Your Guide to Florida’s Scenic Highways

By Dalia Colon

There are scenic highways, and then there are Florida's Scenic Highways.

Florida has no shortage of beautiful drives, from the canopy roads of Tallahassee and Ocala’s rambling horse country, to Miami’s glittery cityscape and more than 825 miles of beaches.

But only 26 of Florida’s roadways can claim to be Scenic with a capital “S.” These roads are more than just a pretty face.

“There are six types of resources that can determine eligibility for a scenic highway,” said Wanda Maloney, coordinator of the Florida Scenic Highways program. An official scenic highway or byway (there’s no difference), as crowned by the Florida Department of Transportation, must have at least one of these qualities:

• Scenic (obviously)
• Historic
• Cultural
• Archaeological
• Recreational
• Natural

For instance, an untouched river is a natural resource. A river lined with boat docks is a recreational resource. Of course, any road labeled “scenic” had better be easy on the eyes. And Florida’s Scenic Highways don’t disappoint.

“People want to get off the beaten path,” Maloney said. “They don’t want to see the interstate; they want to see the real Florida where people live and work.”

This real Florida includes stories of Native Americans and astronauts, palm trees and potato chips.

All with a stunning view.

So fill up your gas tank, roll down the windows and journey along the 1,524 miles of these Florida Scenic Highways.

• A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway
• Big Bend Scenic Highway
• Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway
• Broward County A1A Scenic Highway
• Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway
• Florida Black Bear National Scenic Highway
• Florida Keys Scenic Highway All-American Road
• Green Mountain Scenic Highway
• Heritage Crossroads: Miles of History
• Indian River Lagoon - Treasure Coast Scenic Highway
• Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Highway
• J.C. Penney Memorial Scenic Highway
• Lemon Bay/Myakka Trail Scenic Highway
• Martin Grade Scenic Highway
• Old Florida Heritage Highway
• Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail
• Palma Sola Scenic Highway
• Pensacola Bluffs Scenic Highway
• River of Lakes Heritage Corridor
• Scenic Highway 30A
• Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway
• Suncoast Scenic Parkway
• Tamiami Trail – Windows to the Gulf Coast Waters
• The Ridge Scenic Highway
• William Bartram Scenic & Historic Highway
• A1A Ocean Islands Trail
• Halifax Heritage Byway
   

Try out this Interactive map