Lighthouses are not just historic landmarks; they provide a fun and usually inexpensive way to get the best view in town. Note: Florida has A LOT of lighthouses, so it would be impossible to include them all, but this trip would be a good way to start learning about Florida’s history and natural beauty. There’s no better place to spend a weekend than along the coast of the sunshine state, visiting the beautiful and historic side of the state with this lighthouse road trip in Florida. Fall in love with the southern edge of the United States all over again, friends.
Google Maps
- Cape St. George Light
Flickr/Rachel Kramer This 72-foot brick beauty sat on St. George Island for 153 years before it fell over in 2005. Thankfully, the pieces were recovered and restoration of the lighthouse was finished in 2008. Here you can explore the lighthouse museum and gift shop. For a small fee, you can even climb the lighthouse. It remains one of the most famed historic lighthouses in Florida.
- St. Marks Lighthouse
Tim Donovan via Flickr/Florida Fish and Wildlife Next we’ll head to St. Marks to the second-oldest lighthouse in the state of Florida. The 82-foot lighthouse sits on the Apalachee Bay, and it’s still active today. It’s a definite must-visit on this unique road trip in Florida.
- Amelia Island Light
bubba73/Wikimedia Commons First constructed in 1838, the Amelia Island Light is Florida’s oldest lighthouse. It was built with materials from Georgia’s Little Cumberland Island Light. Lighthouse tours are offered regularly, and prior registration is required. Keep in mind that climbing the lighthouse is not part of the tour. To learn more about the Amelia Island Lighthouse tours, click here.
- St. Augustine Light
Flickr/Rachel Kramer Looking for things to do on the coast of Florida? Then make a stop in St. Augustine! The current version of the St. Augustine Light is open to the public, and there are even ghost tours given at night. It was built in 1874, and it’s located on the northern end of Anastasia Island. It’s one of the most popular spots in the state, and requires a stop on this lighthouse road trip in Florida.
- Ponce De Leon Inlet Light
Flickr/Ed This striking red lighthouse stands at 175 feet, making it the tallest lighthouse in Florida. This landmark located south of Daytona is open seven days a week for climbing. There is also a museum and three keepers’ houses to explore.
- Cape Canaveral Lighthouse
Flickr/Paul Gravestock This unique-looking lighthouse was constructed to warn ships of the dangerous shoals off the coast of Cape Canaveral. The current light was constructed in 1868 and moved inland 30 years later. The tours here are more expensive than most, but the three-hour tours also include stops at the Air Force Space and Missile History Center, two launch sites, and admission to Port Canaveral’s Exploration Tower.
- The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
Flickr/Robin Mehdee No lighthouse road trip in Florida is complete without a stop at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse! This iconic lighthouse sits in one of the most beautiful natural areas of Florida. Daily tours give guests the chance to climb the lighthouse stairs, and it’s an incredible experience.
- Hillsboro Lighthouse
Flickr/Steve Harwood Making a trip to this lighthouse in Pompano Beach is a little trickier than the others, but it’s a really special experience. If you want to include Hillsboro Lighthouse on your trip, you’ll have to plan carefully. It’s only open on select dates. The scenic view at the top is worth the trip. For more information on booking a tour, check out this site.
- Cape Florida Lighthouse
Flickr/Sarah You can visit this historic lighthouse and one of the best beaches in the country at the same time with a trip to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. If you’re looking for things to do on the coast of Florida, then you’ll want to add this to your bucket list.
Are you ready to hit the road? Do you have any favorite lighthouses in Florida? You can look at the map for the Lighthouse Road Trip here.
Google Maps
Flickr/Rachel Kramer
This 72-foot brick beauty sat on St. George Island for 153 years before it fell over in 2005. Thankfully, the pieces were recovered and restoration of the lighthouse was finished in 2008. Here you can explore the lighthouse museum and gift shop. For a small fee, you can even climb the lighthouse. It remains one of the most famed historic lighthouses in Florida.
Tim Donovan via Flickr/Florida Fish and Wildlife
Next we’ll head to St. Marks to the second-oldest lighthouse in the state of Florida. The 82-foot lighthouse sits on the Apalachee Bay, and it’s still active today. It’s a definite must-visit on this unique road trip in Florida.
bubba73/Wikimedia Commons
First constructed in 1838, the Amelia Island Light is Florida’s oldest lighthouse. It was built with materials from Georgia’s Little Cumberland Island Light. Lighthouse tours are offered regularly, and prior registration is required. Keep in mind that climbing the lighthouse is not part of the tour. To learn more about the Amelia Island Lighthouse tours, click here.
Looking for things to do on the coast of Florida? Then make a stop in St. Augustine! The current version of the St. Augustine Light is open to the public, and there are even ghost tours given at night. It was built in 1874, and it’s located on the northern end of Anastasia Island. It’s one of the most popular spots in the state, and requires a stop on this lighthouse road trip in Florida.
Flickr/Ed
This striking red lighthouse stands at 175 feet, making it the tallest lighthouse in Florida. This landmark located south of Daytona is open seven days a week for climbing. There is also a museum and three keepers’ houses to explore.
Flickr/Paul Gravestock
This unique-looking lighthouse was constructed to warn ships of the dangerous shoals off the coast of Cape Canaveral. The current light was constructed in 1868 and moved inland 30 years later. The tours here are more expensive than most, but the three-hour tours also include stops at the Air Force Space and Missile History Center, two launch sites, and admission to Port Canaveral’s Exploration Tower.
Flickr/Robin Mehdee
No lighthouse road trip in Florida is complete without a stop at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse! This iconic lighthouse sits in one of the most beautiful natural areas of Florida. Daily tours give guests the chance to climb the lighthouse stairs, and it’s an incredible experience.
Flickr/Steve Harwood
Making a trip to this lighthouse in Pompano Beach is a little trickier than the others, but it’s a really special experience. If you want to include Hillsboro Lighthouse on your trip, you’ll have to plan carefully. It’s only open on select dates. The scenic view at the top is worth the trip. For more information on booking a tour, check out this site.
Flickr/Sarah
You can visit this historic lighthouse and one of the best beaches in the country at the same time with a trip to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. If you’re looking for things to do on the coast of Florida, then you’ll want to add this to your bucket list.
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Address: Lighthouse Rd, Florida, USAAddress: 215 O, Hagan Ln, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034, USAAddress: Lighthouse Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USAAddress: Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum, 4931 S Peninsula Dr, Ponce Inlet, FL 32127, USAAddress: Lighthouse Rd, Cape Canaveral, FL, USAAddress: Lighthouse Dr, Jupiter Inlet Colony, FL 33469, USAAddress: 907 Hillsboro Mile, Hillsboro Beach, FL 33062, USAAddress: Cape Florida Lighthouse, 1200 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Lighthouse road trip in Florida April 24, 2020 Meghan Kraft What is the most famous lighthouse in Florida? The most famous lighthouse in Florida is the St. Augustine Lighthouse, which is aptly located in St. Augustine, Florida. It was originally built in the 1870’s, and remains one of the most popular lighthouses both in the state and in the nation. It’s the oldest surviving brick structure that’s found on the northeast edge of the city and is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the state both for its views and history. The St. Augustine Lighthouse is one of the six Florida lighthouses that are open to the public, although there are 30 in total that is located across the state. Are there any other unique road trips to take in Florida? Florida is rife with opportunity when it comes to unique road trips and experiences across the state. You can traverse the northern edge of the state to see Florida’s biggest waterfall, or you can road trip through the central heart of the state and stop off at the theme parks and natural attractions scattered through the center of the state. Plan your own road trip and visit all of the haunted places in Florida, or perhaps meander your way through the state’s natural wonders like the coral reef, caves, and springs of the central state. Florida is a dream for locals and tourists alike, providing opportunities for fun that you didn’t even know the state had. What else can I do along the coast in Florida? There’s no better place for tourists in Florida than the state’s famed coast! Whether you’re wandering the hip, fun streets of Miami, or perhaps even Cocoa Beach, there’s always something fun to do in the state of Florida. We’d recommend visiting Key West for its eccentric beauty, or maybe heading to Manatee Springs in Chiefland. The Dry Tortugas are remote islands with a history of sunken treasure, and there’s even a Venetian Pool in Coral Gables that is the only swimming pool that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don’t sleep on Florida, friends. There’s no end to the fun!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Lighthouse road trip in Florida
April 24, 2020
Meghan Kraft
What is the most famous lighthouse in Florida? The most famous lighthouse in Florida is the St. Augustine Lighthouse, which is aptly located in St. Augustine, Florida. It was originally built in the 1870’s, and remains one of the most popular lighthouses both in the state and in the nation. It’s the oldest surviving brick structure that’s found on the northeast edge of the city and is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the state both for its views and history. The St. Augustine Lighthouse is one of the six Florida lighthouses that are open to the public, although there are 30 in total that is located across the state. Are there any other unique road trips to take in Florida? Florida is rife with opportunity when it comes to unique road trips and experiences across the state. You can traverse the northern edge of the state to see Florida’s biggest waterfall, or you can road trip through the central heart of the state and stop off at the theme parks and natural attractions scattered through the center of the state. Plan your own road trip and visit all of the haunted places in Florida, or perhaps meander your way through the state’s natural wonders like the coral reef, caves, and springs of the central state. Florida is a dream for locals and tourists alike, providing opportunities for fun that you didn’t even know the state had. What else can I do along the coast in Florida? There’s no better place for tourists in Florida than the state’s famed coast! Whether you’re wandering the hip, fun streets of Miami, or perhaps even Cocoa Beach, there’s always something fun to do in the state of Florida. We’d recommend visiting Key West for its eccentric beauty, or maybe heading to Manatee Springs in Chiefland. The Dry Tortugas are remote islands with a history of sunken treasure, and there’s even a Venetian Pool in Coral Gables that is the only swimming pool that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don’t sleep on Florida, friends. There’s no end to the fun!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The most famous lighthouse in Florida is the St. Augustine Lighthouse, which is aptly located in St. Augustine, Florida. It was originally built in the 1870’s, and remains one of the most popular lighthouses both in the state and in the nation. It’s the oldest surviving brick structure that’s found on the northeast edge of the city and is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the state both for its views and history. The St. Augustine Lighthouse is one of the six Florida lighthouses that are open to the public, although there are 30 in total that is located across the state.
Are there any other unique road trips to take in Florida?
Florida is rife with opportunity when it comes to unique road trips and experiences across the state. You can traverse the northern edge of the state to see Florida’s biggest waterfall, or you can road trip through the central heart of the state and stop off at the theme parks and natural attractions scattered through the center of the state. Plan your own road trip and visit all of the haunted places in Florida, or perhaps meander your way through the state’s natural wonders like the coral reef, caves, and springs of the central state. Florida is a dream for locals and tourists alike, providing opportunities for fun that you didn’t even know the state had.
What else can I do along the coast in Florida?
There’s no better place for tourists in Florida than the state’s famed coast! Whether you’re wandering the hip, fun streets of Miami, or perhaps even Cocoa Beach, there’s always something fun to do in the state of Florida. We’d recommend visiting Key West for its eccentric beauty, or maybe heading to Manatee Springs in Chiefland. The Dry Tortugas are remote islands with a history of sunken treasure, and there’s even a Venetian Pool in Coral Gables that is the only swimming pool that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don’t sleep on Florida, friends. There’s no end to the fun!
