How many miles is a1a

Beaches here are so hard-packed that walking on them is like walking on a sidewalk, making them ideal for people like me who love long strolls along the surf. The coral color comes from coquina, a soft rock made of ancient marine reefs and limestone that was used to build historic Castillo San Marco in St.

Augustine, among other buildings. This coquina crops up at some spots: Look below for Washington Oaks Gardens State Park for a good stop to view these spectacular outcroppings. If you want to take a 1-mile walk from this park, you can reach the next interesting point along Florida A1A, the World War II watchtower. The watchtower makes a nice destination for a walk plus it has no parking, so this is one way to get close to it.

Tucked along the beach at Ocean Shore Blvd. More than 15, towers like this were built along the coast equating to one every 6 miles but few remain. There is no parking in front of it or across the street, but for the moment, there is a vacant lot on the opposite side where it seemed OK to park. Well, we did, briefly. As you continue north on Florida A1A, you come to two more state parks.

Their presence results in expanses of preserved land here, from the ocean to beyond the Intracoastal. North Peninsula State Park contributes almost 3 miles of unspoiled beach. There is no admission fee at this park. Gamble Rogers State Park is a small state park primarily known for its beautiful beaches and campgrounds that are especially popular with RV campers.

Heading north, you pass through the cool little beach town of Flagler Beach , a low-rise Old Florida seaside strip with some good beachfront restaurants. Additional restaurant recommendations and details are in our Flagler Beach guide.

As you travel north from Flagler Beach, the Atlantic continues to be easy to view, and another good stop to walk on the beach or use the restroom is Varn Park, where parking is free.

In a few miles, a curve away from the beach takes you through the most Old Florida section of A1A, through a forested area called the Hammock. In this section, A1A is lined with thick forest and huge moss-draped oak trees. If you bring your bikes, I recommend using this trail to explore this stretch of A1A and the small roads that lead off it to the beach. We especially enjoyed Mala Compra Beach because this is designated as an equine area and a local outfitter, Equestrian Adventures of Florida, offers beachfront horseback trail rides.

You must reserve in advance. We loved watching the horses on the sand where the guides also do cleanup duty after the horses. As you drive by, you might think it is just a boat launch with a big parking lot, which it also is. The park also has shaded picnic tables and piers with great viewing spots for the Matanzas River, where it is common to see dolphin and the occasional manatee. There is even a short trail on the south end end of the park.

Under a big covering surrounded by an elevated boardwalk, you look down into the excavated site of the Mala Compra Plantation house, active from until it was burned down in the Second Seminole War in A1A is a beach-lover's paradise, because it hops from beach to beach.

As a bonus, Florida tends to be less expensive than California except for a few regions near Jupiter Beach , making this beach-hopping car tour both budget-friendly and super laid-back. Catch a flight into Miami and head north, where you can hug the edge of Florida for long stretches, nearly all the way to the Georgia-Florida state line. A1A is by far the slower route than other north-south options, but making good time is rarely the point of a road trip, right? Although we could make a top list of our favorite places to stop on A1A, here are 10 must-dos, starting in Miami Beach and heading north to Amelia Island.

There's tons to do in Miami you could make a full vacation out of just this city , but a great way to start your road trip is to fill up here with a food tour. Miami Food Tours runs unique guided tours through the area, where you can experience local-fave restaurants, learn about the history, architecture and culinary scene, and chat with other foodies. It's a unique way to tour the region and start your road trip on a high note.

Fort Lauderdale may have a reputation as a party beach, but you can get up close to wildlife here, too. The turtle walks, via the Sea Turtle Oversight Protection Headquarters, are another way to spend your Friday and Saturday nights in the fort. See these endangered species nesting March through October maybe even see some little hatchlings and learn how to protect these ancient creatures. Proceeds of these walks help rescue groups.

West Palm Beach will catch your eye, but first make a stop at charming Delray Beach. If you can schedule your visit to overlap with the Delray Beach GreenMarket the farmers' market on Saturday mornings, you can sip fresh juice and munch on locally-made baked goods.

Relax at Delray Beach , where you'll be surprised to find hundreds of acres of open space and water to explore. Then rent a bike and explore the nearby trails, and end your day browsing shops downtown. Jupiter Island is total luxury.

Now more than years old, a small number of homes are still here, perched on a small rise above the Amelia River. It may only be a short distance between St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach, but when you add in years of history, 65 miles of scenic Florida and the charm of A1A and other oceanfront roads, this is a journey of historic proportions. Back A Roadtrip from St. Stop in the nation's oldest city, for the ocean vistas, in the nature preserves and parks and, finally, on the Isle of Eight Flags.

By Kathleen Ryan One of the hundreds of reasons I love living in Florida is that I can hit the road any time of the year. En Route Between St. Amelia Island. Jacksonville beach.