How far is Jacksonville, FL from Fort Walton Beach, FL?

The driving distance from Jacksonville, FL to Fort Walton Beach, FL is about 325.3 miles (523.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 07m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 295.8 miles (476 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 14m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
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
325.27 mi
06h 07m
Flight
295.78 mi
476.01 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Jacksonville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
295.78 mi
Kilometers
476.01 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
325.27 mi
Kilometers
523.47 km
Drive Time
06h 07m

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 06h 07m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fort Walton Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 1:29 AM CDT
Return by in Jacksonville
Sun, Apr 19, 8:37 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Jacksonville
2026-04-18T20:22
Arrive Fort Walton Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 2:29 AM EDT
Route Timing
06h 07m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
11:07 AM to 12:37 PM CDT

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

Leave by
11:46 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Jacksonville
8:00 PM EDT
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
Tallahassee
FL

The capital of Florida.

From Jacksonville
162.4 mi
03h 03m
To Fort Walton Beach
162.9 mi
03h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
92°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 10 mph S
Destination
76°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Union Street

    64 m · 13 sec · Union Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Ocean Street

    86 m · 15 sec · Ocean Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto State Street

    1.1 km · 2 min · State Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Kings Road

    1331 ft · 37 sec · Kings Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 95 South: Jacksonville

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10 West: Lake City

    1.2 km · 2 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    291.8 mi · 5 hr 15 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward FL 285: Niceville, Eglin AFB

    1694 ft · 42 sec

  9. 9

    Turn left

    17.6 mi · 23 min

  10. 10

    Turn right onto East John Sims Parkway

    1.2 km · 2 min · East John Sims Parkway

  11. 11

    Continue on John Sims Parkway

    1 km · 1 min · John Sims Parkway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right

    10.6 mi · 18 min

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Yacht Club Drive

    1687 ft · 43 sec · Yacht Club Drive

  14. 14

    Turn sharp left onto Beal Parkway Northwest

    806 ft · 22 sec · Beal Parkway Northwest

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Williams Street Northwest

    1153 ft · 56 sec · Williams Street Northwest

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

    47 m · 7 sec · Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

Car Route Details

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

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
17 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 10 West
293 mi · 90%
John Sims Parkway
11.2 mi · 3%
I 95 South
1.07 mi
East John Sims Parkway
0.78 mi
State Street
0.67 mi
FL 285
0.32 mi
Longest Stretch

I 10 West

Merge slight left

292 mi · 05h 15m

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
06h 07m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+29.5 mi
295.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tallahassee
03h 03m from Jacksonville
Leave By
11:46 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Jacksonville and Mostly Sunny near Fort Walton Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 325.3 miles (523.5 km) and usually takes 06h 07m 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?

Tallahassee is a useful midpoint, sitting about 162.4 miles from Jacksonville and 162.9 miles from Fort Walton Beach.

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

The direct path is about 295.8 miles (476 km), while the road route adds roughly 29.5 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 EDT. 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 $47.62 one way or $95.24 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 102 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

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

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Jacksonville and Fort Walton Beach. Straight-line distance: 295.78 mi (476.01 km).

Jacksonville

#1 Jacksonville

The thirteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Jacksonville metropolitan area.

Population920,570
Coordinates30.3321800, -81.6556500
Altitude5
CountryUnited States
Fort Walton Beach

#2 Fort Walton Beach

City in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States

Population22,396
Coordinates30.4205900, -86.6170700
Altitude2
CountryUnited States
Start: Jacksonville (-81.65565, 30.33218)
End: Fort Walton Beach (-86.61707, 30.42059)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 523 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.48 gal
43.45 L · about $47.62
Round trip
$95.24
22.96 gal · 86.9 L
Estimated CO2
102 kg one way
Round trip: 204 kg / 450 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $47.62 $95.24
Mid-grade $4.60 $52.76 $105.52
Premium $4.90 $56.21 $112.41
Diesel $4.35 $49.94 $99.88

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 19, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Jacksonville, FL and Fort Walton Beach, FL. The current time in Jacksonville is 20:22:33, although it is 19:22:33 in Fort Walton Beach.

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.