Orlando to West Palm Beach drive: Distance, time & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Orlando to West Palm Beach drive are Kissimmee, Fort Pierce and Jupiter. The distance from Orlando to West Palm Beach by car is 170 miles, with a 2h30m driving time.

Planning an Orlando to West Palm Beach road trip itinerary

The Orlando to West Palm Beach drive takes you from Florida’s theme park capital to one of the biggest cities on 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.

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.

Orlando to West Palm Beach distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Orlando to West Palm Beach is 170 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 30 minutes. The quickest route is usually along Florida’s Turnpike.

The best stops to add to an Orlando to West Palm Beach road trip itinerary are Kissimmee, Fort Pierce and Jupiter FL.

For more suggestions, read the guides to the Orlando to Fort Pierce drive and Port St Lucie to West Palm Beach drive.

Orlando to West Palm Beach road trip attractions: 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.

Best stops between Orlando and West Palm Beach: 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.

Orlando to West Palm Beach drive: Jupiter FL

Jupiter Beach on the Atlantic Ocean is the primary attraction of Jupiter FL, but there are a couple of other interesting spots. Du Bois Park offers a snorkelling lagoon, a playground and picnic tables.

Near the I-95, the Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park commemorates the battles of the Loxahatchee in the Second Seminole War.

Fun activities in Jupiter FL include clear kayak tours, sunset cruises and guided paddleboarding adventures.

For Jupiter accommodation, take a look at the beachfront Pointe Hotel and the pool-centric Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa.

More Orlando road trips

Albany GA to Orlando | Asheville to Orlando | Atlanta to Orlando | Augusta to Orlando | Austin to Orlando | Baton Rouge to Orlando | Birmingham AL to Orlando | Orlando to Bradenton | Orlando to Cape Canaveral | Charlotte to Orlando | Orlando to Cocoa Beach | Columbia SC to Orlando | Orlando to Daytona Beach | Orlando to Destin | Orlando to Fort Pierce | Orlando to Fort Walton Beach |  Gainesville to Orlando | Houston to Orlando | Huntsville AL to Orlando | Jacksonville to Orlando | Orlando to Jupiter FL | Lakeland to Orlando.

Macon GA to Orlando | Orlando to Melbourne FL | Memphis to Orlando | Mobile to Orlando | Orlando to Myrtle Beach | Nashville to Orlando | New Orleans to Orlando | Orlando to Palm Coast | Panama City to Orlando | Pensacola to Orlando | Orlando to Port Canaveral | Orlando to Port St Lucie | Ocala to Orlando | Pittsburgh to Orlando | Orlando to St Augustine | Orlando to Stuart FL | Tallahassee to Orlando | Orlando to Tampa | Valdosta to Orlando | Orlando to Vero Beach | Orlando to Winter Haven.

More West Palm Beach road trips

West Palm Beach to Boynton Beach | West Palm Beach to Jupiter FL | West Palm Beach to Stuart.