Miami to Kissimmee FL road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
The best road trip stops on the Miami to Kissimmee FL drive are Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce. The distance from Miami to Kissimmee FL by car is 216 miles, with a 3h25m driving time.
Planning a Miami to Kissimmee FL road trip itinerary
The Miami to Kissimmee FL drive takes you north along Florida’s Atlantic coast to the centre of the state.
Miami is a city with several sides to it. The art deco and showiness of South Beach contrasts heavily with the landscaped garden grandeur of Coral Gables, for example.
Top Miami experiences include food tours of Little Havana, sightseeing by speedboat and South Beach cruises that take in the homes of millionaires. Alternatively, try a sunset cocktail cruise, a half day Everglades tour or a scenic helicopter flight.
Attractions worth getting advance tickets for include the Frost Science Museum, the Museum of Graffiti and the Paradox Museum.
The most memorable Miami accommodation is in one of South Beach’s art deco hotels. The Essex House Hotel is an architectural classic. The National has an amazing pool.
Effectively a southern suburb of Orlando, family-friendly Kissimmee goes its own way. The Old Town Entertainment District, full of restaurants, bars and fairground-esque attractions, is the centerpiece.
Good Kissimmee experiences include airboat swamp tours, self-guided lakefront tours on an electrified adult trike and scenic helicopter flights over Florida’s theme parks.
Perhaps best of all, though, is a two hour eco-kayaking tour. This heads through the cypress forest on Shingle Creek – the headwaters of the Everglades.
Reliably good Kissimmee hotels include the Banana Bay Resort and the affordably retro Hotel Monte Carlo.
Miami to Kissimmee FL distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Miami to Kissimmee FL is 216 miles. You can expect a driving time of around three hours and 25 minutes. The quickest route is up Florida’s Turnpike.
The best stops to add to a Miami to Kissimmee road trip are Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce. For more suggestions, read the guides to the individual sections of the journey:
- Miami to Fort Lauderdale drive.
- Fort Lauderdale to Boca Raton drive.
- Boca Raton to West Palm Beach drive.
Miami to Kissimmee FL road trip attractions: Fort Lauderdale
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.
Best stops between Miami and Kissimmee: 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.
Miami to Kissimmee drive: Fort Pierce FL
Fort Pierce is an often-overlooked spot on Florida’s Atlantic coast, but there’s plenty to do here. Top Fort Pierce experiences include clear kayak tours through the mangroves, jungle tours and sunset kayak tours.
The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum looks at the elite special ops marine troops of the Navy Seals, while the St Lucie County Aquarium shows off other marine life.
The Fort Pierce Inlet State Park offers an excellent half-mile beach, birdwatching, an observation tower and snorkelling off the shore. There’s also a string of beaches on the south side of the Inlet.
Manatees also rock up here during the winter months, with the Fort Pierce Manatee Observation Center the best place to see them.
Well-reviewed Fort Pierce accommodation options include the budget-friendly Hampton Inn and the beachfront Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel.
More Miami road trips
Miami to Boca Raton | Miami to Boynton Beach | Miami to Cocoa Beach | Miami to Deerfield Beach | Miami to Delray Beach | Destin to Miami | Miami to Fort Lauderdale | Miami to Fort Myers | Miami to Fort Pierce FL | Miami to Hollywood FL | Miami to Jupiter FL | Miami to Lake Worth Beach | Miami to Melbourne FL | Miami to Naples | Orlando to Miami | Panama City to Miami | Pensacola to Miami | Miami to Pompano Beach | Miami to Port St Lucie | Miami to Stuart FL | Tallashassee to Miami | Miami to Vero Beach | Miami to West Palm Beach.
More Kissimmee road trips
Kissimmee to Cocoa Beach | Kissimmee to Daytona Beach | Jacksonville to Kissimmee | Tampa to Kissimmee.