The Official 2009 RVers Guide to Florida

ILLUMINATION Five-day trip guides you to some of the nation’s oldest and tallest lighthouses lorida has more than 1,800 miles of coastline, more than any state in the continental United States. To ensure safe marine navigation, Florida boasts an impressive collection of lighthouses, including some of the nation’s oldest and tallest. There are 30 lighthouses still standing proud in Florida, and most have been preserved and undergone complete restoration. The following Florida lighthouse five-day trip takes you from St. Augustine to Key Biscayne, highlighting a few of the lighthouses along Florida’s scenic east coast. F — Day 1 — Your journey begins at the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum. To get there from Interstate 95, exit at State Road 16 (Exit 95, about 30 miles south of Jacksonville) and drive east for about six miles to U.S. Highway 1. Turn right and proceed south for a mile and a half, then make a left on King Street. Cross the Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island. Continuing on U.S. 1, turn left on Lighthouse Avenue and then right on White Street East. The lighthouse and museum is at 81 Lighthouse Avenue, across from the alligator farm. This lighthouse holds the distinction as one of the first in Florida officially authorized by Congress. It was built in 1824 and the present 161-foot-tall tower, constructed in 1874, is the state’s only spiral-banded lighthouse. Six flights of stairs with frequent landings make the climb an easy one. Phone (904) 829-0745. (Exit 59A) and take State Road 706 east, crossing a bridge and continuing until State Road 706 dead-ends into A1A. Turn left on A1A, then right on U.S. 1. As you cross another bridge over the inlet, you’ll see the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. At the first stop light, turn right on County Road 707 and then right again into Lighthouse Park. The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse’s distinctive red tower was designed by George Gordon Meade and first illuminated in 1860. The 108-foot-tall tower is topped with its original first-order Fresnel lens, possibly the oldest in the state. Those wishing to tour the lighthouse should call in advance to get information on tour availability. Phone (561) 747-8380. — Day 4 — Next, return to I-95 south and travel 85 miles to Miami. As you reach downtown, look for the Key Biscayne exit/State Road 913, which will take you across Biscayne Bay, past the Miami Seaquarium and Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium and onto Key Biscayne itself. The road will end at the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area and the Cape Florida Lighthouse. The first Cape Florida lighthouse, built at the southern tip of Key Biscayne, was destroyed in 1836 during a Seminole attack. The present tower, dating from 1847, was rebuilt by George G. Meade in 1855 to reinforce its construction. Phone (305) 361-5811. — Day 2 — The easiest and most scenic route to your next destination is south on A1A 50 miles to Daytona Beach. A1A is also called Atlantic Avenue once you reach Daytona Beach. Take Atlantic Avenue to the end of the inlet and follow the signs to the lighthouse. The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is located at 4931 S. Peninsula. The 175-foot-tall tower, the second tallest in the United States, was completed in 1887. A 203-step climb brings you to the lighthouse’s gallery and a view of the Atlantic coast. Phone (904) 761-1821. — Day 5 — Your final lighthouse destination takes you to the southernmost part of the continental United States. It is a 154-mile drive from Miami to Key West, but getting there is simplicity itself; just stay on U.S. 1 until you literally run out of road. The Key West Lighthouse and East Martello Museum can be found nearby at 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd. This lighthouse, built in 1825, was the island’s first and predates the city that later grew up around it. A climb to the top of its 80 steps rewards the visitor with a great view of the nearby Ernest Hemingway House and the downtown area. Phone (305) 296-1702. The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse — Visit Florida Inc. (850) 488-5607 — Day 3 — Retrace your drive on A1A to Port Orange and follow the signs to Interstate 95. Head south on I-95 for 130 miles to Jupiter 108 2009 FRVTA RVers GUIDE TO FLORIDA

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Official 2009 RVers Guide to Florida

The Official 2009 RVers Guide to Florida Contents RV Friendly Logos Meet Roadie Behind the Wheel Region 1 - Southwest Florida Region 2 - Southeast Florida Region 3 - Tampa Bay Area Region 4 - Orlando & Space Coast RV Rentals Region 5 - Florida Panhandle Financing Your RV Region 6 - Northeast Florida Region 7 - North Central Florida Florida Regional Shows Region 10 - Out of State Members Indian Mounds in Florida Springs in Florida What’s Your Type? Lighthouse Tour Insurance, Who Needs It?

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