Destin to Fort Lauderdale drive: Distance, time & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Destin to Fort Lauderdale drive are Gainesville, Orlando and West Palm Beach. The distance from Destin to Fort Lauderdale by car is 614 miles, with a 9h driving time.

Planning a Destin to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary

The Destin to Fort Lauderdale drive takes you from the Gulf Coast of Florida to the southeastern corner.

Destin is a beach town on the Florida Panhandle, with white sand beaches and several golf courses. The Destin Harbor Boardwalk tends to be the centre of activity, and there is plenty of activity to be in the centre of.

Top Destin experiences include a sunset tiki cruise, a Crab Island sandbar adventure, a dolphin-watching speedboat cruise and parasailing.

You can also try jetski rentals, the Maximum Magic show, Hydrojet sunset tours and banana boat rides.

If looking for Destin accommodation, the Comfort Inn and Suites offers good value and the plush Henderson Beach Resort has private beach access.

Fort Lauderdale is 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.

Destin to Fort Lauderdale distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Destin to Fort Lauderdale is 614 miles. This makes for a driving time of around nine hours. The quickest route is along the I-10, I-75 and Florida’s Turnpike.

The best stops to add to a Destin to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary are Gainesville, Orlando and West Palm Beach.

For more suggestions, see the guides to the individual legs of the journey.

Destin to Fort Lauderdale drive: Gainesville

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, and will be best known to college football fans as the home of the Florida Gators.

For everyone else, there’s the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Harn Museum of Art and the Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park. The latter is based around a limestone sinkhole.

Gainesville hotel prices can rise sharply based on university and football events. Hunt for bargains in advance.

Best stops between Destin and Fort Lauderdale: Orlando

Orlando is known worldwide as the home of Disney World, but there’s far more to it than Mickey and Co. You can get crazy selfies at the Museum of Illusions or WonderWorks, learn how chocolate is made at Chocolate Kingdom and ride the Wheel at ICON Park or Orlando StarFlyer. Alternatively, visit Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, play adventure golf at Pirates’ Cove and say hi to the stingrays at Sea Life.

In the evenings, there’s the Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show, Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn To Life and the Outta Control magic comedy show.

Other Orlando experiences include glow-in-the-dark kayaking, foodie walking tours and kayaking through Cypress forest.

There are hundreds of hotels to choose from in Orlando. Flexibility is key (precise location is not critical here) – and compare prices online before booking.

Destin to Fort Lauderdale road trip attractions: West Palm Beach

Notoriously wealthy West Palm Beach goes big on art. The Norton Museum of Art and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens are the big hitters, but there are plenty of smaller galleries. Arguably the top attraction is in Palm Beach, however. Here, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum marries Gilded Age grandeur with Florida history.

Bookable West Palm Beach experiences include snorkelling tours, sunset cruises and photoshoots on Worth Avenue. You can also try jet snorkelling, parasailing and food-tasting market tours.

For West Palm Beach accommodation with superb guest ratings, the Pioneer Inn is excellent value and the Ben brings five star opulence.