Memphis to Destin road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
The best road trip stops on the Memphis to Destin drive are Tupelo MS, Birmingham AL and Montgomery AL. The distance from Memphis to Destin by car is 505 miles, with an 8h5m driving time.
Planning a Memphis to Destin road trip itinerary
The Memphis to Destin drive takes you from the Mississippi River in Tennessee to one of Florida’s Gulf Coast beach favourites.
Memphis, Tennessee, is a pilgrimage site for Elvis fans. The King’s Graceland mansion is one of the top tourist sites in the US. But the cultural heritage extends beyond music, as you’ll discover on an African-American history tour.
Try the Rock and Soul Museum, plus the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the 19th century Woodruff-Fontaine House.
Ways of seeing the city include ghost walks, Downtown food tours and musical bus tours. There are also guided walks down music central, Beale Street, and city tours that take you inside the legendary Sun Studios.
Top Memphis accommodation options include the Peabody, famous for its marching ducks, and the Guesthouse at Graceland.
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.
Memphis to Destin distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Memphis to Destin is 505 miles. You can expect a driving time of around eight hours and five minutes. The quickest route goes via the I-22 and I-65.
The best stops to add to a Memphis to Destin road trip itinerary are Tupelo MS, Birmingham AL and Montgomery AL.
Memphis to Destin FL road trip attractions: Tupelo MS
Elvis lived in Tupelo, Mississippi, until he was 13 years old. The house where he was born, and lived his first few years, is now a museum.
The simple two room house was built by Presley’s father, Vernon. Attractions at the site include a statue of Elvis as a 13-year-old and the church the family attended.
Memphis to Destin drive: Birmingham AL
Birmingham, Alabama, has a rich civil rights heritage. This is best explored on a civil rights tour which links the key sites and, crucially, puts them into context. Other Birmingham experiences include ghost walks and multi-brewery beer tours.
For museums, you’ve got the McWane Science Center, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and more.
The top-rated Birmingham accommodation picks are the Drury Inn and Suites Birmingham Grandview and the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Birmingham South.
- For more suggestions, check out the guide to the Memphis to Birmingham drive.
Best stops between Memphis TN and Destin FL: Montgomery AL
The main reason to visit Montgomery is the Civil Rights heritage. There are several ways to explore this, with the cheapest being a self-guided audio tour and the most in-depth being a three hour private tour.
Other fun Montgomery experiences include a party pedal boat cruise along the Alabama River,
If planning to blitz several attractions, a city pass might save you money.
- For more ideas, look at the guide to the Birmingham to Montgomery drive.
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More Destin road trips
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