No coastal drive sums up Florida quite so well as the A1A.
Before moving here, I too summed up the state in theme parks and condos. But on various drives down this iconic highway, I’ve discovered its richness and breadth — lighthouses and seaside towns as quaint as any in New England, frontiers as wild as the West, and a quirkiness that is unapologetically Floridian.
The A1A hugs the Atlantic almost the entire length of the Sunshine State, from Fernandina Beach down to Key West. My favorite stretch is St. Augustine to Stuart, 230 miles through classic “Old Florida.” Think fishing villages and roadside attractions, palm hammocks and porch swings.
The drive takes around seven hours, but I recommend a couple days if you can. Detours are irresistible.
Steeped in History
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is chock full of national firsts: the oldest street, oldest alligator farm, the original fountain of youth supposedly found by Ponce de León in 1513 — an archeological park today marks the spot where you can sip from the cool, faintly sulfurous spring.
It’s the perfect place to start a journey. Begin at the Castillo de San Marcos, a sprawling 17th-century stone fort (the oldest in the country, of course), now a national monument. Decked out with drawbridge, dry moat, dungeons, and towers, the star-shaped fortress stands regal against a backdrop of palm trees and T-shirt-clad tourists.
From there, we walked to St. George Street. The pedestrian mall overflows with souvenir shops, eateries, and kitsch, plus relics of genuine history. The Oldest Wooden School House, weathered and gray, is one. The 18th-century Spanish Renaissance basilica is another. We ducked inside the cathedral, and the bustling, sunlit street vanished, replaced by jewel-toned stained glass and low, resonant organ music.
Leaving downtown, the road crosses the Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island. A little farther and St. Augustine’s lighthouse comes into distant view, its black and white stripes dwarfing the trees.
This northern part of the A1A is officially an All-American Road, fairly tripping over itself with parks and scenic pull-offs, none quite so lovely as Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. The former winter estate boasts 20 acres of gardens — cool-weather camellias, pale gardenias, roses by the thousands, and bromeliads crowded under live oaks dripping Spanish moss. Don’t miss the oceanfront side of the park with one of the largest coquina rock formations on the Atlantic, their water-carved shapes as intricate as brushstrokes.
Lagoon Life
Just past Daytona Beach, the A1A veers right, but continue straight to the tip of Ponce Inlet, where the state’s tallest lighthouse towers in brick-red glory. The views from the top are more than worth the climb. From the balcony, I see the ocean, inlet, lagoon, river, and more.
The road ends at the inlet, so there’s nothing to do but turn around and hop on U.S. 1, the detour away from the coast a good excuse for exploring the backcountry wilds of Florida.
Optional Detour: Cracker Creek
I’m probably biased, but I recommend the detour. It’s how we found Cracker Creek.
Cracker — the term for early Florida pioneers, so-called for the crack of their whip while herding cattle — is a fitting name for this 20-acre homestead. It has several authentic cracker homes, and you can paddle the blackwater creek, fringed with tree canopy, almost as undisturbed today as it was a century ago.
Cultural oddities lurk nearby, too. Next door at Gamble Place, the 175-acre home of James Gamble, of Procter & Gamble fame. The site features several historic buildings, but the fairest and certainly strangest of them all is a replica of Snow White’s cottage.
Built in 1938 (the year following the release of the Disney film), it comes with a wishing well, mine shaft and tiny witch’s hut inhabited by a cutout crone. All seem quite at home among the silent, moss-laden pines, as though in an enchanted wood.
Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach
If you drive through charming New Smyrna Beach (make a pit stop for the archaeological ruins at the free Old Fort Park downtown), you’ll end back on the A1A. It dead-ends (briefly) into the vast Canaveral National Seashore, but you can pick it up again farther south as it rolls into Cocoa Beach. We stopped by the famous Cocoa Beach Pier, an essential photo op, and sauntered to the end, peering at sunbathers and swimmers below.
It’s not all about the beach, though. On the other side of the barrier island flows the Indian River Lagoon, the most biodiverse estuary in the country. Here, I’ve seen manatees, dolphins, scores of long-necked wading birds — much of the area is on the Great Florida Birding Trail — and a jumping, silver-sided fish that a local informed me is mullet.
The lagoon is best explored by kayak, but there are plenty of parks off the A1A that let you glimpse this thriving habitat. The Barrier Island Sanctuary, located within a wildlife refuge, is one of the finest. Its one-mile trail circles past a dizzying array of landscapes: mangroves, dunes flecked with sea oats, a boardwalk through a tropical forest, a sea grape tunnel opening onto the ocean. In spring, wildflowers bloom purple and yellow on the coastal plain.
Treasure Coast
Part of the charm of the A1A is being surrounded by water, the Atlantic on one side, the Intracoastal Waterway on the other. Signs for beaches beckon from the road, deepening their siren call the farther south we go. When we can’t resist any longer, we pull off at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park to dig our toes in the sand. The ocean is dotted with surfers riding white-crested waves, having the time of their lives.
Across the bridge, the dockside eatery Little Jim Bait & Tackle hums with activity, a local favorite for over 70 years. The sign is faded, the scene a blend of seagulls, flip-flops, and license plate decor. It’s where I had the best taco of my life — fresh and plentiful shrimp with the zest of a flawless cilantro-lime sauce. The views and good vibes didn’t hurt either.
Farther south, we swing by Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, the only beach in South Florida you can horseback ride on, arriving as a few happy riders return from their tour. It’s otherwise nearly deserted, despite it being a balmy Saturday afternoon.
The last beach is even more unusual. In the small city of Stuart, Ross Witham Beach sits moody and picturesque. Waves lash limestone cliffs forming jagged sea caves a mere 100 yards from a shipwreck, one of many that give this area its name, “Treasure Coast.” I dart around one outcropping, soused by a spray in the attempt, to find myself on a soft crescent of sand, shaded by rocks. It’s hardly what you’d expect just two hours north of Miami.
But that’s what I love about Florida. It’s constantly surprising me with unfamiliar vistas, unsought delights. I stumble upon something weird or wonderful (often both) in every coastal community we pass. We go slowly. There are treasures still to discover.
Tips for Your A1A Road Trip
A few final tips before you go. Here’s how to make the most of your scenic A1A drive.
Plan on sunrise. Dawn on Florida’s east coast is magic. Jetty Park in Fort Pierce and the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Melbourne, where you might even spot baby sea turtles during nesting season, are two great options.
Chill in Flagler Beach. Stop here for a laidback lunch. Try the “Flagler Beach” fish wrap at Beach Belly Bob’s. Then stroll a quarter mile north to see a beachside home with pirate dummies on the roof, scaling the side, and elsewhere about the premises — because why not?
Soak up surf culture. The world’s largest surf store, the flagship Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach is fun to browse even if you’re not a surfer. Afterward, grab a drink or dog at Long Doggers, a “radically relaxed” (and delicious) grill.
