Tampa to Panama City road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The distance from Tampa to Panama City by car is 375 miles, with a 5h37m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Tampa to Panama City drive are Gainesville FL, Tallahassee FL and Lake Talquin State Park.
Planning a Tampa to Panama City road trip itinerary
The Tampa to Panama City drive connects two of Florida’s most attractive coastal hotspots.
Tampa is justifiably one of the most popular holiday destinations in Florida. It’s home to top attractions such as the Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa, the Adventure Island water park and Busch Gardens theme park.
Other great Tampa experiences include historic Ybor City food walking tours, seeing the highlights in a street legal golf cart and a Haunted Tampa tour that combines ghosts and pubs.
Also on offer are Segway tours, history cruises, dolphin-watching and celebrity homes tours.
Tampa accommodation is best booked in advance – look for deals here.
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.
Tampa to Panama City distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Tampa to Panama City is 375 miles. You can expect a driving time of around five hours and 37 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-75, I-10, FL-20 and US-231.
The best stops to add to a Tampa to Panama City road trip itinerary are Gainesville FL, Tallahassee FL and Lake Talquin State Park.
For more suggestions, check out the guides to the individual legs of the journey.
- Tampa to Gainesville FL drive.
- Gainesville FL to Tallahassee drive.
- Tallahassee to Panama City drive.
Tampa to Panama City road trip attractions: Gainesville FL
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 Tampa and Panama City: Tallahassee FL
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.
Good Tallahassee accommodation options include the hip Aloft Tallahassee Downtown and the often great value Four Points by Sheraton.
Tampa 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.
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