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Orlando to Fort De Soto Park road trip: best stops

The drive from Orlando to Fort De Soto Park takes about 2 hr (southwest of Orlando), by real roads from ZIP 32801. Along the way we found 72 stops within a short detour: 14 coffee shops, 6 bakeries, 11 ice cream and treats and 23 places to eat.

The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Orlando) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.

Plan this trip All day trips from Orlando

Where you are going: Fort De Soto Park 2 hr from Orlando

Fort De Soto Park

Photo: Richard Mc Neil, CC BY 3.0

Beach

Fort De Soto Park

Nearly three miles of beach, a historic fort, fishing piers, a dog beach and a big campground at the mouth of Tampa Bay.

  • Full day
  • Year-round
  • $6 parking per vehicle (checked Nov 2026); increase approved for Dec 2026
  • Confirm fees and hours before you go

Heads-up: Open 7 a.m. to sunset. Dogs only at the dog park and dog beach. Ferry to Egmont Key leaves from here.

Official site

Map of the stops between Orlando and Fort De Soto Park

Open the interactive map

First third Middle third Last third Fort De Soto Park

First stretch 11 stops

  1. Havana's Cafe Cuban restaurant · Orlando
    About 16 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  2. Joffrey's Handcrafted Smoothies Coffee shop · Lake Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  3. Gideon‘s Bakehouse Bakery · Lake Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-We 10:00-22:00; Th-Sa 10:00-23:00 Website
  4. Ghiradelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop Ice cream · Lake Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:30 Website
  5. Goofy's Candy Company Candy shop · Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  6. Rum Largo Poolside Bar & Cafe Restaurant · Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 11:00-18:00
  7. Aerophile Attraction · Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  8. Celebration Brewing Company Restaurant · Celebration
    About 22 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 11:30-20:45; Fr,Sa 11:30-21:45 Website
  9. Blend and Bite Coffee shop · ChampionsGate
    About 26 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  10. 4 Corners Tavern Restaurant · ChampionsGate
    About 26 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  11. Fortuna Bakery & Cafe - Davenport Bakery · Davenport
    About 29 min into the drive · detour about 3 min

Middle of the drive 12 stops

  1. Starbucks Coffee shop · Lakeland
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  2. Ford's Garage American restaurant · Lakeland
    About 48 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Toufayan Bakeries Bakery · Youmans
    About 57 min into the drive · detour about 8 min
  4. Sakura King Restaurant · Plant City
    About 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  5. Dinosaur World Museum · Plant City
    About 1 hr 2 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 09:00-17:00 Website
  6. The Patio Coffee shop · Dover
    About 1 hr 4 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  7. Winn-Dixie Bakery Bakery · Seffner
    About 1 hr 7 min into the drive · detour about 13 min
  8. Cracker Country Museum · Orient Park
    About 1 hr 11 min into the drive · detour about 4 min Website
  9. Florida State Fairgrounds Attraction · Orient Park
    About 1 hr 13 min into the drive · detour about 4 min
  10. La Segunda Bakery Bakery · Tampa
    About 1 hr 16 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 06:30-15:00 Website
  11. Flower Crown Kombucha Coffee shop · Tampa
    About 1 hr 18 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  12. Astro Craft Ice Cream Ice cream · Tampa
    About 1 hr 19 min into the drive · detour about 3 min

Last stretch 8 stops

  1. William Dean Chocolate Candy shop · Tampa
    About 1 hr 21 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  2. Funky Sweets Candy shop · Gandy
    About 1 hr 32 min into the drive · detour about 8 min
  3. It's Icing on the Cake! Candy shop · Saint Petersburg
    About 1 hr 39 min into the drive · detour about 4 min
  4. Imagine Museum: Contemporary glass art Museum · Saint Petersburg
    About 1 hr 39 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  5. C A Cafe Coffee shop · Saint Petersburg
    About 1 hr 40 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00
  6. Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum Museum · Saint Petersburg
    About 1 hr 40 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Tu-Fr 12:00-17:00 Website
  7. Gamma Point Viewpoint · Bayway Isles
    About 1 hr 44 min into the drive · detour about 4 min
  8. Cafe Soleil Bakery · Tierra Verde
    About 1 hr 49 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 08:00-15:00; Sa-Su 08:00-17:00 Website

Questions about the drive from Orlando to Fort De Soto Park

How long is the drive from Orlando to Fort De Soto Park?

About 2 hr by road, heading southwest from the middle of ZIP 32801. Traffic and weather change that.

What are the best stops on the way from Orlando to Fort De Soto Park?

Good ones to start with: Havana's Cafe (Orlando), Joffrey's Handcrafted Smoothies (Lake Buena Vista), Gideon‘s Bakehouse (Lake Buena Vista), Ghiradelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop (Lake Buena Vista) and Goofy's Candy Company (Buena Vista). The page lists 31 in all, in driving order.

Where can I get coffee or a bakery stop between Orlando and Fort De Soto Park?

Joffrey's Handcrafted Smoothies in Lake Buena Vista, Gideon‘s Bakehouse in Lake Buena Vista, Blend and Bite in ChampionsGate and Fortuna Bakery & Cafe - Davenport in Davenport. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.

Where can I eat on the way to Fort De Soto Park?

Havana's Cafe in Orlando, Rum Largo Poolside Bar & Cafe in Buena Vista, Celebration Brewing Company in Celebration and 4 Corners Tavern in ChampionsGate.

Are there viewpoints or quick sights on the way?

Aerophile in Buena Vista, Dinosaur World in Plant City, Cracker Country in Orient Park and Florida State Fairgrounds in Orient Park.

More about Orlando and Fort De Soto Park

Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.

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