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The Space Coast and Atlantic Beaches Road Trip

Road Trip

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flickr/Steve Selwood
289.9 miles: 7 hours, 59 minutes
Suburban sprawl melts away as you head east through a natural landscape of pine trees and scrub palmetto. Around the St. Johns River it gets marshy, so look closely—you might spot a gator. Driving along the Space Coast, the Atlantic spreads seemingly forever. And amid all the timeless surf and sand is the prestigious backdrop of America’s space explorations.
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Drive trips stop
flickr/RustyClark
1
Orlando to Cocoa Beach
69.0 miles: 1 hours, 19 minutes
Suburban sprawl melts away as you head east through a natural landscape of pine trees and scrub palmetto. Around the St. Johns River it gets marshy, so look closely—you might spot a gator. Driving along the Space Coast, the Atlantic spreads seemingly forever. And amid all the timeless surf and sand is the prestigious backdrop of America’s space explorations.
Recommended Stops
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Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral
670, Dave Nisbet Drive Port Canaveral, Florida 32920
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Jetty Park
Cape Canaveral Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920
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Island Boat Lines
500, West Cocoa Beach Causeway Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931
Drive trips stop
flickr/Jeff Jackowski
2
Cocoa Beach to Daytona Beach
108.0 miles: 2 hours, 48 minutes
Just north of Cocoa Beach is the Kennedy Space Center, a must-see stop and the final home of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Once in Daytona you’ll get the full feel of the World’s Most Famous Beach—from tourist shops selling T-shirts, flip flops and towels to laidback eateries serving up cold beer and fried seafood.
Recommended Stops
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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Space Commerce Way Space Commerce Way, Florida 32953
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Space Mirror Memorial
Florida 405, Titusville Titusville, Florida
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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Titusville Titusville, Florida
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Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens
950, Old Sugar Mill Road Port Orange, Florida 32129
Drive trips stop
flickr/Evangelio Gonzalez
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Daytona Beach to St. Augustine
54.9 miles: 1 hours, 39 minutes
Roll the windows down and enjoy the salty ocean air as you head toward where it all began. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the state—the country, in fact. Founded in 1565 by the Spanish, it’s full of small museums and kitschy sights. With a range of local eateries and historic houses turned into B&Bs, this is a great place to spend the night.
Recommended Stops
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St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum
81, Lighthouse Avenue St. Augustine, Florida 32080
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Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
1, South Castillo Drive St. Augustine, Florida 32084
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Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse
14, Saint George Street St. Augustine, Florida 32084
accomodation
Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection
95, Cordova Street St. Augustine, Florida 32084
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Drive trips stop
dawnamoore/iStockphoto.com
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St. Augustine to Amelia Island
64.0 miles: 2 hours, 11 minutes
Leave St. Augustine’s historic charm behind for a drive through the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, a peaceful coastal habitat. Once at Amelia Island, southernmost of the barrier Sea Islands, you’ll find a trove of natural beauty—beaches, dunes and wildlife.
Recommended Stops
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Ponce de León’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park
11, Magnolia Avenue St. Augustine, Florida 32084
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Fort Clinch State Park
2601, Atlantic Avenue Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034
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Amelia River Cruises & Charters
1, North Front Street Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034
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Amelia Island Museum of History
233, South 3rd Street Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034