, with the wider Turnpike system extending even farther.

Its longest gap between exits is a reminder of what the road looked like when much of Florida was still far less developed.

And while driving nearly 50 miles without an exit might sound slightly terrifying, it also makes this one of the most unusual stretches of highway in America.

Top 5 weirdest roads in the US

1. Tail of the Dragon – Tennessee
   This 11-mile road has 318 curves, making it a nightmare for anyone who hates winding roads.
2. Extraterrestrial Highway – Nevada
   Officially State Route 375, this road runs close to Area 51 and has a suitably mysterious name.
3. Road to Nowhere – Tennessee
   This road was meant to continue through the Smoky Mountains, but construction was abandoned. It now ends suddenly in the wilderness.
4. Million Dollar Highway – Colorado
   This spectacular mountain road has steep drops, tight turns and sections without guardrails.
5. Overseas Highway – Florida
   US 1 connects Miami with Key West across a chain of islands, with huge stretches surrounded by water.