Day 41 The Ultimate USA Road Trip Cocoa Beach Jacksonville
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RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 18-12-2022
Route Summary I have further supplemented the Road Trip with even more special points that you can visit in the USA. Today we drive from Cocoa Beach to Jacksonville. There are several interesting stops along the way with information about Florida and space travel.
We drive on beautiful winding roads, but also parts of unpaved roads, through beautiful nature. We drive along lakes and rivers and can enjoy nature. I rate this route with 5 stars.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
13h 51m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
324.10 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review We drive via Port Canaveral over the NASA Causeway bridge to Titusville, where we stop to visit the Space View Park and Veterans Park. These two parks were established in honor of all the astronauts and NASA employees who participated in space travel.
The US Space Walk of Fame Foundation built the monuments, plaques, and handprints for the park and donated them to the City of Titusville. The Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle monuments are dedicated to the workers and astronauts of the space programs. They contained the names of the workers who wanted to be mentioned or who wanted to honor someone, such as a family member. The In the Line of Duty memorial is in memory of the workers and astronauts who lost their lives during the space program. The plaques of the monuments show the engraved names and how they were lost. Two very impressive parks to visit.
After this stop we ride the Blackpoint Wildlife drive, a 7 mile (11km) round trip through a beautiful park with multiple trails for walking and observation platforms to enjoy the views and wildlife. The cost is 10$ and it has to be paid at the entrance. The ride is about 1½ hours, it's one-way traffic so you can't turn around. The roads are unpaved and very narrow so be mindful of other traffic. If you want to hike trails you have to take into account 4-5 hours.
There are information boards along the route and there are points where you can park to take pictures and enjoy this beautiful park.
The next visit is planned at Seminole Rest, part of Canaveral National Seashore and located in a beautiful place. Here you will get an impression of the rich history of Central Florida. The serene landscape paints a good picture of what people found so special about this area. The scenery is truly amazing.
We head north to Daytona Beach, known to many bikers for its many events, the annual Daytona Bike Week and Biketober Fest being the two most famous. Stop for a drink at the world famous Iron Horse Saloon in Ormond Beach. This motorcycle bar is known for its concerts and fantastic menu, especially during the events. But no matter why or when, you just have to visit this place!
We stop briefly at the ruins of the Dummet plantation, where some 2,000 hectares of sugar cane used to be distilled into rum. The plantation was built in 1825, it was the first location with a steam-powered sugar cane mill.
Today, little remains of the plantation, which was burned to the ground during the Second Seminole War. The ruins of the mill are a large, irregular wall made of brick and coquina (an indigenous limestone formed from broken shells) with twin chimneys. Some say the site is haunted by active ghosts, but the eerie structures remain silent remnants of the area's troubled past.
We continue the drive to Espanola, where we drive part (33km) of The Historic Old Dixie Highway to Hastings. The Historic Old Dixie High, also known as County Road 13, Bunnell Road, or the Old Brick Road is a historic section of Old Dixie Highway in Florida. This is one of the few remaining sections of the original stone Dixie Highway left in Florida. On April 20, 2005, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Today, many parts are covered in sand and marked by potholes, so drive carefully.
Dixie Highway was an autoroute in the United States first planned in 1914 (built and expanded from 1915 to 1929) to connect the Midwest to the South. It was part of a network of highways and was expanded to include the highway from Miami to Montreal.
The Dixie Highway is inspired by the example of the slightly earlier Lincoln Highway, the first road through the United States. The main driver of both projects was promoter and businessman Carl G. Fisher. It was overseen by the Dixie Highway Association and funded by a group of investors, corporations, local governments and states. In the early years, the U.S. federal government played a small role, but from the early 1920s it provided increasing funding until 1927. That year, the Dixie Highway Association was dissolved and the highway was taken over by the federal government as part of the U.S. Route system, with some parts becoming state highways. The route was marked by a red stripe with white letters "DH", usually with a white stripe above and below it. The logo was often painted on power poles.
From Hastings it is about 95 kilometers to Jacksonville, we drive on the beautiful State Road 13, which runs along the banks of the Saint John's River. Enjoy this winding road with beautiful trees, houses and a view of the river. There are several good hotels to stay in Jacksonville.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Florida
About this region
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida and Cuba; it is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Spanning 65,758 square miles, Florida ranks 22nd in area among the 50 states, and with a population of over 21 million, is the third-most populous. The state capital is Tallahassee and the most populous city is Jacksonville. The Miami metropolitan area, with a population of almost 6.2 million, is the most populous urban area in Florida and the seventh-most populous in the United States; other urban conurbations with over one million people are Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Jacksonville.
Various Native American groups have inhabited Florida for at least 14,000 years. In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León became the first known European to make landfall, calling the region La Florida ([la floˈɾiða] for its lush greenery and the Easter season (Pascua Florida in Spanish). Florida subsequently became the first area in the continental U.S. to be permanently settled by Europeans, with the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, founded in 1565, being the oldest continuously inhabited city. Florida was repeatedly contested by Spain and Great Britain, before being ceded to the U.S. in 1819; it was admitted as the 27th state on March 3, 1845. Florida was the principal location of the Seminole Wars (1816–1858), the longest and most extensive of the Indian Wars in U.S. history. The state seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, becoming one of the seven original Confederate States. After the Civil War, Florida was restored to the Union on June 25, 1868.
Since the mid-20th century, Florida has experienced rapid demographic and economic growth. Its $1.0 trillion economy is the fourth-largest of any U.S. state and the 16th-largest in the world; the main sectors are tourism, hospitality, agriculture, real estate, and transportation. Florida is world-renowned for its beach resorts, amusement parks, warm and sunny climate, and nautical recreation; attractions such as Walt Disney World, the Kennedy Space Center, and Miami Beach draw tens of millions of visitors annually. Florida is a popular destination for retirees, seasonal vacationers, and both domestic and international migrants; it hosts nine out of the ten fastest-growing communities in the U.S. The state's close proximity to the ocean has shaped its culture, identity, and daily life; its colonial history and successive waves of migration are reflected in African, European, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian influences. Florida has attracted or inspired writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, and continues to attract celebrities and athletes, particularly in golf, tennis, auto racing, and water sports.
About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, spanning approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), not including its many barrier islands. Florida has 4,510 islands that are ten acres (4 ha) or larger in area, the second highest number after Alaska. Much of the state is at or near sea level, and is characterized by sedimentary soil. Florida is the flattest state in the country, with the lowest high point of any U.S. state, at just 345 feet (105 meters). Lake Okeechobee is its largest freshwater lake, and the second-largest located entirely within the contiguous 48 states. Several beaches in Florida have turquoise and emerald-colored coastal waters.
Florida's climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. It is the only state besides Hawaii to have a tropical climate, and is the only continental state with both a tropical climate (at the lower tip of the peninsula) and a coral reef. Consequently, Florida has several unique ecosystems, most notably Everglades National Park, the largest tropical wilderness in the U.S. and among the largest in the Americas. Unique wildlife include the American alligator, American crocodile, American flamingo, Roseate spoonbill, Florida panther, bottlenose dolphin, and manatee. The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef).
Florida's large population and economy give it considerable influence in national politics; since the late 20th century the state has been a major battleground in presidential elections, most notably in 2000. Miami, along with Orlando and Tampa, is recognized as a global city.
Read more on Wikipedia
Various Native American groups have inhabited Florida for at least 14,000 years. In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León became the first known European to make landfall, calling the region La Florida ([la floˈɾiða] for its lush greenery and the Easter season (Pascua Florida in Spanish). Florida subsequently became the first area in the continental U.S. to be permanently settled by Europeans, with the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, founded in 1565, being the oldest continuously inhabited city. Florida was repeatedly contested by Spain and Great Britain, before being ceded to the U.S. in 1819; it was admitted as the 27th state on March 3, 1845. Florida was the principal location of the Seminole Wars (1816–1858), the longest and most extensive of the Indian Wars in U.S. history. The state seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, becoming one of the seven original Confederate States. After the Civil War, Florida was restored to the Union on June 25, 1868.
Since the mid-20th century, Florida has experienced rapid demographic and economic growth. Its $1.0 trillion economy is the fourth-largest of any U.S. state and the 16th-largest in the world; the main sectors are tourism, hospitality, agriculture, real estate, and transportation. Florida is world-renowned for its beach resorts, amusement parks, warm and sunny climate, and nautical recreation; attractions such as Walt Disney World, the Kennedy Space Center, and Miami Beach draw tens of millions of visitors annually. Florida is a popular destination for retirees, seasonal vacationers, and both domestic and international migrants; it hosts nine out of the ten fastest-growing communities in the U.S. The state's close proximity to the ocean has shaped its culture, identity, and daily life; its colonial history and successive waves of migration are reflected in African, European, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian influences. Florida has attracted or inspired writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, and continues to attract celebrities and athletes, particularly in golf, tennis, auto racing, and water sports.
About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, spanning approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), not including its many barrier islands. Florida has 4,510 islands that are ten acres (4 ha) or larger in area, the second highest number after Alaska. Much of the state is at or near sea level, and is characterized by sedimentary soil. Florida is the flattest state in the country, with the lowest high point of any U.S. state, at just 345 feet (105 meters). Lake Okeechobee is its largest freshwater lake, and the second-largest located entirely within the contiguous 48 states. Several beaches in Florida have turquoise and emerald-colored coastal waters.
Florida's climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. It is the only state besides Hawaii to have a tropical climate, and is the only continental state with both a tropical climate (at the lower tip of the peninsula) and a coral reef. Consequently, Florida has several unique ecosystems, most notably Everglades National Park, the largest tropical wilderness in the U.S. and among the largest in the Americas. Unique wildlife include the American alligator, American crocodile, American flamingo, Roseate spoonbill, Florida panther, bottlenose dolphin, and manatee. The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef).
Florida's large population and economy give it considerable influence in national politics; since the late 20th century the state has been a major battleground in presidential elections, most notably in 2000. Miami, along with Orlando and Tampa, is recognized as a global city.
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Route Collections in this region Coast to Coast Across the USA
14 Days across the USA
Start the trip at Daytona Pier on the Atlantic Coast.
Through 14 days you will visit New Orleans, Memphis, Tulsa, Colorado Springs, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. See the sights of Monument and Death Valley, the Hoover Dam. Ride across 12 US States for 4267 miles of adventure before ending the trip on Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles on the Pacific Coast
Start the trip at Daytona Pier on the Atlantic Coast.
Through 14 days you will visit New Orleans, Memphis, Tulsa, Colorado Springs, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. See the sights of Monument and Death Valley, the Hoover Dam. Ride across 12 US States for 4267 miles of adventure before ending the trip on Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles on the Pacific Coast
View Route Collection
Ultimate USA road trip part 04
Michel van Hagen challenged me to follow the Roadtrip of Dr. Randy Olsen as a basis to create the Ultimate USA Road Trip for the MyRoute app RouteXpert Library. I took up that challenge and started in February 2022.
The scientist Dr. Randy Olsen, who became known for using his knowledge of algorithms to find 'Waldo' in the well-known American 'Where's Waldo' book series, has been challenged by Tracy Staedter, from Discovery News, to use the same algorithm to create the perfect Road Trip by creating the US, which will visit almost every state in the US. Alaska and Hawaii are not included in this Road Trip due to their geographical location.
The following three requirements formed the basis of the route: In all 48 countries there must be at least one stop at famous points, monuments, historical sites, national parks, etc. I have added additional interesting points, beautiful tours and routes.
After more than 26 months, the job is finished and, with a lot of support from Nick Carthew, I have created 129 routes that run through the 48 states of the USA and part of Canada. This is the fourth collection that takes you from Waco in ten days through Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama to Cocao Beach in Florida.
The scientist Dr. Randy Olsen, who became known for using his knowledge of algorithms to find 'Waldo' in the well-known American 'Where's Waldo' book series, has been challenged by Tracy Staedter, from Discovery News, to use the same algorithm to create the perfect Road Trip by creating the US, which will visit almost every state in the US. Alaska and Hawaii are not included in this Road Trip due to their geographical location.
The following three requirements formed the basis of the route: In all 48 countries there must be at least one stop at famous points, monuments, historical sites, national parks, etc. I have added additional interesting points, beautiful tours and routes.
After more than 26 months, the job is finished and, with a lot of support from Nick Carthew, I have created 129 routes that run through the 48 states of the USA and part of Canada. This is the fourth collection that takes you from Waco in ten days through Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama to Cocao Beach in Florida.
View Route Collection