New Orleans to Destin FL drive: Time, distance & best stops
The best road trip stops on the New Orleans to Destin drive are Biloxi MS, Mobile AL and Pensacola FL. The distance from New Orleans to Destin by car is 250 miles, with a 4h driving time.
Planning a New Orleans to Destin FL road trip itinerary
The New Orleans to Destin drive takes you from Louisiana’s most exciting city to a top Florida Panhandle beach town.
New Orleans resolutely refuses to feel like any other American city. From the raucous hedonism of Bourbon Street to the European-influenced charm of the French Quarter, New Orleans is mesmerizingly unusual to hang out in.
Top New Orleans experiences include French Quarter food tours, haunted pub crawls, jazz cruises aboard the steamboat Natchez and cemetery walking tours.
For other attractions, try the National WWII Museum, the Vue Orleans observation deck and the urban enslavement tours at Hermann Grima House.
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.
New Orleans to Destin FL distance and driving time
By car, the distance from New Orleans to Destin FL is 250 miles. You can expect a driving time of around four hours. The quickest route is along the I-10 and US-98.
The best road trip stops on the New Orleans to Destin FL drive are Biloxi MS, Mobile AL and Pensacola FL.
Best stops between New Orleans and Destin FL: Biloxi MS
Biloxi on the Mississippi coast is best known as a casino destination, but there’s plenty to keep non-gamblers interested. The Biloxi Lighthouse opened in 1848, and is now open for public tours. The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum covers the region’s history, and looks at just how big a business fishing is. You can also take a cruise on one of the schooners moored outside the museum.
Also in Biloxi is Beauvoir, the lavish home of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The mansion is open for tours.
Excellent value Biloxi accommodation options include the Palace Casino Resort and Hotel Legends.
New Orleans to Destin FL drive: 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.
New Orleans to Destin road trip attractions: 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 New Orleans road trips
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More Destin road trips
Atlanta to Destin | Austin to Destin FL | Birmingham AL to Destin FL | Dallas to Destin | Destin to Fort Lauderdale | Destin to Gulf Shores | Houston to Destin FL | Jacksonville to Destin | Memphis to Destin | Destin to Miami | Mobile to Destin | Nashville to Destin FL | Destin to Orange Beach | Orlando to Destin | Panama City to Destin | Pensacola to Destin | Tallahassee to Destin | Tampa to Destin.