Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale drive are Richmond VA, Savannah GA and Jacksonville FL. The distance from Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale by car is 1,173 miles, with a 17h47m driving time.

Planning a Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary

The Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale drive takes you from the biggest city in Pennsylvania to the east coast of Florida.

Historic Philadelphia has a series of absolutely stellar attractions. Independence Hall, the Eastern State Penitentiary and the National Constitution Center are all utterly engrossing.

The area around the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, meanwhile, crams in the Rodin Museum, the Barnes Foundation, the Franklin Institute and the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Other key attractions in Philadelphia include the Museum of the American Revolution, the Independence Seaport Museum and the Penn Museum. For great Philadelphia tour options, try the Old City historic walking tour, a night tour exploring the city’s dark side or an It’s Always Sunny-themed tour of South Philadelphia.

If looking for Philadelphia accommodation, the Club Quarters Rittenhouse Square is often great value, while the Kimpton Hotel Monaco has style and personality.

Fort Lauderdale is a sleek coastal city of beaches and canals. For Fort Lauderdale experiences, try narrated 90 minute cruises on the Jungle Queen, Everglades airboat adventures and snorkelling tours on the Fort Lauderdale reefs.

Alternatively, try an evening boat cruise, renting a powerboat or parasailing.

Great beachfront Fort Lauderdale accommodation options include the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and the Hotel Maren.

Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale is 1,173 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 17 hours and 47 minutes. Most of the journey is down the I-95.

The best stops to add to a Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary are Richmond VA, Savannah GA and Jacksonville FL.

Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale road trip attractions: Richmond, Virginia

Once the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond VA is not entirely weighed down by its history. The surprisingly wild James River runs through it, and the west end feels energetic and more of the North than the South.

The top attraction, though, is the huge American Civil War Museum at the historic Tredegar Ironworks. After that, walk the suspension bridge to Belle Isle in the middle of the James River, see the dubious Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue, or see the grandiose tombs of the Hollywood Cemetery.

Other good Richmond experiences include food tours of the Arts District or Church Hill, Segway tours of the city landmarks, nighttime ghost walks and guided hikes along the James River.

For Richmond accommodation, the Moxy Richmond Downtown brims with fun, youthful energy. The Residence Inn by Marriott, meanwhile, is a short walk from the lively Shockoe Bottom neighbourhood.

Best stops between Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale: Savannah GA

Savannah has a timewarp handsomeness about it. Parks are lined by mossy oak trees, 19^th century buildings ooze history and riverboats glide along the rivers.

Great activities in Savannah include the Ghosts and Gravestones trolley tour, riverboat cruises and a true crime pub crawl.