Tallahassee to Panama City drive: Time, distance & best stops

Planning a Tallahassee to Panama City road trip itinerary

The Tallahassee to Panama City drive takes you from Florida’s capital to one of the top beach cities on the Panhandle.

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.

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

Tallahassee to Panama City distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Tallahassee to Panama City is 103 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 55 minutes. The shortest route is along FL-20 and US-231.

The best stops to add to a Tallahassee to Panama City road trip itinerary are Lake Talquin State Park, the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve, and the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement.

Tallahassee to Panama City drive: Lake Talquin State Park

Lake Talquin State Park is a pleasant spot for a picnic – there are public grills in the picnic area. But this lake, surrounded by woodland bluffs, is at its best for outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking and boating.

There’s also a decent chance of spotting wildlife here. Deer, squirrels, bald eagles and ospreys are regularly spotted within the park.

Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve

Managed by the Nature Conversancy, the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve near Bristol FL protects rare habitats. These includes sandhills, the Apalachicola River’s massive exposed bluffs and slope forests.

For visitors, the primary reason to come here is the 3.75-mile Garden of Eden hiking trail, which leads to striking views over the river at Alum Bluff.

Best stops between Tallahassee and Panama City: Panhandle Pioneer Settlement

The Panhandle Pioneer Settlement in Blountstown FL is a living history museum. 18 historical buildings, covering a period from the 1820s to the 1940s, have been brought together to recreate a typical Panhandle farming village. These include a smoke house, a grist mill and a blacksmith’s shop.

Beach time in Panama City, Florida.
Beach time in Panama City, Florida. Photo by justinhatl/ Pixabay.

More Tallahassee road trips

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More Panama City road trips

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