Panama City to Miami road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Panama City to Miami drive are Gainesville, Orlando and West Palm Beach. The distance from Panama City to Miami by car is 581 miles, with a 9h17m driving time.

Planning a Panama City to Miami road trip itinerary

The Panama City to Miami drive takes you from the Gulf Coast of Florida to the biggest city in the southeastern corner.

There are military bases and industrial sites in Panama City, but for visitors it’s all about the beach.

Top things to do in Panama City include jetboat thrill rides, a sunset catamaran sail, and a dolphin and snorkelling cruise.

You can also swim with dolphins, try scuba diving for beginners and stand-up paddleboarding lessons.

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.

Panama City to Miami distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Panama City to Miami is 581 miles. This makes for a driving time of around nine hours and 17 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10, I-75 and Florida’s Turnpike.

The best stops to add to a Panama City to Miami road trip itinerary are Gainesville, Orlando and West Palm Beach.

For more suggestions, see the guides to the individual legs of the journey.

Panama City to Miami drive: Gainesville

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 Panama City and Miami: Orlando

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.

Panama City to Miami road trip attractions: 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 Beach, Florida.
Miami Beach, Florida. Photo by Antonio Cuellar/ Unsplash.

More Panama City road trips

Atlanta to Panama City | Birmingham AL to Panama City | Dallas to Panama City | Panama City to Destin | Dothan AL to Panama City FL | Panama City to Fort Walton Beach | Houston to Panama City | Jacksonville to Panama City | Nashville to Panama City | Panama City to New Orleans | Panama City to Orlando | Pensacola to Panama City | Tallahassee to Panama City | Tampa to Panama City.

More Miami road trips

Miami to Boca Raton | Miami to Boynton Beach | Miami to Deerfield Beach | Miami to Delray Beach | 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 | Pensacola to Miami | Miami to Pompano Beach | Miami to Port St Lucie | Miami to Stuart FL | Miami to Vero Beach.