Orlando to Stuart FL drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Orlando to Stuart FL drive are Kissimmee, Vero Beach and Fort Pierce. The distance from Orlando to Stuart by car is 138 miles, with a 2h4m driving time.
Planning an Orlando to Stuart FL road trip itinerary
The Orlando to Stuart drive takes you from Florida’s theme park capital to the Atlantic coast.
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.
Stuart is a relatively sleepy city on Florida’s east coast. For most visitors, the primary point of interest will be Stuart Beach on Hutchinson Island. However, there are a couple of good museums here, too. The Elliott Museum offers a surprisingly modern take on Florida’s cultural history, while the House of Refuge looks more at maritime heritage. The building was once a haven for shipwreck survivors.
Good experiences to try in Stuart include ghost tours and fishing charters.
For somewhere to stay in Stuart, take a look at the affordable Best Western Stuart Downtown and the charming Old Colorado Inn.
Orlando to Stuart distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Orlando to Stuart FL is 138 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and four minutes. The quickest route is via Florida’s Turnpike.
The best stops to add to an Orlando to Stuart road trip itinerary are Kissimmee, Vero Beach and Fort Pierce.
Orlando to Stuart drive: Kissimmee
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.
Orlando to Stuart road trip attractions: Vero Beach
With beaches on the Atlantic side of the Indian River Lagoon, Vero Beach can be used as a sun and sand destination. But there’s more to it than that. The Vero Beach Museum of Art provides a culture fix and the McKee Botanical Garden showcases incredible floral diversity.
Fun Vero Beach activities include tiki cabana boat cruises and fat tire electric bike tours.
For Vero Beach accommodation picks, try the Prestige Hotel by the beach or the Hampton Inn downtown.
Best stops between Orlando and Stuart: Fort Pierce
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.
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