Perhaps no stretch of highway reaches further into America’s history than the A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway. An officially designated American Byway®, the 72 miles of mostly two-lane roadway navigate nature’s beauty, history, and true serenity. The land and waters on either side of the Byway have been part of the sweep of American history, nature, archaeology, and recreation for nearly 500 years.
From the northern boundary of St. Johns County, the Byway bisects the seaside luxury and golf mecca known as Ponte Vedra Beach. The road weaves through America’s oldest city, St. Augustine, and finally ends at the terminus of Flagler County.
The A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway connects State Parks, National Monuments, stunning beaches, nature trails, boating, fishing, preserves, estuaries and all of America’s diverse people. Recognized as a National Scenic Byway in 2002, the A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway was designated as Florida's second All-American Road on February 16, 2021.
Today, Ponte Vedra is best known for golf as it is home to the ATP and PGA Tour, and The Players Championship. This tour will tell you about what came before its world-famous golf courses. But for any golf enthusiasts, it will give some golf-related points of interest along the way.
At the Southern terminus, Gamble Rogers Memorial Park, hear the story of a true local hero and why the park now bears his name.
Along the route hear tales of forgotten moments in Florida's history. There are historical stories that took place at Mickler's Landing and Fort Matanzas, along with those about Ponce de Leon and Spanish pirates.
You will learn about A1A Coastal Byway's hidden treasures, such as Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Here you can easily spend hours exploring the many trails, learning about the property's history, or simply enjoying peace and tranquility of this botanical paradise.
The tour points out secret attractions like the freshwater spring at Crescent Beach Park.
In the beach-side towns, you will see cultural sites like the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall and St. Augustine Amphitheater. You can also stop to enjoy popular recreation areas such as St. John's Splash Park.
Make sure to save time to spend on Anastasia Island at Anastasia State Park's miles of pristine beach and tidal salt marsh.
As you drive, we'll inform you about critical natural habitats like the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM Reserve for short!), the River to Sea Preserve, and Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve.
Bird Island Park is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, and is rich with sighting opportunities for novice and experienced birder alike. Come see the snowy egrets and tri-colored herons.
Tour Sponsors This tour is brought to you by the Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway and their partners at the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council and the St. Johns County Cultural Council.
Find More Tours Near YouIf you decide to take a mini wildlife safari, make sure to download
Bird Island Park walking tour for Bird Island Park. The tour focuses on Florida's ecological habitat and the many different animals you may see on your visit. While visiting Florida, enjoy
More than Just South Beach audio tour. For more tours wherever your travels may take you, visit
TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story.
Este tour también está disponible en español. Toque el botón de abajo para ver ambas versiones del recorrido. (Spanish tour also available)
Location: Florida
Travel Type: Driving
Tour Duration: 1.5 hour
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