OLD FLORIDA TOWNS ON SR-44

By  Mike Miller   Updated January 6, 2025

Florida State Road 44 runs 103 miles across the state from Crystal River to New Smyrna Beach.  It is the shortest coast to coast route in peninsular Florida.

State Road 44 runs across the state from Crystal River to New Smyrna Beach.State Road 44 from Crystal River to New Smyrna Beach

Some of the towns it passes through are Crystal River, Inverness, Wildwood, The Villages, Leesburg, Tavares, Eustis, Mount Dora, DeLand and New Smyrna Beach.

You will enjoy the drive through these Old Florida towns on your journey from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.

Click on the photo if you want to learn more about the town.

10 OLD FLORIDA TOWNS ON STATE ROAD 44

CRYSTAL RIVER is popular not only with locals and tourists but with the thousands of manatees that find their way there for the comfortable water temperature.  

Crystal River City Hall

INVERNESS is nestled on the west shore of Lake Tsala Apopka and is home to the Great American Cooter Festival.  

Cooter Park, Inverness, Florida

WILDWOOD was at one time a busy railroad center where trains coming from up north converged and were distributed to regions in the south part of the state.

Wildwood Train StationWildwood Train Station

THE VILLAGES is a large retirement community that sprawls over Sumter, Lake, and Marion Counties.  It has many golf courses and more than 100,000 residents.  

Golf Carts at the VillagesGolf Carts at the Villages

LEESBURG was at one time the center of one of the largest citrus producing and processing operations in Florida.  

Leesburg City HallLeesburg City Hall

TAVARES once dreamed of being Florida's state capital. Now it enjoys being reborn as the Seaplane City.  

Seaplane Base in Tavares, Florida

EUSTIS is on the lake of the same name and is one of the three cities that make up the Golden Triangle.  

Ferran Park, Eustis, Florida

MOUNT DORA is well known as a festival city because of the large number of arts and crafts shows held there each year.   It is also an antique center and enjoys its hills, lakes and canopied streets.  

Mount Dora. Small Woman? Big Chair? Both!

DELAND is the home of Stetson University and well known for its many canopied streets and murals.  

Volusia County Courthouse

NEW SMYRNA BEACH was an early plantation settlement but is now noted for its fine white sand beaches.  

New Smyrna Beach

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