Jacksonville to Daytona Beach drive: Distance, time & best stops

Finding the best things to do between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach

The drive from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach takes you part of the way down the Florida coast.

Jacksonville is the biggest city in northern Florida, with a long string of beaches along the coast.

Top Jacksonville experiences include Amelia Island kayak tours, guided art and architecture tours by electric bike and electric skateboard rides along Fernandina Beach.

For cultural attractions, head to the Cummer Museum, where the strength tends to be the rotating temporary exhibitions.

Daytona Beach is one of the most attractive cities on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. To many, it is most obviously associated with NASCAR racing at the Daytona Speedway, but there’s way more to it than fast cars.

Enjoyable Daytona Beach experiences include small group sailing cruises, paddleboarding or kayaking with dolphins and manatees, wine bar tours and a Polynesian fire and dinner show.

You can also try a dive bar crawl, zipline adventures and beach Segway rides.

Jacksonville to Daytona Beach distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach FL is 89 miles. You can expect a driving time of around an hour and 28 minutes. The quickest route is down the I-95.

The best stops on a Jacksonville to Daytona Beach road trip itinerary are St Augustine, the Fort Matanzas National Monument and Palm Coast.

Best stops between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach FL: St Augustine

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.

Jacksonville to Daytona Beach road trip attractions: Fort Matanzas National Monument

The primary attraction of the Fort Matanzas National Monument is the fortified watchtower. It was built by the Spanish in 1742 to defend St Augustine from the south.

However, the national monument also conserves the coastal environment of dunes, marsh and forest. Note that you’ll need to catch a ferry to reach the fort.

Jacksonville to Daytona Beach drive: Palm Coast

Daytona Beach is a fast-growing Florida city, with the beaches the obvious highlight. Jungle Hut Road Park combines sea, sand and nature. You’ll spot hummingbirds here in winter, gannets in summer and pelicans year-round. It’s a short walk over the dunes to the pet-friendly beach.

There’s also a beach in Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, but it is better visited for its rather remarkable coastal rock formations.

Daytona Beach welcome sign.
Daytona Beach welcome sign. Photo by tsreptilien/ Pixabay.

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