Road Trip USA: Florida Beach Road Trip Along US1 From Jacksonville To Key West

Welcome to Routes 1 and A1A, the twin coastal roads along the Atlantic coast between Jacksonville and Key West that form the greatest Florida beach road trip.

U.S. Route 1 runs along the eastern coast of the United States for more than 2,000 miles between Key West, Florida and Fort Kent, Maine. Designed in the 1920’s to cover a route similar to that of the old Atlantic Highway, it connects the major east coast cities in a direct way that the more modern I-95, which parallels it, does not.

A New York to Florida road trip (a.k.a. cheap beach getaway) occupied two or three weeks each summer in my youth. Today, time-pressed families typically explore a shorter stretch in Florida. Yet, this is still slow travel at its best.

This year, focus on the wonderful combination of Route 1 and Route A1A that snakes along the Atlantic coast of Florida.  Drive yourselves or choose private transportation from Jacksonville to Key West.

The southernmost end of the route is perhaps the most fun drive of all. It was built as the two-lane Overseas Highway from Miami to Key West in the mid-1930s and was annexed to US 1 soon afterward.

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The Charm of Florida’s Route A1A

From the Georgia border south, driving US1 will take your family through Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, Titusville, Melbourne, Fort Pierce, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and all the way to Key West.

Note the points where US 1 runs inland from the beach. The Atlantic coast and US1 are separated by the scenic Intracoastal Waterway (Florida’s marine highway). To the east you’ll find Route A1A, also marked SRA1A (State Road). This smaller coastal road veers off into the charming little (and big) beach towns for which Florida is famous.

A Family Favorite Florida Beach Road Trip, Especially for East Coast Families

The federally-designated A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway is also a National Scenic Byway. It changes names as it courses through towns and along a little bit of undeveloped coastline.

This stretch of road protects some of Florida’s last remaining native habitats. Nature lovers must stop at the Guana River Management Wildlife Area or Washington Oaks State Park. Bird life, giant oaks and coquina rock tidal pools are conserved in both areas. Back on the main road, the view changes back to swaying palms, dune grass and sea grapes, gold sand beaches and sparkling waves to ensure a fun road trip.

Pro Tips to Plan Your Jacksonville to Key West Adventure

1 . Watch out for road closures, especially during the summer hurricane season. Much of A1A runs along Florida’s barrier islands, so the road is subject to flooding or other storm damage

2. Customize the drive by choosing a few key family destinations along the way (or veer west to Orlando.) Spending as much or as little time as you’d like at each stop.

3. Leave rental cars in Key West and fly home, or else backtrack along the Overseas Highway to Miami, then jump on I-95 for the long trip north.

4. Plan ahead to find very affordable places where the kids can let off steam at night. An Airbnb alternative and good resource for lodging is the booking.com app . Many family-owned properties with kitchens, pools, and outdoor play areas (and commercial vacation rental agencies) use it to reach a broader audience.

Our suggested 8-day Florida Beach Road Trip itinerary follows:

Day 1: Jacksonville
Day 2: Jacksonville to St. Augustine
Day 3: St. Augustine to Daytona Beach
Day 4: Daytona Beach to Cocoa Beach
Day 5: Cocoa Beach to Palm Beach
Day 6: Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale
Day 7: Fort Lauderdale to Miami Beach
Days 8-10: Miami to Key West

Day 1: It Begins in Jacksonville

Begin in Jacksonville on US 1. Families who want to stay a few days have more than enough to keep them busy. Nestled in the northeast corner of Florida, where the St. John’s River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Jacksonville has two riverwalks packed with restaurants and shops. Explore great museums and several galleries. Discover plenty of outdoor recreation space, and a lively waterfront that can be toured by watertaxi.

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Families with younger children shouldn’t miss the Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens, where more than 1, 000 animals live in natural habitats. Metropolitan Park, the city’s downtown park, offers many free concerts in summer.

Been driving for a while and need something more active? Take the family to Adventure Landing for its amusement rides, waterpark, go-kart racing and teddy bear factory. A free trolley circles many of the main attractions. For more information about the area, contact the Visit Jacksonville office.

Day 2: Jacksonville to St. Augustine – 41 miles

From Jacksonville Beach, drive US 1 south to St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental U.S. Make time to drive the 72-mile A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway. Follow the waterfront two-lane blacktop on a road that began more than 500 years ago.

Historic St. Augustine on Foot or by Trolley

Walk around St. Augustine’s small historic district or switch modes of transport. Hail a horse-drawn carriage, join a sightseeing train, book an Uber, or hop aboard a guided, sightseeing trolley.

By the early 1600’s, the Spanish colony of St. Augustine had a fort, church, hospital and more than 100 houses and shops. Tour Fort Mose Historic Park for the story of Free Black soldiers and families loyal to the King of Spain. It’s just part of the fascinating Black history of St. Augustine.

Feeling worn out by the drive? Rejuvenate the family at the touristy Fountain of Youth, a natural spring said to be discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513. Look for exhibits about the indigenous Timucua tribes, a Christian Burial Ground, and paper cups to drink from the spring.

St. Augustine Fun for the Family

You’ll have to spend at least two nights to get to know this fun town.

Take a golf cart Ghost Tour of the town’s historic district, or even a haunted boat trip. Between Thanksgiving and New Years, families can enjoy the annual Night of Lights illumination, when the historic city center glitters in white holiday decor.

For more information about St. Augustine and the region’s history, visit Florida’s Historic Coast.

Day 3: St. Augustine to Daytona Beach – 59 miles

Keeping the Matanzas River on your right, continue south on A1A to Marineland Dolphin Adventure. Little ones will be thrilled with a dolphin interaction at ‘the world’s first oceanarium’ – a bit of vintage Americana founded in 1938. Pass Flagler Beach and within an hour you’ll reach Daytona Beach.

This bustling beach town is known for its Daytona Speedway. Forget about navigating US 1 or A1A and continue your road trip driving right on Daytona’s 17-mile stretch of beach!

Here’s your beach getaway. Stroll the Daytona Beach Boardwalk. Stop for some treats on the pier, then see if there’s live music (always free) happening at the Bandshell. Rent a chaise and umbrella or put down your beach towels and enjoy the warm Atlantic surf. Travelers with pets can head to the Ormond Beach Dog Beach.

Quirky Daytona Beach Fun

Admiring the many colorful dune buggies out on the sand? If you don’t have your own low-rider convertible Corvette, rent one, or a four-seater ATV or dune buggy, from local vendors. Be sure to take a helmet for each rider.

The Daytona Lagoon is an entertainment center with a small water park, amusement park rides, minigolf and a zip line.

If you are in Daytona Beach on a Sunday, check out the Drive-In Church.  The First Christian Church established it in 1957 when they purchased the Neptune Drive-In Theater.  The Drive-In Church welcomes everyone.  You can even wear your beach attire to church because you get to stay in the car and tune in on your radio or listen through the speakers.  At the end of the service the reverend will come by to shake your hands. Then, hop across the street to the beach or keep on driving.

Day 4: The Space Coast — Extraterrestrial Florida Beach Road Trip from Daytona Beach to Cocoa Beach – 95 miles

Then comes the famous Space Coast. The 95-mile stretch of Florida coast is home to the Kennedy Space Center and towns of Titusville, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, and Palm Bay.

If you’re joining our road trip after a theme park visit, you’ll see that Orlando is only 35 miles to the west.

This area is an economical base for a few days of fun and sand. Depending on the time of year, choose between watching shuttle and rocket launches, surfing or learning the sport. Between June and October, join a bioluminscent kayak tour on the brackish waters of the Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River, or Indian River Lagoon. Tiny underwater creatures glow when you disturb the water surface creating a Milky Way of their own. Opportunities for traditional bird watching, golf, fresh and saltwater fishing — as well as airboat rides — abound.

Space Talk on The Space Coast, Part of Your Florida Road Trip

The main attraction for wannabe astronauts is the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. Allow a full day here. Admission includes a terrific, two-hour bus tour of the launch pads and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. (Book ahead to dine with one.) The unique, half-day ATX: Astronaut Training Experience is designed for ages 10+ to encourage budding astronauts and rocket scientists. Families can also enjoy the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibition, which gives visitors a chance to get nose-to-nose with the final shuttle orbiter to fly a NASA mission, Atlantis. 

Offbeat Cocoa Beach Has Spacey Charms

Back on earth at the surprisingly interesting Brevard Zoo, the kids can feed giraffes or kayak along the zoo’s river.

A star along A1A, Cocoa Beach is a good value town to spend a few days of your family beach getaway. There are interesting restaurants and fun sights. Visit Ron Jon’s Surf Shop — the largest in the world — so kids can admire the latest surfboard styles. Open 9am-11pm daily.

Watch local surfers paddle out and glide in, or fish the day away, from the Cocoa Beach Pier. Have a meal in the Historic Cocoa Village. The preserved Victorian-era town built along the Indian River lagoon is very commercial and a great photo opp along the scenic Intracoastal Waterway.

Still keeping the mainland on your right and the narrow beach strip and Atlantic on your left, head south along US 1 to one of America’s best known resort areas, toney Palm Beach.

Day 5: Cocoa Beach to Palm Beach – 138 miles

During the 2.5-hour-long drive between Cocoa Beach and Palm Beach, you’ll pass a few family-oriented landmarks. Vero Beach is the gem of Florida’s so-called Treasure Coast. Look for the classic Cracker houses dating to the mid-19th century. Typically white, cedar-or cypress-plank, peak-roofed cottages, the homes of poor plantation farmers are now considered energy-efficient marvels.

Hallmarks of the Florida Crackers in Vero Beach

1. Oyster shell and lime foundations (to provide shade for chickens and dogs who ate the mosquitoes)
2. Wide cracks between the floorboards to circulate air
3. Deep porches and often a center walkway to create shade
4. Several windows to augment the cross breezes.

The Indian River Citrus Museum is dedicated to the Florida orange-growing business. Call ahead to check their operating schedule: 772/770-2263. McKee Botanical Garden features historic sub-tropical plant specimens that enhance the authentic old Florida feel; closed Monday.

The Road to Palm Beach Paved with Gold

About 30 miles south and not much to look at, the town of Port St. Lucie is best known to family travelers as the site of the former Club Med Sandpiper resort. Not far away in Jupiter, the non-touristy Busch Wildlife Sanctuary provides rehabilitative care to over 4,000 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals each year. This is the type of hospital that kids will want to tour.

Whether you’re an E.F. Hutton heir, descendant of European royalty, or just like to follow Donald Trump, it’s worth a stop in Palm Beach. That’s especially during “The Season” when the rich and famous flee cold weather to gather at their yachts and mansions. Visitors will have to make do with a room at the legendary Palm Beach resorts, or one of the many other hotels in all price ranges that cater to families.

Add West Palm Beach’s Family Activities to your Florida Beach Road Trip

West Palm Beach, inland on US 1, attracts a younger and hipper crowd. But in summer, this attractive Mediterranean style city on Route 1 has appeal to families. Disover plenty of swimming pools, a long sand beach, and natural attractions that give families a little bit of that south Florida, tropical feel.

Start at the 500-acre John D. MacArthur Beach State Park on Singer Island. Here, a secluded beach offers opportunities for beachcombing, swimming or watching nesting turtles between May and August. The nature center brochure guides you to gumbo-limbo, strangler figs and three types of mangrove trees, as well as butterflies, poisonous plants and huge spiders.

The Cox Science Center and Aquarium also offers outdoor nature trails as well as a kid-oriented planetarium, aquarium, observatory and miniature golf course. If you’re staying a few days in the Palm Beaches and traveling with younger children, they’ll enjoy time at the Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park. The very commercial Lion Country Safari is a drive-through “game park” that’s most fun during the morning feeding sessions.

Day 6: Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale – 47 miles

Heading south to Fort Lauderdale, pause for conch fritters at any of the seafood shacks along the Intracoastal Waterway. (Conch is farmed now so fresh fritters are harder to find!)

Detour to Hollywood Beach to stretch legs or bike along the 2½-mile oceanfront Hollywood Boardwalk. This area is complete with outdoor cafes and a variety of updated condos and old-style motel accommodations. The 3½-mile-long Pompano Beach, with play areas and ongoing family festivities, is always active too. Most families will already have their Fort Lauderdale Hotel picked out, as this is one of Florida’s most popular family resorts and advance reservations are recommended.

The palm-fringed, gold sand Fort Lauderdale Beach is a long time favorite. Explore the mangrove-lined coastline, endless rivers, canals, lakes and ponds where families can find dolphins, manatees, ospreys and pelicans. It’s an ideal beach vacation destination if your family is interested in deep sea fishing or watersports. Facilities are plentiful and well-priced! Water ski or jet ski, parasail, join a canoe or kayak tour, scuba dive or snorkel. The kids can learn kite surfing or standup paddleboarding here too.

Fort Lauderdale & Everglades Family Attractions

This is also a place to visit The Everglades, a diverse flora and fauna ecosystem that covers 750,000 acres of southern Florida. At Everglades Holiday Park, join a guided airboat skimming across the top of the water through the “River of Grass.” After possibly viewing alligators and baby crocodiles, waterfowl and eagles in their natural habitat, you can catch the amazing alligator show back at the park.

Fun and educational displays of wildlife can be found at the commercial Butterfly World and at the 60-acre Flamingo Gardens. Nature trails at Hugh Taylor Birch State Recreation Area and mountain biking paths in Fort Lauderdale’s Markham Park are less commercial. In this large city, there are constant entertainment options, too. Shop at a myriad of malls and enjoy outdoor cultural performances. Enroll kids in summertime children’s camps. Visit fine art museums, including the Museum of Science and Discovery, a children’s museum and children’s theatre. If you’ve got a Michael Phelps in the family, check out the International Swimming Hall of Fame. 

Day 7:  Fort Lauderdale to Miami Beach – 28 miles

The brief US 1 drive south from Lauderdale to Miami presents colorful old and new Florida sights. Expect slow-moving traffic, key lime pie shops, Jewish delis, Cuban cafes and always, sunglasses and bathing suit shops. The city of Miami is a great family destination because its special blend of Latin and European influences makes for an exciting multi-cultural landscape.

For most road-trippers, though, this is the time to open the sunroof and cruise east across the MacArthur Causeway, that long, low bridge that connects the mainland to the famous barrier island of Miami Beach. Drive past the pastel-colored Art Deco hotel towers and beach-bums in flipflops on the sidewalks of Collins Avenue (also A1A.) 1st Street is the south end of the famous South Beach (or SoBe strip.) Turn east here toward the beach and drive north on Ocean Drive.

During the winter high season or any weekend evening, we recommend you park on Washington, one street inland, and then walk along Ocean Drive. Or you can park at one of the Deco hotels and make this buzzy stretch your family beach getaway.

Put on the Glam to Get Familiar with SoBe’s Ocean Drive

South Beach’s Ocean Drive may be just a two-lane road. However, this part of A1A is the city’s most famous half-mile stretch. Everyone will enjoy the people-watching, guaranteed. You may spot a model being photographed on the sands of Lummus Park or a rock star out for a stroll. Watch for enormous cruise ships leaving the Port of Miami. Check out this busy stretch of gold sand and the wild roller rink in MacArthur Park.

The must-see is the Art Deco District of South Beach. A whole neighborhood is comprised of wild and colorful 1920s and ’30s architecture. Start your walking tour of the registered National Historic Landmark district at the Miami Design Preservation League, where maps, guided tours and souvenirs are available. The FIU Wolfsonian Museum nearby houses an extraordinary design collection, from early 20th century to Art Deco and beyond, that older kids will enjoy seeing.

Miami Area Family Attractions

Plan a meal or a shopping spree on the Deco thoroughfare that runs perpendicular to the beach, now the pedestrian-only, seven-block-long Lincoln Road Mall. All ages will enjoy the sidewalk cafes, shops, galleries, street performers and public fountains. The Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, a spectacular 820,000-gallon pool formed from a rock quarry in 1923, is a worthwhile detour. With two waterfalls, coral caves, grottos and stone bridges, the spring-fed Venetian Pool sees more than 30,000 visitors every year.

From a base in South Beach or the neighboring, family-freindly neighborhoods of Miami, Coral Gables or Coconut Grove, your family will enjoy some of Miami’s south Florida classic attractions. Allow time to see the beautiful Vizcaya Museum and Gardens on Biscayne Bay, and the Miami Seaquarium marine shows. Interact with the cool exhibits at the new Frost Science Museum and Planetarium.

Pause for some croquettas and cafe con leche to prepare kids for a visit to Calle Ocho. The neighborhood is Miami’s “Little Havana” where the cuisine and culture of the pre-Castro Cuba still flourishes. More information and details can be found at MiamiAndBeaches.com.

Days 8-10: Miami to Key West – 160 miles

You haven’t completed the US 1-A1A journey until you reach the southernmost point in the United States: Key West. The Florida Keys extend south of Miami in a string of narrow limestone and mangrove islands bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. You can rush this National Scenic Byway to Key West in about 3.5 hours or take a week and savor it slowly.

Pro Tip: Most addresses are written as MM; the “mile marker” signs begin near Florida City at around MM 127 and descend to MM 0, site of the Green Parrot Bar (“The 1st and Last Bar on US 1” their sign proclaims) in Key West. Whoever invented this system anticipated that backseat passengers would someday ask, “Are we there yet?” and parents could tell them to see for themselves.

Exploring the northern Florida Keys

You don’t have to drive all the way to Key West to appreciate the bohemian charm of many of the Keys communities. The first major key you’ll reach after Key Biscayne (almost an extension of Miami Beach) is Key Largo. It’s home to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park a noted diving spot, the National Marine Sanctuary, Molasses Reef, and the underwater caves of French Reef. Each area is known for its wrecks and the lush coral reef formations and marine habitats that have developed among the ship’s ruins.

The signage becomes denser and the beaches become leaner as you reach Islamorada, the self-styled “Sport Fishing Capital of the World.” You can’t miss the giant brown lobster outside the Treasure Village gift shop. Stop for the fountains crashing over the illuminated sign of Theater of the Sea, a marine amusement park with animal shows and gifts galore, on little Windley Key.

Driving south from the very commercial and developed Marathon Key is Grassy Key, where you can see a statue of what looks like Flipper. Indeed, this is where the original pet dolphin film “Flipper” was shot in the 1950s. It is said the bones of the late star are buried under the sculpture. Almost any turnoff along A1A has a story.

Florida Keys Resorts in the Middle of Keys

Slow down and enjoy some of the glitziest attractions in the Keys. There are notable Florida Keys resorts like the Cheeca Lodge & Spa with ith its elegantly furnished family condos or The Moorings Village and Spa.

A bit south on Duck Key, Hawks Cay Resort is a destination for many Florida families. It has a picturesque setting between the bay and the Atlantic, with docks and beaches on both sides. This property is bisected by manmade canals, the main swimming pool has a pirate-themed waterplay area, guests can swim with dolphins, and the family cottages are popular with larger family groups.

The Florida Keys are packed with small resorts. They owe years of prosperity to Henry Flagler. The visionary railroad magnate’s name is everywhere. He decided in 1912 he would extend his Floridian Overseas Railroad to the tip of the country and made history.

Heading south, look inland to the original roadbed for the railroad (destroyed long ago by a hurricane.) The famous Seven Mile Bridge (actually 6.9 miles) is broken in places to allow taller ships to cross through. You can walk or jog down the northern end from Marathon to Pigeon Key. The islet to the west of the recently built highway is a Florida Heritage landmark because of its original conch houses.

See More on Your Florida Beach Road Trip in the Lower Keys

At about 128 miles south of Miami are the Lower Keys. This region is best known for scuba diving and snorkeling spots. The MS Looe, which ran aground in 1744, is the centerpiece of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary and a magnet for tropical fish.

An unusual stop is at the National Key Deer Refuge about 30 miles north on Big Pine Key. It is the only official North American home of the tiny Virginia white-tailed deer. Dense mangrove hugs each caye (key) as well as the roadway. Watch for vehicles pulled onto the narrow shoulder of the road, where kayakers and canoers can unload their boats. Most of the Keys’ shoreline is broken coral. However, there’s a little visited beautiful sand beach at the 500+ acre Bahia Honda State Park. This is the place to snorkel, kayak, fish, camp, hike and bike.

And, suddenly, modern suburban malls appear and you’re approaching the outskirts of Key West. Stil charming and eccentric, Key West is a well-preserved enclave of two-story Victorian houses and conch cottages clustered along Duvall Street.

Allow at least one overnight if you’ve driven this far! Taste an original key lime pie and show the kids the fun shops. Talk with the colorful locals, the deep sea fishers who spend their days drinking, and workers in the pirate museums.

You’ll want to join the street performers and artisans who turn the famous sunset celebration at Mallory Pier into a carnival, just because you’ve come this far.