Best scenic drives in Florida

Written by:
March 29, 2024
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Best scenic drives in Florida

There's no shortage of scenic drives to take in the United States. According to the National Scenic Byway Foundation, there are 184 designated byway routes with beautiful vistas, as well as historic and cultural sites across the country. That means, no matter where you are in the U.S., a stunning drive isn't too far away.

Some drives have reached celebrity status, one of the most well known being Historic Route 66, which stretches from downtown Chicago to Santa Monica Pier in California. For nearly 100 years, travelers have been hitting the 2,448-mile road that has more than 250 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Other famous drives include the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which hugs 650 miles of the state's coast; the Natchez Trace Parkway, a historic 444-mile route from Tennessee to Alabama and Mississippi; and the highest fully paved road in North America, Colorado's Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, which sits at a cool 14,264 feet at its peak.

Of course, there are plenty more drives that may not be as famous but are just as alluring. The Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia gives riders a picturesque view through the Monongahela National Forest. Make a pit stop in the Cranberry Glades for an unusual site: bogs full of carnivorous plants. Further north, the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in New Hampshire is a particularly beautiful drive as the leaves turn in the fall and won't take you too long to drive—it's on the shorter side at only 34.5 miles long.

For those looking to take to the open road, Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in Florida using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024. Note that Tripadvisor ranks attractions using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a drive with a 5/5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4/5.

Once you locate the closest scenic drive near you, gather your favorite passengers, turn on an epic playlist, and take in the beauty that Florida has to offer.

Note: Some photos in this article are stock images and are not of the specific drives listed.

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#17. Rain Barrel Arts & Crafts

- Rating: 3/5 (1 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#16. River of Lakes Heritage Corridor Scenic Highway

- Rating: 5/5 (1 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#15. Casa Tuscany

- Rating: 5/5 (1 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#14. Green Mountain Scenic Highway

- Rating: 3.5/5 (4 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Leena Azzam // Shutterstock

#13. Atlantic Flyway

- Rating: 5/5 (2 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock

#12. John Ringling Causeway

- Rating: 5/5 (4 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#11. W Ozello Trail

- Rating: 5/5 (5 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Andriy Blokhin // Shutterstock

#10. Old St. Augustine Road

- Rating: 5/5 (5 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Dominick Corrado // Shutterstock

#9. State A1A

- Rating: 4.5/5 (6 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#8. Ridge Scenic Highway

- Rating: 4/5 (22 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#7. Turner River Road

- Rating: 4/5 (32 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Andriy Blokhin // Shutterstock

#6. US Highway 98

- Rating: 4.5/5 (17 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#5. Manatee Observation Deck

- Rating: 4/5 (41 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Steven Frame // Shutterstock

#4. Emerald Coast

- Rating: 5/5 (32 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Radoslav Cajkovic // Shutterstock
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Made For More Productions // Shutterstock

#2. Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail

- Rating: 4.5/5 (620 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Mia2you // Shutterstock

#1. The Overseas Highway

- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,993 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Sheeka Sanahori, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 46 states.

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