Florida provides her visitors a host of great places to visit and one way to see the real Florida is to take the time for some road trips . Travel at your own pace , set your own itinerary and meet the locals as you go .
The following trips are just a small sample of some of the top scenic drives throughout Florida. It’s by no means a fully comprehsnsive list but these routes encapsulate some of the most beautiful parts of the state. These trips can be joined into an excellent Florida camping vacation using the numerous RV and camping facilities throughout Florida. For more info on these trips just Google the route name.
1) Pensacola Scenic Bluffs Highway >>> Starting Point: Pensacola
This is a short trail of just 11 miles that provides access to the panoramic views of Escambia Bay from the highest elevations along Florida’s coastline. This trip follows U.S. 90 from the Bayou Texer Bridge to the Hwy. 90 Bridge over Escambia River.
2) A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway >>> Starting Point: Ponte Vedre
This is a trip along the north east Florida coast that combines three individual State scenic highways. The route begins just south of Jacksonville at Ponte Vedra Beach and heads south for 72 miles along the Atlantic Ocean and Intercoastal Waterway. The route terminates just south of Flagler Beach.
3) Old Florida Heritage Highway >>> Starting Point: Gainesville
Starting just south of Gainesville on U.S. 441, this 48-mile scenic trail passes through the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. It continues on through the pastoral and forested central Florida countryside until it reaches the historic towns of Micanopy, Rochelle, Evinston and Cross Creek.
4) Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Highway >>> Starting Point: Titusville
Commencing at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, this family oriented, educational and relaxing 166-mile loop follows Florida’s Space Coast. Visit the immensely popular Kennedy Space Center, head south to Sebastian Inlet before looping back to Titusville.
5) Florida Keys Scenic Highway >>> Starting Point: Key Largo
This is the 106.5 miles of highway, made famous in several movies , that connects the mainland with the Florida Keys. You’ll travel along U.S. 1 to Mile Marker 1, which is the southernmost point in the Continental United States at Key West.
6) Tamaimi Trail Scenic Highway >>> Starting Point: Naples
Starting just south of Naples on the Gulf coast , this 50 mile section of the Tamiami Trail runs east on U.S. 41 and passes through the unusual sawgrass and tropical landscapes of the Florida Everglades . This is the route from the Gulf Coast that provides access to the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve.
