Explore the Ultimate Florida Lighthouse Trail

There are many ways to discover Florida and innumerable treasures to experience. Florida has everything from theme parks to beaches and too many quality resorts to count. For those who want to travel off the beaten path, the Florida Lighthouse Trail should be on their bucket list. One can drive the entire coastline of Florida, using historic lighthouses as your guide. Florida has so many lighthouses it would take a book to include them all.

Pensacola & The Forgotten Coast

The best place to begin our journey is a place they call the Forgotten Coast. Aptly named, the Forgotten Coast is a section along US-98 in the Panhandle that runs from Mexico Beach to Shell Point Beach and St. Marks. It’s a great place to escape and step back in time to discover what Florida was like before the 1970s.

Important Travel Tips: Remember to call ahead to make sure your lighthouse is open. And no matter the season, always have your bug spray handy. It is Florida, after all.

The Cape St. George Lighthouse stands prominently on St. George Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez

1. Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

2. Cape St. George Lighthouse

3. St. Marks Lighthouse

Along The Buccaneer Trail

Now that we’ve explored Pensacola and Florida’s Forgotten Coast, it’s time to make our way east and travel down the Buccaneer Trail, otherwise known as A1A. The trip from St. Marks Lighthouse to Amelia Island Lighthouse is an easy drive east on highway I-10 and will take you approximately three and a half to four hours. Be sure to stop at a few roadside stands along the way and try those boiled peanuts or smoked mullet.

Aerial view St. Augustine Lighthouse. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez

1. Amelia Island Lighthouse

2. St. Augustine Lighthouse

3. Ponce Inlet Lighthouse & Museum

4. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse

5. Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum

6. Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse

7. Cape Florida Lighthouse

8. Key West Lighthouse

The Lighthouse Bonus Round

For those historians, adventurers, and lighthouse aficionados who feel cheated because we failed to complete the perimeter of the Florida peninsula, here are a few west coast tips and suggestions. While the west coast offers a completely different vibe than the east coast, there is something satisfying about coming full circle. Read more