Dallas to Panama City road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
The best road trip stops on the Dallas to Panama City drive are Jackson MS, Mobile AL and Pensacola FL. The distance from Dallas to Panama City by car is 775 miles, with a 12h driving time.
Planning a Dallas to Panama City road trip itinerary
The Dallas to Panama City drive takes you from north Texas to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Dallas has plenty of high quality cultural attractions. These include the Nasher Scupture Center, Pioneer Square and the Perot Museum of Science and Nature.
But for many visitors, the main reason to visit Dallas is the JFK assassination. Yes, you can go up to the Book Depository where Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly took his shot from.
Top Dallas experiences include a JFK Assassination and Museum tour, the GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower and a self-guided scavenger hunt.
Good places to stay in Dallas with a pool include the sassy Kimpton Pittman downtown and the historic Warwick Melrose near Turtle Creek.
How to do the JFK sites in Dallas
The best way to combine the JFK sites in Dallas is a special themed tour. This takes in the JFK Memorial, Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll before heading to Lee Harvey Oswald’s rooming house. It finishes in the Sixth Floor Museum of the Texas Book Depository. On the way, expert guides take you through the assassination facts and theories. Find out more here.
There are military bases and industrial sites in Panama City, but for visitors it’s all about the beach.
Top things to do in Panama City include jetboat thrill rides, a sunset catamaran sail, and a dolphin and snorkelling cruise.
You can also swim with dolphins, try scuba diving for beginners and stand-up paddleboarding lessons.
Dallas to Panama City distance and driving times
By car, the distance from Dallas to Panama City is 775 miles. You can expect a driving time of around 12 hours.
The best stops to add to a Dallas to Panama City road trip itinerary are Jackson MS, Mobile AL and Pensacola FL.
For more suggestions, read the guides to the individual legs of the journey.
Dallas to Panama City road trip attractions: Jackson MS
The capital of Mississippi has a collection of strong museums. The Mississippi Museum of Art has a great Southern art collection. The Old Capitol Museum and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum cover politics and history.
The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is arguably Jackson’s highlight, though. It comes with a 100,000-gallon aquarium showing off the species that live on the Gulf Coast, and is within LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. That means plenty of nature trails to enjoy when the weather’s good.
Highly-reviewed Jackson MS accommodation includes the plush Westin and the more charming Old Capitol Inn.
Best stops between Dallas and Panama City FL: Mobile AL
The Alabama Gulf Coast port city of Mobile has a perhaps unexpected party spirit. This is best explored in the bars, or at the Mobile Carnival Museum.
You can also head on board the USS Alabama battleship or visit the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico. The latter includes a ship simulator, where you can have a go at steering a ship through the Gulf.
Mobile experience options include a downtown food tour and a wildlife kayaking tour.
Top Mobile accommodation picks include the personality-packed Fort Conde Inn and the riverside Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza.
Dallas to Panama City drive: Pensacola FL
The westernmost city on the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola is home to a major US Naval Station. But for most visitors, interest will lie in the white sand beaches and barrier islands.
Top Pensacola activities include nighttime kayaking with colourful LEDs lighting up the kayaks, and dolphin-watching cruises around the bay.
Other ways of exploring include downtown food tours, ghost and graveyard tours, guided pub crawls, Segway tours and sunset cruises.
For beachside Pensacola accommodation with great guest reviews, take a look at the Pensacola Beach Resort and the SpringHill Suites Pensacola Beach.
More Dallas road trips
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