You can make Orlando to Miami in about 3.5 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 235 miles on Florida's Turnpike, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable close to the park gates.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Orlando
Aim to clear Orlando before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 106 miles to Fort Pierce.
The headline stop on this route is Fort Pierce Inlet beaches. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce sits about 106 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, Palm Beach's Worth Avenue is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
West Palm Beach, the last stretch
West Palm Beach sits about 163 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Miami
The final 71 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Miami Beach Art Deco District; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Fort Pierce Inlet beaches, Palm Beach's Worth Avenue and Miami Beach Art Deco District, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. West Palm Beach, FL is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along Florida's Turnpike before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
