Valdosta GA to Tampa road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Valdosta to Tampa drive are White Springs FL, Gainesville FL and Ocala FL. The distance from Valdosta GA to Tampa by car is 231 miles, with a 3h15m driving time.
Planning a Valdosta to Tampa road trip itinerary
The Valdosta to Tampa drive takes you from southern Georgia to Florida’s west coast.
In Valdosta GA, the Lowndes County Historical Museum does the local history thing. And the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts hosts strong porcelain and East African art collections.
Most visitors, however, will beeline it to Wild Adventures. This is a zoo, water park and theme park rolled into one, and there’s a decent clutch of thrill rides.
To secure the best Valdosta accommodation deals, compare prices here.
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.
Valdosta GA to Tampa distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Valdosta to Tampa is 231 miles. The quickest route is down the I-75. You can expect a driving time of around three hours and 15 minutes.
The best stops to add to a Valdosta to Tampa road trip itinerary are White Springs FL, Gainesville FL and Ocala FL.
For more suggestions, check out the guides to the individual legs of the journey:
Valdosta to Tampa road trip attractions: White Springs FL
The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs is named in honour of the composer who wrote Old Folks At Home. The park features a museum that goes into Foster’s work, plus a 97-bell carillon that plays his songs throughout the day.
Several hiking trails also have their trailheads in and around White Springs. Stephen Foster’s Hammock Loop Trail is perhaps the best, taking in several scenic riverside spots, such as Catfish Hole and the Overlook. The 8-mile trail is also suitable for mountain biking.
Things to do on the Valdosta to Tampa drive: 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 Valdosta and Tampa: Ocala FL
Ocala is home to the Golden Gypsy Horse Farm, where visitors can meet the rare and beautiful Gypsy Vanner horses. The Appleton Museum of Art, meanwhile, mixes contemporary art with pre-Columbian artifacts and the Discovery Center does the interactive science thing.
The most important site in Ocala, however, is the Fort King National Historic Landmark. This was a major military post in the Second Seminole War, and the first inland fort in Florida.
Book ahead for Ocala hotel deals.
More Valdosta GA road trips
Valdosta GA to Atlanta | Valdosta to Jacksonville | Valdosta to Macon | Valdosta to Orlando | Valdosta GA to Savannah.
More Tampa road trips
Asheville to Tampa | Atlanta to Tampa | Austin to Tampa | Baltimore to Tampa | Buffalo to Tampa | Dallas to Tampa | Tampa to Daytona Beach | Tampa to Destin | Gainesville to Tampa | Houston to Tampa | Jacksonville to Tampa | Lakeland to Tampa | Memphis to Tampa | Nashville to Tampa | Ocala to Tampa | Orlando to Tampa | Philadelphia to Tampa | Pittsburgh to Tampa | Tampa to St Augustine | St Louis to Tampa | Tallahassee to Tampa | Washington DC to Tampa.