Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale road trip: Best stops, time & distance

The best road trip stops on the Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale drive are Pittsburgh, Charlotte and Savannah. The distance from Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale by car is 1,364miles, with an 20h driving time.

Planning a Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary

The Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale drive takes you from the shore of Lake Erie in New York to southeast Florida.

Buffalo is often written off as the gateway to Niagara Falls, but there’s more to the city than that. Cultural highlights include Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, the Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

The waterside Buffalo Harbor State Park, meanwhile, offers paddleboard and kayak rentals plus a beach and playgrounds.

Good experiences in Buffalo include Best of Buffalo double decker bus tours, a history of chicken wings food tour and the Theodore Roosevelt Inauguration National Historic Site.

For excellent places to stay in Buffalo, try the historic landmark Richardson Hotel or the charming Hotel at the Lafayette.

Fort Lauderdale is a sleek coastal city of beaches and canals. For Fort Lauderdale experiences, try narrated 90 minute cruises on the Jungle Queen, Everglades airboat adventures and snorkelling tours on the Fort Lauderdale reefs.

Alternatively, try an evening boat cruise, renting a powerboat or parasailing.

Great beachfront Fort Lauderdale accommodation options include the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and the Hotel Maren.

Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale is 1,364 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 20 hours. The quickest route is via the I-90, I-79, US-19, I-77 and I-95.

The best stops to add to a Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary are Pittsburgh, Charlotte and Savannah.

Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale road trip attractions: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania is a monstrously underrated city, with a series of stellar attractions. Get great views from the top of the Duquesne Incline, enjoy the globally-themed rooms at the unmissable Cathedral of Learning and become immersed in pop art at the Warhol Museum.

You can explore Pittsburgh with a hop-on, hop-off bus pass. Pittsburgh experiences include bike tours full of stories, guided whiskey-themed walks and craft beer sampling on a multi-brewery tour.

For Pittsburgh hotels with great reviews, try the Italian villa-style Priory Hotel or the often good value Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown.

For more suggestions, read the guide to the Buffalo to Pittsburgh drive.

Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale drive: Charlotte NC

Charlotte is the biggest city in North Carolina. Major attractions include the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the thrill-packed Carowinds amusement park and the Billy Graham Library. Another popular option is the Sea Life aquarium.

For top Charlotte activities, try historical city tours by golf cart, Segway tours through the Uptown neighbourhood and after dark ghost tours.

Well-reviewed and central Charlotte accommodation options include the AC by Marriott and the Hyatt House.

Best stops between Buffalo and Fort Lauderdale: Savannah GA

Savannah has a timewarp handsomeness about it. Parks are lined by mossy oak trees, 19^th century buildings ooze history and riverboats glide along the rivers.

Great activities in Savannah include the Ghosts and Gravestones trolley tour, riverboat cruises and a true crime pub crawl.