Gainesville to St Augustine drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Gainesville FL to St Augustine is 74 miles, with a 1h30m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Gainesville to St Augustine drive are the Bluefield Estate Winery, Palatka FL and the St Johns Botanical Garden.
Planning a Gainesville to St Augustine road trip itinerary
The Gainesville to St Augustine drive connects a Florida university city to the oldest city in the US.
Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, and will be best known to college football fans as the home of the Florida Gators.
For everyone else, there’s the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Harn Museum of Art and the Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park. The latter is based around a limestone sinkhole.
Gainesville hotel prices can rise sharply based on university and football events. Hunt for bargains in advance.
St Augustine is the oldest continually inhabited city in the United States, and it has largely escaped heavy modernised development. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León.
In the compact, historic centre, there are several chintzy heritage attractions which are fun but not exactly brimming with centuries of authenticity.
The Spanish-built Castillo de San Marcos on the waterfront does pack that historic power, though. It should be sight number one before mooching around town.
Other St Augustine experiences include hop-on, hop-off trolley passes, sunset cruises and dolphin, manatee and sea turtle-viewing tours.
Excellent St Augustine hotel choices include the Guy Harvey Hotel if you want to be by the beach, and the Casa Monica Resort in the Historic District.
Gainesville to St Augustine distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Gainesville to St Augustine is 74 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 30 minutes. The quickest route goes along FL-26, State Route 100 and FL-207.
The best stops to add to a Gainesville to St Augustine road trip itinerary are the Bluefield Estate Winery, Palatka FL and the St Johns Botanical Garden.
Gainesville to St Augustine drive: Bluefield Estate Winery
The Bluefield Estate Winery isn’t exactly going to challenge the winemakers of America’s top wine regions, but it has plenty of heart. This small, family-run winery makes wines from blueberries and muscadine grapes grown on site. Visitors can drop into the winery, just east of Gainesville, for a tasting.
Gainesville to St Augustine road trip attactions: Palatka FL
Palatka FL is home to the Bronson Mulholland House, a handsome and beautifully-restored antebellum home from the 1850s. It is open for tours.
You’ll also find Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka. This is based around two steep ravines that were turned into gardens back in the 1930s. There are picnic tables and grills here, plus a 1.8 road winding around the ravines to offer the best views.
Things to do between Gainesville and St Augustine: St Johns Botanical Garden
The St Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve in St Johns FL aims to conserve rare plant species from around the world. Guided tours are available, but they do need booking several weeks in advance. Otherwise, wander through on your own, keeping an eye out for the birds, reptiles and amphibians that call the preserve home.
More Gainesville FL road trips
Atlanta to Gainesville | Gainesville to Jacksonville | Gainesville to Ocala | Gainesville to Orlando | Tallahassee to Gainesville | Gainesville to Tampa.
More St Augustine road trips
Atlanta to St Augustine | St Augustine to Daytona Beach | Fort Lauderdale to St Augustine | Jacksonville to St Augustine | Miami to St Augustine | Ocala to St Augustine | Orlando to St Augustine | Savannah to St Augustine | Tallahassee to St Augustine | Tampa to St Augustine.