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Northeast Coast

TRAVEL GUIDE

Northeast Coast

TRAVEL GUIDE

For many travelers, Florida is about fantasy, thanks in no small part to Central Florida's make-believe kingdoms. But the northeastern part of the state—you could call it "authentic Florida"—has its own allure, with unspoiled beaches and rivers, historic small towns, and urban arts and culture.

Northeastern Florida's beaches have wide, shell-strewn expanses of sand, in some places firm enough to ride bikes on, and breakers just the right height for kids to jump. Thanks to the temperate climate and waters warmed by the Gulf Stream, these beaches are a year-round playground—when it's too cold to swim, you can still enjoy surf-fishing or just riding on the beach or strolling the shoreline looking for shells and sharks’ teeth.

Sun and surf aren't the only reasons to visit northe... Read More

For many travelers, Florida is about fantasy, thanks in no small part to Central Florida's make-believe kingdoms. But the northeastern part of the state—you could call it "authentic Florida"—has its own allure, with unspoiled beaches and rivers, historic small towns, and urban arts and culture.

Northeastern Florida's beaches have wide, shell-strewn expanses of sand, in some places firm enough to ride bikes on, and breakers just the right height for kids to jump. Thanks to the temperate climate and waters warmed by the Gulf Stream, these beaches are a year-round playground—when it's too cold to swim, you can still enjoy surf-fishing or just riding on the beach or strolling the shoreline looking for shells and sharks’ teeth.

Sun and surf aren't the only reasons to visit northeastern Florida, though. There's Jacksonville with its big-city lights and historic St. Augustine with its horse-drawn carriages. Along the way is an array of little towns—from Fernandina and its shrimp fleets to Micanopy and its antiques stores—that invite quiet exploration.

In the last decade or so, Jacksonville has revitalized its institutions and infrastructure. And with the revitalization has come an arts renaissance—from virtuoso productions in the theaters of the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and the Florida Theatre, to world-class exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville and the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.

A little more inland, in what's called North Central Florida, peaceful little towns are separated by miles of two-lane roads, running through dense forest and flat pastureland and skirting one lake after another. There's not much to see but cattle and the state's few hills. Gentle and rolling, they're hardly worth noting to people from true hill country, but they're significant enough in Florida for much of this area to be called the "hill and lake region."

So even if the ultimate reason for your Florida sojourn is Mickey and his friends, there's no reason to miss the northeast. Indeed, you'll find some authentic benefits—among them, a dearth of crowds and lines and an abundance of Southern hospitality, plus good value for the money.

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Language

English

Nearby Airports

JAX, MLB, GNV, DAB

Electrical Outlets

120 V/60Hz; Type A plugs have two flat prongs. Type B plugs have the same two flat prongs with a third round prong; together the three form a triangular shape.

Currency

US Dollar

Language

English

Electrical Outlets

120 V/60Hz; Type A plugs have two flat prongs. Type B plugs have the same two flat prongs with a third round prong; together the three form a triangular shape.

Currency

US Dollar

Nearby Airports

JAX, MLB, GNV, DAB

It's not 90°F and sunny here every day. In winter the weather is fair, averaging in the low 50s in Jacksonville and low 60s in Cocoa Beach,...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in Northeast Coast with curated recommendations from our editors.

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essentials

transportation

resources

It's not 90°F and sunny here every day. In winter the weather is fair, averaging in the low 50s in Jacksonville and low 60s in Cocoa Beach,...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in Northeast Coast with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

It's not 90°F and sunny here every day. In winter the weather is fair, averaging in the low 50s in Jacksonville and low 60s in Cocoa Beach,...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in Northeast Coast with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

essentials

transportation

resources

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