Travellers visiting Florida will find some great self drive opportunities. One way to see the real Florida is to make time available for road trips . It’ s a great way to travel at your own pace, plan your own itinerary and meet the locals along the way.
Several of the most popular scenic drives throughout Florida are shown below and represent just a small selection of what is possible. It’s by no means an extensive list of options but these routes take in some of the most beautiful parts of Florida. These trips can be combined into an excellent Florida self drive vacation using the numerous RV and camping facilities throughout the state. Travellers will find an excellent range of holiday accommodation that can be combined with road touring
More information about each of these routes can be found by Googling the route name.
1) Florida Keys Scenic Highway >>> Starting From: Key Largo
The much photographed ribbon of 106.5 miles of highway that connects the mainland USA with the Florida Keys along U.S. 1 to Mile Marker 1. This route, most of which is across ocean waters, ends at the southernmost point of the continental United States at Key West.
2) Tamaimi Trail Scenic Highway >>> Starting From: Naples
This is the route from the Gulf Coast that provides access to the Everglades National Park as well as the Big Cypress National Preserve. From its beginning south of Naples on the coast this 50 mile section of the Tamiami Trail runs east on U.S. 41 and passes through the unique sawgrass and tropical landscapes that epitomise the Everglades.
3) Pensacola Scenic Bluffs Highway >>> Starting From: Pensacola (north west Florida)
This short routet of just 11 miles follows U.S. 90 from the Bayou Texer Bridge to the Hwy. 90 Bridge over the Escambia River. It is noteworthy because it provides travellers with access to the sweeping views of Escambia Bay from the highest viewpoints along Florida’s panhandle coast line. .
4) Old Florida Heritage Highway >>> Starting From: Gainesville
This 48-mile route starts just south of Gainesville on U.S. 441 and then passes through the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. It continues on through the rural central Florida countryside until it reaches Micanopy, Rochelle, Evinston and Cross Creek, all part of Florida’s early history.
5) A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway >>> Starting From: Ponte Vedre
A trip that combines three separate State scenic highways as it meanders along Florida’s north east coast. From the start just south of Jacksonville at Ponte Vedra Beach, the route runs south for 72 miles along the Atlantic coast and Intercoastal Waterway, before it comes to an end just south of Flagler Beach.
6) Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Highway >>> Starting From: Titusville
This relaxing and educational 166-mile loop starts from the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The route follows Florida’s Space Coast and incorporates the popular Kennedy Space Center. The route heads south to Sebastian Inlet before swinging back to Titusville.