St Augustine to Daytona Beach: Drive time, distance & best stops
The distance from St Augustine to Daytona Beach by car is 59 miles, with a 59 minute driving time. The best road trip stops on the St Augustine to Daytona Beach drive are the Fort Matanzas National Monument, Palm Coast and Bulow Creek State Park.
Finding the best things to do between St Augustine and Daytona Beach
The St Augustine to Daytona Beach drive connects two of the most attractive cities on Florida’s east coast.
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.
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.
St Augustine to Daytona Beach distance and driving time
By car, the distance from St Augustine to Daytona Beach is 59 miles. You can expect a driving time of around 59 minutes. The quickest route is down US-1 and the I-95. The best stops to add to a St Augustine to Daytona Beach road trip itinerary are the Fort Matanzas National Monument, Palm Coast and Bulow Creek State Park.
St Augustine 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.
Best stops between St Augustine and Daytona Beach: Palm Coast
Palm Coast 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.
St Augustine to Daytona Beach drive: Bulow Creek State Park
The star of Bulow Creek State Park is the Fairchild Oak, which has stood for more than 400 years and is one of the biggest trees in the South.
The park covers one of the biggest remaining chunks of southern oak forest in Florida, and there are several hiking trails. The favourite is the seven-mile Bulow Woods Trail, which heads to the ruins of the Bulow Plantation, possibly spotting raccoons and white-tailed deer on the way.
More St Augustine road trips
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More Daytona Beach road trips
Atlanta to Daytona Beach | Daytona Beach to Cocoa Beach | Daytona Beach to Disney World | Fort Lauderdale to Daytona Beach | Jacksonville to Daytona Beach | Kissimmee to Daytona Beach | Miami to Daytona Beach | Orlando to Daytona Beach | Tampa to Daytona Beach | Daytona Beach to Vero Beach | Daytona Beach to West Palm Beach.