Scenic & Historic A1A Highway
Driving Directions

Driving the Byway

The Scenic and Historic A1A Highway is a north-south state road, which runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean on a barrier island.

• The northern entrance to the byway begins on SR A1A at the Flagler County/ Town of Marineland boundary.
• Next, the byway passes the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory, a well-known center for marine research and education on the west (right) side of the road. On the east is Marineland of Florida, the world’s first oceanarium and underwater filming complex.
• Just south of the oceanarium is the River-to-Sea Preserve at Marineland. The visitor can park and stroll the expansive boardwalk overlooking the ocean on the east side of the byway or trek the coastal hammock to the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)/Matanzas Estuary on the west.
• Continuing on the byway another two miles, passing a well-landscaped residential community, the traveler reaches Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. This is another river-to-sea experience between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River, featuring exotic gardens, magnificent oaks, hiking/ biking trails, fishing, and picnicking, as well as exploring tidal pools among the coquina outcroppings on the beach.
• Another 1.5 miles and the byway encouters Bings Landing County Park, an 11 acre recreational park and historic site located on the west side of the highway bordering the Intracoastal Waterway.
• Continuing down A1A, on 16th Road and Jungle Hut Road, there is more beach access. Jungle Hut Park has beachfront facilities for the ocean-loving traveler. Continuing south on A1A, Varn Park- a six-acre beachfront park- offers access, including handicapped, to a sandy beach. (The coquina rock outcroppings are covered by sand here.)
• Traveling south through the hamlet of Beverly Beach, with its ocean-side picnic kiosks and dune walkovers, one arrives at Flagler Beach and the southern boundary of the byway. Here A1A provides over six miles of beach overlook as it runs along the dunes.