Orlando to Fort Walton Beach drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Orlando to Fort Walton Beach by car is 417 miles, with a 6h2m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Orlando to Fort Walton Beach drive are Gainesville FL, Tallahassee FL and Falling Waters State Park.
Planning an Orlando to Fort Walton Beach road trip itinerary
The Orlando to Fort Walton Beach drive connects Florida’s theme park capital to one its most attractive coastal hotspots.
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.
Fort Walton Beach is largely about the sand, sea and sun. That sand is usually sparkling white, and the sea usually an alluring emerald.
Top experiences in Fort Walton Beach include pontoon boat rentals, stand-up paddleboarding, jet ski rentals and night kayaking tours in clear-bottomed kayaks that glow in the dark.
Great beachside accommodation options in Fort Walton Beach include Beal House and the Island Resort.
Orlando to Fort Walton Beach distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Orlando to Fort Walton Beach is 417 miles. You can expect a driving time of around six hours and two minutes. The quickest route is along Florida’s Turnpike, the I-75 and the I-10.
The best stops to add to an Orlando to Fort Walton Beach road trip itinerary are Gainesville FL, Tallahassee FL and Falling Waters State Park.
Orlando to Fort Walton Beach road trip attractions: Gainesville FL
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 Orlando and Fort Walton Beach: Tallahassee FL
Top Tallahassee experiences include the Museum of Florida History, which tells the tale of the Sunshine State. That covers everything from prehistoric mastodons to the Spanish conquest and Disney.
The Tallahassee Museum, meanwhile, flits all over the place, from sculpture to birds of prey. For natural beauty, head to the Alfred B Maclay Gardens State Park.
Good Tallahassee accommodation options include the hip Aloft Tallahassee Downtown and the often great value Four Points by Sheraton.
Orlando to Fort Walton Beach drive: Falling Waters State Park
Florida’s highest waterfall is just a short detour off the I-10. In Falling Waters State Park, a small stream plunges into a 100ft-deep and 20ft-wide hole. The stream drops 73ft, and the really strange thing is that no-one really knows where the water ends up.
Within the state park are gentle walking trails, a picnic area and a butterfly garden. You can also go for a swim in the lake.
More Orlando road trips
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More Fort Walton Beach road trips
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