Updated December 10, 2020
There are 38 lighthouses in Florida, but only 6 are open to the public.
Florida has many lighthouses that are fun to visit on a road trip. Some of them allow you to climb to the top.
Not only are they among the state's most historic structures, most of them have adjacent museums where you can learn all about the lighthouses and their history.
Here is a road trip where you can visit 5 lighthouses in central and northeast Florida. The total round trip route is about 340 miles, so it's probably best to make it a two day venture.
MOUNT DORA LIGHTHOUSE is in the quaint small town of Mount Dora about 30 miles Northwest of Orlando. Some purists consider this lighthouse on freshwater Lake Dora to be a "faux lighthouse", but they are wrong. READ MORE.
PONCE INLET LIGHTHOUSE is located on the inlet between Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. It is Florida's tallest lighthouse, and is designated a National Historic Landmark. You can climb to the top of it if you are decent shape. READ MORE
ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE. This historic structure is on Anastasia Island between downtown St. Augustine and the Atlantic Ocean. A climb to the top gives you a fantastic view of the town, the inlet, Salt Run, and the ocean. READ MORE
ST JOHNS RIVER LIGHT. This lighthouse is located on the U.S. Naval Station Mayport near the St. Johns River inlet to the Atlantic Ocean. It is not open to the public, but you can get a good view of it from the village of Mayport. You can get good food in the town. READ MORE
AMELIA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE. This structure is in Fernandina Beach and is the northernmost lighthouse in Florida. It overlooks the St. Mary's River and the inlet to the Atlantic Ocean. It is the oldest existing lighthouse in Florida. READ MORE
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By Mike Miller, Copyright 2009-2021 Florida-Back-Roads-Travel.com
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