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

The driving distance from Palm Bay, FL to Fort Walton Beach, FL is about 482.2 miles (776 km), with a travel time of about 09h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 399 miles (642.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 12m 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
482.17 mi
09h 06m
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 Palm Bay.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
482.17 mi
Kilometers
775.97 km
Drive Time
09h 06m

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 09h 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fort Walton Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 4:28 AM CDT
Return by in Palm Bay
Sun, Apr 19, 2:34 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Palm Bay
2026-04-18T20:22
Arrive Fort Walton Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 5:28 AM EDT
Route Timing
09h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:06 PM to 3:36 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
5:48 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Palm Bay
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
Live Oak
FL

County seat of Suwannee County, Florida, United States

From Palm Bay
241 mi
04h 33m
To Fort Walton Beach
241.2 mi
04h 33m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSE
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 Palm Bay and Fort Walton Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Palm Bay Road Northeast

    4 mi · 8 min · Palm Bay Road Northeast

  2. 2

    Take the ramp right toward I 95 North: Daytona Beach

    2517 ft · 1 min

  3. 3

    Merge slight left

    3.6 mi · 4 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward US 192: West Melbourne, Melbourne

    2565 ft · 1 min

  5. 5

    Continue on New Haven Avenue

    37 mi · 45 min · New Haven Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on 13th Street

    2.6 mi · 5 min · 13th Street

  8. 8

    Continue on East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

    1140 ft · 22 sec · East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on Bronson Highway

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Bronson Highway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Ocala, Miami, Florida's Turnpike Toll

    848 ft · 21 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Florida's Turnpike North: Ocala

    1 km · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

    63.8 mi · 1 hr 8 min · Florida's Turnpike

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Florida's Turnpike

    1281 ft · 16 sec · Florida's Turnpike

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    106.9 mi · 1 hr 55 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10: Jacksonville, Tallahassee

    820 ft · 16 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on I 10 West: Tallahassee

    1569 ft · 30 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight right

    226.4 mi · 4 hr 3 min

  18. 18

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

    1694 ft · 42 sec

  19. 19

    Turn left

    17.6 mi · 23 min

  20. 20

    Turn right onto East John Sims Parkway

    1.2 km · 2 min · East John Sims Parkway

  21. 21

    Continue on John Sims Parkway

    1 km · 1 min · John Sims Parkway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right

    10.6 mi · 18 min

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Yacht Club Drive

    1687 ft · 43 sec · Yacht Club Drive

  24. 24

    Turn sharp left onto Beal Parkway Northwest

    806 ft · 22 sec · Beal Parkway Northwest

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Williams Street Northwest

    1153 ft · 56 sec · Williams Street Northwest

  26. 26

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

    47 m · 7 sec · Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Hummingbird Avenue Northwest

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Palm Bay 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
27 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
4 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 10 West
227 mi · 47%
Florida's Turnpike
171 mi · 35%
New Haven Avenue
37 mi · 8%
John Sims Parkway
11.2 mi · 2%
I 95 North
4.03 mi · 1%
Palm Bay Road Northeast
4.01 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 10 West

Merge slight right

226 mi · 04h 03m

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
09h 06m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
18h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+83.2 mi
399 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Live Oak
04h 33m from Palm Bay
Leave By
5:48 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay to Fort Walton Beach?

The road trip is about 482.2 miles (776 km) and usually takes 09h 06m 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 241 miles from Palm Bay and 241.2 miles from Fort Walton Beach.

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 83.2 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 $70.60 one way or $141.20 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 151.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Palm Bay 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 Sunny around Palm Bay and Mostly Sunny near Fort Walton Beach.

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 Palm Bay and Fort Walton Beach. Straight-line distance: 399.05 mi (642.21 km).

Palm Bay

#1 Palm Bay

The most populous city in Brevard County, Florida.

Population116,932
Coordinates28.0344600, -80.5886600
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: Palm Bay (-80.58866, 28.03446)
End: Fort Walton Beach (-86.61707, 30.42059)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 776 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 03m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 02m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 53m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 00m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.02 gal
64.41 L · about $70.60
Round trip
$141.20
34.04 gal · 128.82 L
Estimated CO2
151.3 kg one way
Round trip: 302.5 kg / 667 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $70.60 $141.20
Mid-grade $4.60 $78.22 $156.45
Premium $4.90 $83.33 $166.66
Diesel $4.35 $74.04 $148.07

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 Palm Bay, FL and Fort Walton Beach, FL. The current time in Palm Bay is 20:22:34, although it is 19:22:34 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.