The best road trip stops on the Pensacola to Destin drive are the Gulf Breeze Zoo, Navarre Beach and Fort Walton Beach. The distance from Pensacola to Destin by car is 48 miles, with a 1h2m driving time.
Finding the best things to do between Pensacola and Destin
The Pensacola to Destin drive connects two of the most attractive spots on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
5 top experiences to book in Pensacola
- 🐬 Meet the local dolphins on a cruise aboard the Frisky Mermaid.
- 🌅 Take an afternoon tiki boat cruise – and see the spectacular sunset.
- 👻 Learn about perdition, pirates and purgatory on a Pensacola ghost tour.
- 🍴 Feast on a food tour down Pensacola’s legendary Palafox Street.
- 🚌 Explore Pensacola’s highlights on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.
The westernmost city on the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola is home to a major US Naval Station. You can visit the National Naval Aviation Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse. Elsewhere, Historic Pensacola Village brings together heritage buildings, Gulf Breeze Zoo keeps the kids happy and Fort Pickens looks out towards Big Lagoon State Park.
But for most visitors, interest will lie in the white sand beaches and barrier islands.
Top Pensacola activities include nighttime kayaking with colourful LEDs lighting up the kayaks, and dolphin-watching cruises around the bay.
Other ways of exploring include downtown food tours, ghost and graveyard tours, guided pub crawls, Segway tours and sunset cruises.
For beachside Pensacola accommodation with great guest reviews, take a look at the Pensacola Beach Resort and the SpringHill Suites Pensacola Beach.
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.
Pensacola to Destin distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Pensacola to Destin is 48 miles. That makes for a driving time of about an hour and two minutes. The quickest route is along the US-98.
The best stops to add to a Pensacola to Destin road trip itinerary are the Gulf Breeze Zoo, Navarre Beach and Fort Walton Beach.
Pensacola to Destin road trip attractions: Gulf Breeze Zoo
The Gulf Breeze Zoo is spread over 50 acres and is home to more than 800 animals. These include rhinos, gorillas and orangutans. The zoo also offers a series of special encounters. These include the giraffe encounter, which starts with a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo.
Best stops between Pensacola and Destin: Navarre Beach
Much quieter than nearby Pensacola, Destin and Fort Walton Beach, Navarre Beach on Santa Rosa Island is where you come if you want to relax with little distraction. There’s still the striking white sand and clear Gulf waters, but a lot less of the hubbub.
Pensacola to Destin drive: Fort Walton Beach
Family-friendly attractions in Fort Walton Beach include the Emerald Coast Science Center and Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. But it is largely about the sand, sea and sun. That sand is usually sparkling white, and the sea usually an alluring emerald.
Top experiences in Fort Walton Beach include pontoon boat rentals, stand-up paddleboarding, jet ski rentals and night kayaking tours in clear-bottomed kayaks that glow in the dark.
Great beachside accommodation options in Fort Walton Beach include Beal House and the Island Resort.
More Emerald Coast travel
Other Florida Emerald Coast travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Guide to the St Andrews State Park to Shell Island ferry.
- Plan your visit to Camp Helen State Park near Panama City Beach.
- Take a cave tour at Florida Caverns State Park near Marianna, Florida.
- Top beaches near Destin: Henderson Beach State Park, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Grayton Beach State Park.
- The best stops on the Birmingham to Destin drive, Tallahassee to Destin drive, Jacksonville to Destin drive and Atlanta to Destin drive.
