Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie FL drive are Delray Beach, West Palm Beach and Jupiter FL. The distance from Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie FL by car is 92 miles, with a 1h35m driving time.

Planning a Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie road trip itinerary

The Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie drive takes you through an action-packed stretch of the Florida coast.

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.

Port St Lucie is a gentle place, with the main attraction being the Port St Lucie Botanical Gardens. Built around a fountain-dominated lake, there are separate rose, orchid and butterfly gardens. The other highlight is the 1,000ft boardwalk at the Port District, which runs along the St Lucie River, showing off the mangroves.

Stays in Port St Lucie can be cheaper than elsewhere along the coast. Accommodation picks include the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites.

Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie FL is 92 miles. You can expect a driving time of around one hour and 35 minutes. The quickest route is usually via the I-95.

The best stops to add to a Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie road trip are Delray Beach, West Palm Beach and Jupiter FL. For more suggestions, see the guides to the separate sections of the journey.

Best stops between Fort Lauderdale and Port St Lucie: Delray Beach

Delray Beach is one of the more interesting cities along the coast of southeast Florida, largely because it doesn’t rely too heavily on the beach itself. There’s a good dining and drinking scene here, which is best discovered on a food and drink tour.

Art is where Delray Beach punches above its weight, however. The Cornell Arts Museum hosts international exhibitions, while the Pineapple Grove Arts District brims with sculptures, murals and galleries.

Elsewhere, the Morikami Museum and Gardens takes a look at Japanese culture and the Sandoway Discovery Center concentrates on local wildlife. There are coral reef aquarium tanks, plus shark and stingray feeding, here.

For Delray Beach accommodation with a sense of swagger, try the Atlantic Suites on the Ave or the Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort.

Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie 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.

Fort Lauderdale to Port St Lucie drive: Jupiter FL

Jupiter Beach on the Atlantic Ocean is the primary attraction of Jupiter FL, but there are a couple of other interesting spots. Du Bois Park offers a snorkelling lagoon, a playground and picnic tables.

Near the I-95, the Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park commemorates the battles of the Loxahatchee in the Second Seminole War.

Fun activities in Jupiter FL include clear kayak tours, sunset cruises and guided paddleboarding adventures.

For Jupiter accommodation, take a look at the beachfront Pointe Hotel and the pool-centric Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa.