How far is Fort Walton Beach, FL from Palm Bay, FL?

The driving distance from Fort Walton Beach, FL to Palm Bay, FL is about 492.6 miles (792.8 km), with a travel time of about 07h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 399 miles (642.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 01m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
492.62 mi
07h 30m
Flight
399.05 mi
642.21 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fort Walton Beach.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
399.05 mi
Kilometers
642.21 km
Flight Time
00h 48m

Driving Distance

Road route
492.62 mi
Kilometers
792.8 km
Drive Time
07h 30m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 07h 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Palm Bay
Sun, Apr 19, 2:34 AM EDT
Return by in Fort Walton Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 9:04 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Walton Beach
2026-04-18T18:03
Arrive Palm Bay
Sun, Apr 19, 1:34 AM CDT
Route Timing
07h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:31 PM to 4:01 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
8:58 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Walton Beach
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Live Oak
FL

County seat of Suwannee County, Florida, United States

From Fort Walton Beach
240.8 mi
03h 45m
To Palm Bay
251.8 mi
03h 45m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S
Destination
84°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Walton Beach and Palm Bay.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Walton Beach and Palm Bay.

  1. 1

    Start on Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

    47 m · 9 sec · Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Williams Street Northwest

    1153 ft · 56 sec · Williams Street Northwest

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Beal Parkway Northwest

    806 ft · 28 sec · Beal Parkway Northwest

  4. 4

    Turn sharp right onto Yacht Club Drive

    1687 ft · 41 sec · Yacht Club Drive

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Eglin Parkway Northeast

    7 mi · 12 min · Eglin Parkway Northeast

  6. 6

    Continue on Eglin Parkway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Eglin Parkway

  7. 7

    Continue on Government Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min · Government Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn left onto West John Sims Parkway

    1.4 mi · 3 min · West John Sims Parkway

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Partin Drive

    17.4 mi · 23 min · North Partin Drive

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 10 East: Tallahassee

    2289 ft · 56 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    226.1 mi · 4 hr 2 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I-75 South: Tampa

    1959 ft · 37 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    107.2 mi · 1 hr 55 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight left toward Florida's Turnpike South, Orlando

    63.9 mi · 1 hr 9 min · Florida's Turnpike

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward US 192, ​US 441: Kissimmee, ​Saint Cloud

    2873 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on US 192 East, US 441 South: Saint. Cloud, Orlando Health Saint Cloud Hospital

    54 m · 6 sec

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Bronson Highway

    3.4 mi · 5 min · Bronson Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

    679 ft · 15 sec · East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on 13th Street

    2.6 mi · 5 min · 13th Street

  20. 20

    Continue on East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on Bronson Highway

    33.8 mi · 41 min · Bronson Highway

  22. 22

    Continue straight

    2.9 mi · 4 min

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Miami

    2951 ft · 1 min

  24. 24

    Merge slight left

    3.4 mi · 4 min

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward CR 516: Palm Bay

    2022 ft · 52 sec

  26. 26

    Continue on CR 516: Palm Bay, Palm Bay Road

    30 m · 5 sec

  27. 27

    Turn straight onto Palm Bay Road Northeast

    4.3 mi · 8 min · Palm Bay Road Northeast

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Palm Bay Road Northeast

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Walton Beach and Palm Bay.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
28 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 10 East
227 mi · 46%
I-75 South
108 mi · 22%
Bronson Highway
40.2 mi · 8%
Florida's Turnpike
32 mi · 6%
Florida's Turnpike South
32 mi · 6%
North Partin Drive
17.4 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

I 10 East

Merge slight left

226 mi · 04h 02m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
07h 30m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+93.6 mi
399 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Live Oak
03h 45m from Fort Walton Beach
Leave By
8:58 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Fort Walton Beach and Sunny near Palm Bay.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Walton Beach to Palm Bay?

The road trip is about 492.6 miles (792.8 km) and usually takes 07h 30m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Live Oak is a useful midpoint, sitting about 240.8 miles from Fort Walton Beach and 251.8 miles from Palm Bay.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 399 miles (642.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 93.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $72.09 one way or $144.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 154.5 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Fort Walton Beach and Palm Bay, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Fort Walton Beach and Sunny near Palm Bay.

Stop Ideas Near Live Oak

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Live Oak, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Live Oak.

BUS

Gainesville, Florida

96 mi away
201 East University Ave.
BUS

Waldo, Florida

97 mi away
14648 NE 147th Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Walton Beach and Palm Bay. Straight-line distance: 399.05 mi (642.21 km).

Fort Walton Beach

#1 Fort Walton Beach

City in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States

Population22,396
Coordinates30.4205900, -86.6170700
Altitude2
CountryUnited States
Palm Bay

#2 Palm Bay

The most populous city in Brevard County, Florida.

Population116,932
Coordinates28.0344600, -80.5886600
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Start: Hummingbird Avenue Northwest (-86.61732, 30.420593)
End: Palm Bay Road Northeast (-80.58866, 28.03445)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 793 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 51m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 02m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.38 gal
65.8 L · about $72.09
Round trip
$144.18
34.76 gal · 131.6 L
Estimated CO2
154.5 kg one way
Round trip: 308.9 kg / 681 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $72.09 $144.18
Mid-grade $4.60 $79.88 $159.76
Premium $4.90 $85.09 $170.18
Diesel $4.35 $75.60 $151.21

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Florida · Apr 18, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Fort Walton Beach, FL and Palm Bay, FL. The current time in Fort Walton Beach is 18:03:24, although it is 19:03:24 in Palm Bay.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.