3 Day Taste of North Florida Road Trip
A quick note
This itinerary assumes a Saturday-Monday long weekend arriving and leaving from Jacksonville. You could also rearrange it to be a Friday-Sunday trip in and out of Orlando if that is more convenient for your schedule/flights. If you are doing an Orlando itinerary, you should do the Coastal Drive North on Friday and then Saturday and Sunday remain the same.
You can also do this itinerary any 3 days of the week, but you will have to remove the Riverside Arts Market in Jacksonville as that is only on Saturdays.
Saturday-Jax and Palatka
Morning
Spend the morning in downtown Jacksonville, starting with a visit to the Riverside Arts Market. This is also a great spot to pick up breakfast and/or lunch from one of the food trucks at the market.
Take a break from shopping with a stroll along the riverwalk.
Finally, wrap up your morning in downtown Jacksonville with a visit to the Cummer museum. Make sure to head outside to take a look at their beautiful gardens.
Afternoon
After lunch at in Jacksonville, drive an hour south down to Palatka and go for a hike at the Ravine Gardens State Park. This New Deal era park features a 120 foot ravine with a 2.5 mile nature hike through the ravine and across suspension bridges. If you're looking for a more leisurely tour of the park, there's also a 1.8 mile paved loop around the perimeter or you can take a ramble through the formal gardens.
Dinner
After the hike in the park, head for dinner in Palatka and settle in for a goodnight's sleep!
Stay in Palatka
Sunday-Springs and Ponce Inlet
Morning
Make sure your swimsuit is either on or accessible Sunday morning because you're headed 40 minutes south to one of Florida's crystal clear freshwater springs, Silver Glen Springs.
Lunch
Afternoon
Drive over to the coast and check out the tallest lighthouse in Florida, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse
Where to Stay-2 Options
Option 1- Daytona Beach
It doesn't get more old school, tawdry florida than Daytona Beach
Option 2- New Smyrna Beach
A little bit of a smaller town, but still great Florida tourist vibes
Monday-Coastal Drive North
Drive up the coast on A1A back to Jacksonville and stop as time allows before your flight. Recommended stopping points:
Flagler, Washington Oaks, St Augustine
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