Jacksonville to Tampa road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The distance from Jacksonville to Tampa by car is 200 miles, with a 3h13m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Jacksonville to Tampa drive are the Camp Blanding Museum, Ocala FL and the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.
Planning a Jacksonville to Tampa road trip itinerary
The Jacksonville to Tampa drive takes you from the biggest city in north Florida to the state’s west 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.
Highly-rated Jacksonville accommodation options include the charming Riverdale Inn B&B and the conveniently downtown Hyatt Regency.
Tampa is justifiably one of the most popular holiday destinations in Florida. It’s home to top attractions such as the Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa, the Adventure Island water park and Busch Gardens theme park.
Other great Tampa experiences include historic Ybor City food walking tours, seeing the highlights in a street legal golf cart and a Haunted Tampa tour that combines ghosts and pubs.
Also on offer are Segway tours, history cruises, dolphin-watching and celebrity homes tours.
Tampa accommodation is best booked in advance – look for deals here.
Jacksonville to Tampa distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Jacksonville to Tampa is 200 miles. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 13 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10, US-301 and I-75.
The best stops to add to a Jacksonville to Tampa road trip itinerary are the Camp Blanding Museum, Ocala FL and the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.
Jacksonville to Tampa drive: Camp Blanding Museum
Camp Blanding near Starke was a massive infantry base during WWII, which was converted to a German prisoner of war camp in 1942. During WWII, there were so many people here, that it temporarily became Florida’s fourth largest city.
The Camp Blanding Museum tells the fascinating history of the site.
Best stops between Jacksonville and Tampa: Ocala FL
Ocala is home to the Golden Gypsy Horse Farm, where visitors can meet the rare and beautiful Gypsy Vanner horses. The Appleton Museum of Art, meanwhile, mixes contemporary art with pre-Columbian artifacts and the Discovery Center does the interactive science thing.
The most important site in Ocala, however, is the Fort King National Historic Landmark. This was a major military post in the Second Seminole War, and the first inland fort in Florida.
Book ahead for Ocala hotel deals.
Jacksonville to Tampa road trip attractions: Dade Battlefield Historic State Park
Dade Battlefield Historic State Park commemorates the 1835 battle that sparked the Second Seminole War. This was the longest and most costly American-Indian war in the country’s history, lasting seven years.
The visitor center has a small museum explaining more about the Florida Seminole Wars, while picnics, hiking and wildlife-spotting are other options within the park.
More Jacksonville road trips
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More Tampa road trips
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