Tour Experience
The St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop is the longest mapped circular route in Florida. It covers 260 miles through greatly varied and everywhere-historic portions of the state. In its entirety, the Loop is part of the East Coast Greenway, connecting small towns and deeply rural sections in between that provide for swimming, woodland walks and everywhere for warm hospitality.
Touring with Bike Florida, you're looked after by the people who developed the Loop route and are its most experienced guides and advocates. We're also the people who 30 years ago led start of the Florida bicycling movement.
Local access marks these tours. The route threads together national monuments, wildlife refuges, and state parks, stopping also at rural museums, at stately homes in the public trust, and at lighthouses.
We meet up with historians and authors who put their places in American perspective. Naturalists take us into their yards and also alongside wilderness to describe the sub-tropical realm. Our Bike Florida team includes respected writers and leaders in turning Florida tourism green. They ensure that the tours are deeply about "place".
Yet, the tours are no less fun. We socialize with long-time residents. We enjoy meals outdoors. We look for local food, fresh fish, seafood, vegetables, and always with vegetarian and vegan options. We like early morning walks with coffee, beer and wine at sunset.
Tours of the Loop start and finish in St. Augustine, the oldest continuous settlement of Europe in America. It's so richly historic and easy to explore that many cyclists choose to arrive a day or two early and stay on a day or two after. Bike Florida can arrange these travel plans for all who want.
After dinner at Habana Village, we overnight at the Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront, where people of the Ancient City live everyday lives behind half-timbered walls off cobblestone courtyards, cheek-by-jowl in centuries-old buildings, and where storefronts house one-of-a-kind galleries and shops. Tours roll out Sunday mornings across the newly restored Bridge of Lions, the town's beloved crossing to Anastasia Island. We ride clockwise for optimum winds, chiefly along low-traffic back roads, the occasional main road, and paved car-free trails. Daily rides average 40 miles.
For two days we follow the Atlantic Coast along the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway. Most of the way, and notably through Crescent Beach and Flagler Beach, the road remains two-lane with paved shoulders and largely undeveloped because residents care passionately about local character. The beach invites daytime swims and evening star-gazing. In Flagler Beach, we dine and overnight at the White Orchid Inn& Spa.
The tours cross from Ponce Inlet to New Smyrna Beach by water taxi that takes us directly to the dock of our overnight at the Night Swan Intracoastal B&B. New Smyrna is a city of arts and history, in the 18th century home of the most ambitious settlement by England in the New World, today restored to its heyday look of almost 100 years ago. Dinner is hosted at Maloney’s Oyster Bar, run by cheery cyclist Mike Maloney and home of his acclaimed kettle cooking.
After a leisurely morning exploring New Smyrna Beach, we ride to DeLand, hub of the River of Lakes Scenic Highway, we're often accompanied by cyclists from Stetson University, the oldest private college in Florida. Dinner is at Brick House Grill in the downtown historic district, and we overnight at the University Inn across two-lane Woodland Boulevard from campus. Next morning’s breakfast is at the Florida-favorite Old Sugar Mill Pancake House in DeLeon Springs State Park.
In Crescent City (alternately in nearby Welaka), new opportunities for dining and lodging are opening up. We’ll decide about both nearer our departure dates. Lodgings will likely include the Sprague House Inn a block from Lake Crescent andWelaka Lodge on the St. Johns River.
Next morning in Welaka we visit the one-of-a-kind Welaka Maritime Museum and the steamboat works of museum founder Rand Speas, before cycling to the rivertown of Palatka.
Prosperous during the late 19th century before fire and neglect brought it low, Palatka remains a county seat of only 12,000. It's a classic American small town, busy with carpenters restoring historic houses and others selling home-baked cakes, backyard crafts, and regional antiques. Dinner is at Steamboat Landing, and overnight at Quality Inn & Suites on the river.
Our final day's ride is an easy 40+ miles.We visit the Old Florida Antique Museum in Hastings, and we tour portions of rail-trail already finished and nearby under construction before back to St. Augustine in time for lunch.
You've discovered rarely experienced Florida.
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