The distance from Austin TX to Destin FL by car is 737 miles, with an 11h28m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Austin to Destin drive are Houston, Baton Rouge and Biloxi.
An Austin to Destin road trip takes you from the capital of Texas to a Florida Panhandle beach town.
Things to do in Austin TX
Austin is renowned for its live music scene, although it has plenty of more conventional attractions too. These include the LBJ Presidential Library, the Texas Science and Natural History Museum and the Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Top Austin experiences include ebike tours taking in the city highlights and haunted pub crawl walks.
You can also try highly-rated downtown food tours, half day wine shuttles in the Hill Country, brewery-hopping beer tours and sightseeing on a boat cruise.
For Austin hotel recommendations, try band crashpad chic meets rainbow bathrobes at the Hotel San Jose and the unashamed rock star swagger of the W.
5 great Austin experiences to book
- 🛶 Join a sunset kayaking tour – and see 1.5 million bats.
- 🍖 Get ready to feast with the country BBQ and wine country shuttle.
- 🌮 Take a best-of-Austin food tour – tasting great BBQ brisket and tacos on the way.
- 🍸 Discover Austin’s secret bars on speakeasies tour.
- 🏙️ Learn Austin’s fascinating history on a downtown walking tour.
Things to do in Destin FL
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.
If looking for Destin accommodation, the Comfort Inn and Suites offers good value and the plush Henderson Beach Resort has private beach access.
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.
Austin to Destin distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Austin to Destin is 737 miles. That makes for a driving time of around eleven hours and 28 minutes. The quickest route is along the TX-71 and I-10. The best stops to add to an Austin to Destin road trip itinerary are Houston, Baton Rouge and Biloxi.
Austin to Destin road trip attractions: Houston
Five great things to do in Houston
- 🚀 Reserve your tickets – for Houston’s number one attraction, Space Center Houston.
- 🎵 Discover Houston’s hip-hop culture – on a motorised party bike.
- 🚇 Explore the largest downtown tunnel system in the US – on the Astroville Tunnel Tour.
- 🎨 On a downtown mural tour – learn about Houston’s street art scene.
- 🖼️ Immerse yourself in a spectacular interactive art installation – at Meow Wolf’s Radio Tave.
The top Houston attraction is unquestionably the Space Center Houston, which takes you behind the scenes of the Johnson Space Center. This includes the Mission Briefing Center, and a vast array of high tech exhibitions.
Other attractions include the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Downtown Aquarium, Museum of Fine Arts Houston and Children’s Museum.
For more Houston experiences, try hip hop party bike tours, foodie walks in the Montrose neighbourhood and quirky tours of Houston’s tunnel system.
Top Houston accommodation options include the superb value Club Quarters Houston Downtown and the upscale but boutique Magnolia.
Best stops between Austin and Destin: Baton Rouge LA
The obvious attraction in Baton Rouge is the Louisiana Capitol Building, but the castle-like Old Capitol Building is more attractive. It’s also now a museum, with interactive exhibits on democracy and the colourful characters who have walked the corridors over the decades. The colourful stained glass dome is spectacular, too.
As a museum, the Capitol Park Museum is better, telling multiple strands of Louisiana’s story. Other Baton Rouge attractions include the Magnolia Mound Plantation, built in 1791, and the environmentally educational Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center.
Austin to Destin drive: Biloxi MS
Biloxi on the Mississippi coast is best known as a casino destination, but there’s plenty to keep non-gamblers interested. The Biloxi Lighthouse opened in 1848, and is now open for public tours. The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum covers the region’s history, and looks at just how big a business fishing is. You can also take a cruise on one of the schooners moored outside the museum.
Also in Biloxi is Beauvoir, the lavish home of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The mansion is open for tours.
For Biloxi accommodation, try the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort for entertainment and the South Beach Hotel and Suites for beachside location.
More Austin and Destin road trips
- Best stops on the Fort Worth to Austin drive.
- Best stops on the Dallas to Austin drive.
- Best stops on the Houston to Austin drive.
- Austin to Louisiana road trip guides: The best stops on the Austin to Baton Rouge drive.
- The best stops on the Birmingham to Destin drive, Tallahassee to Destin drive, Jacksonville to Destin drive, Pensacola to Destin drive and Atlanta to Destin drive.
