The best road trip stops on the Jacksonville to Miami drive are St Augustine, Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach. The distance from Jacksonville to Miami is 351 miles, with a 5h30m driving time.
Planning a Jacksonville to Miami road trip itinerary
The Jacksonville to Miami drive takes you down Florida’s Atlantic coast, connecting two of the state’s major cities
Top Jacksonville experiences include Amelia Island kayak tours, guided art and architecture tours by electric bike and electric skateboard rides along Fernandina Beach.
For cultural attractions, head to the Cummer Museum, where the strength tends to be the rotating temporary exhibitions.
Highly-rated Jacksonville accommodation options include the charming Riverdale Inn B&B and the conveniently downtown Hyatt Regency.
Miami is a city with several sides to it. The art deco and showiness of South Beach contrasts heavily with the landscaped garden grandeur of Coral Gables, for example.
Top Miami experiences include food tours of Little Havana, sightseeing by speedboat and South Beach cruises that take in the homes of millionaires. Alternatively, try a sunset cocktail cruise, a half day Everglades tour or a scenic helicopter flight.
Attractions worth getting advance tickets for include the Frost Science Museum, the Museum of Graffiti and the Paradox Museum.
The most memorable Miami accommodation is in one of South Beach’s art deco hotels. The Essex House Hotel is an architectural classic. The National has an amazing pool.
Why book a Miami experience?
- 🚤 Millionaire mansions cruise with waterfront views on a Miami sightseeing boat tour
- 🌮 Little Havana food and walking tour for a taste of Cuban Miami on this guided neighbourhood experience
- 🏝️ Day trip to Key West with flexible activity options on this full-day coach tour
- 🐊 Everglades airboat adventure with chances to see alligators on this guided wetlands experience
- ⚡ Speedboat sightseeing tour combining thrills and skyline views on this high-energy Miami harbour ride
Jacksonville to Miami distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Jacksonville to Miami is 351 miles. That makes for a driving time of around five hours and 30 minutes. The quickest route is down the I-95.
The best stops to add to a Jacksonville to Miami road trip itinerary are St Augustine, Cocoa Beach and West Palm Beach.
Best stops between Jacksonville and Miami: St Augustine, Florida
St Augustine is the oldest continually inhabited city in the United States, and it has largely escaped heavy modernised development. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León.
In the compact, historic centre, there are several chintzy heritage attractions which are fun but not exactly brimming with centuries of authenticity.
The Spanish-built Castillo de San Marcos on the waterfront does pack that historic power, though. It should be sight number one before mooching around town.
Other St Augustine experiences include hop-on, hop-off trolley passes, sunset cruises and dolphin, manatee and sea turtle-viewing tours.
Excellent St Augustine hotel choices include the Guy Harvey Hotel if you want to be by the beach, and the Casa Monica Resort in the Historic District.
Jacksonville to Miami road trip attractions: Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach is an attractive beach town on Florida’s Space Coast. It’s a great base for visiting the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, or for enjoying the long barrier island beaches.
It is also one of the best places in the US to go kayaking. For a kayak tour, choose between seeing dolphins and manatees in the mangroves and paddling through bioluminescent waters at night. There are also sunset tours.
Other great Cocoa Beach experiences include dolphin tours on the Banana River, happy hour bar crawls, multi-stop food tours and tiki boat cruises.
For Cocoa Beach accommodation options, plump for the beachfront Hilton Garden Inn or the well-located Hampton Inn.
Jacksonville to Miami drive: West Palm Beach
Notoriously wealthy West Palm Beach goes big on art. The Norton Museum of Art and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens are the big hitters, but there are plenty of smaller galleries. Arguably the top attraction is in Palm Beach, however. Here, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum marries Gilded Age grandeur with Florida history.
Bookable West Palm Beach experiences include snorkelling tours, sunset cruises and photoshoots on Worth Avenue. You can also try jet snorkelling, parasailing and food-tasting market tours.
For West Palm Beach accommodation with superb guest ratings, the Pioneer Inn is excellent value and the Ben brings five star opulence.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- 5 reasons to visit Miami on a round-the-world trip.
- Guides to key Miami cultural attractions: Frost Science Museum, Perez Art Museum, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Graffiti Museum, HistoryMiami Museum.
- Get a complex slavery story at Kingsley Plantation in Jacksonville.
- The highlights of Anastasia State Park in St Augustine.
- Visitor guides to the Ybor City Museum, Tampa Bay History Center and Tampa Museum of Art in Tampa.
