The distance from Atlanta to Destin FL is 333 miles, with a 5h6m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Atlanta to Destin drive are Auburn AL, Montgomery AL and Blackwater River State Park.
Planning an Atlanta to Destin road trip itinerary
The Atlanta to Destin FL drive takes you from the biggest city in Georgia to a Florida Panhandle beach town.
5 great Atlanta experiences to book
- ✊ Take a black history and civil rights tour – the unquestioned number one option.
- 🚋 Get to know the city on a 90 minute trolley tour.
- 🍷 Go wine-tasting in North Georgia’s wine country.
- 🍽️ Taste the best of Atlanta on a Midtown food and cocktails tour.
- 👻 Explore Atlanta’s spookiest spots on an after-dark ghost tour.
Atlanta played a massive part in the Civil Rights movement, and a black history and civil rights tour taking in the city’s Martin Luther King Jr sites is pretty much a must-do.
Elsewhere, Zoo Atlanta, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the Atlanta Botanic Garden cater to nature-lovers, while the High Museum of Art and Margaret Mitchell House are key cultural sites.
For more Atlanta experiences, try a sightseeing trolley tour for orientation and overview. Or a guided bike ride to get a better feel for the neighbourhoods.
Other Atlanta favourites include the World of Coca Cola, Midtown food and cocktail tours and multi-brewery beer tours.
Destin is a beach town on the Florida Panhandle, with white sand beaches at Henderson Beach State Park, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Grayton Beach State Park and several golf courses. The Destin Harbor Boardwalk tends to be the centre of activity, while Gator Beach is one of the top wildlife attractions on the Emerald Coast.
Top Destin experiences include a sunset tiki cruise, a Crab Island sandbar adventure, a dolphin-watching speedboat cruise and parasailing.
You can also try jetski rentals, the Maximum Magic show, Hydrojet sunset tours and banana boat rides.
Five great things to do in Destin
- 🍹 Take the tiki boat – out to the Crab Island sandbar for snorkelling, drinks and good times.
- 🐬 Meet the local dolphins – on one of Destin’s legendary dolphin cruises.
- 🤿 Combine a dolphin-watching cruise – with a snorkelling adventure.
- 🪂 See Destin from 400ft above the water – on a parasailing experience.
- 🌅 Watch the sun go down – and spot dolphins – on a sunset cruise.
Atlanta to Destin FL distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Atlanta to Destin FL is 333 miles. That makes for a driving time of around five hours and six minutes.
The best stops to add to an Atlanta to Destin FL road trip itinerary are Auburn AL, Montgomery AL and Blackwater River State Park.
Atlanta to Destin FL road trip attractions: Auburn AL
Auburn is the biggest city in eastern Alabama, and is home to Auburn University. For cultural attractions, the Jule Smith Collins Museum has a strong art collection. But most of the appeal lies outdoors. The Donald E Davis Arboretum aims to showcase an array of scientifically important plants, while nearby Chewacla State Park has hiking trails and a gorgeous waterfall.
Best stops between Atlanta and Destin FL: Montgomery, Alabama
The main reason to visit Montgomery is the Civil Rights heritage. There are several ways to explore this, with the cheapest being a self-guided audio tour and the most in-depth being a three hour private tour.
Other fun Montgomery experiences include a party pedal boat cruise along the Alabama River,
If planning to blitz several attractions, a city pass might save you money.
Atlanta to Destin drive: Blackwater River State Park
Blackwater River State Park is enveloped by the deliberately undeveloped Blackwater State Forest. There are walks you can do here, but the river is much better explored by canoe, kayak or tube, paddling between the sandbars.
Blackwater Canoe Rental hires out all three, and transports you upstream. You then paddle, or float, down the river back to where your car is parked.
More Atlanta and Destin road trips
- Getting to Atlanta: The best stops on the Birmingham to Atlanta drive, Detroit to Atlanta drive, Memphis to Atlanta drive and Nashville to Atlanta drive.
- Georgia road trips: What are the best stops on the Atlanta to Savannah drive, Atlanta to Macon drive and Columbus to Atlanta drive?
- Road trips from Atlanta to Florida: Where to stop on the Atlanta to Gainesville drive, Atlanta to Tallahassee drive and Atlanta to Tampa drive.
- Atlanta road trips: The best stops on the Atlanta to Montgomery drive.
- The best stops on the Tallahassee to Destin drive.
