The route covers approximately 105 miles through St. Johns and Duval counties, following much of Florida’s northeast Atlantic coast before turning inland toward the Jacksonville metropolitan area and eventually returning once again to the shoreline. The ride connects coastal communities, former plantations, protected natural areas, modern suburbs and historic neighborhoods along the Saint Johns River. Communities visited along the way include Vilano Beach, Palm Valley, Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach, Arlington, Mandarin, Fruit Cove, St. Johns and Nocatee.
The journey begins in Vilano Beach, located north of Saint Augustine on a narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Tolomato River. The area is known for its large waterfront homes and unusual landmarks such as Castle Otttis, inspired by medieval Irish fortresses. As the route continues northward, the landscape alternates between beaches, dunes and subdivisions built over former marshes and maritime forests.
Farther ahead lies Palm Valley, one of the oldest historic communities in this part of Florida. The area preserves Indigenous archaeological sites and once hosted Spanish missions during the colonial era. Later it developed as ranching and agricultural land before becoming an upscale residential district. The route continues toward Sawgrass and Ponte Vedra Beach, areas widely known for luxury golf communities and high-end residential developments. Ponte Vedra originally emerged around titanium and mineral mining operations that extracted resources from the coastal dunes during the twentieth century.
The ride then continues through Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach, coastal cities closely tied to railroad expansion and tourism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Jacksonville Beach originally developed as the eastern terminal of the Jacksonville and Atlantic Railroad before evolving into a major tourist destination. Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach still maintain their independent municipal identities despite the metropolitan consolidation of Jacksonville in 1968.
After leaving the Atlantic coast, the route moves inland toward Arlington and other historic neighborhoods along the Saint Johns River. This region contains important historical sites connected to both French and Spanish colonial activity in Florida, as well as former railroad corridors linking Jacksonville with Saint Augustine and South Florida. The route passes through industrial sectors, residential neighborhoods and suburban districts that expanded dramatically during recent decades.
Farther south appear Mandarin, Beauclerc and Fruit Cove, communities historically associated with plantations established during the British and territorial periods. Mandarin was once home to Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, while nearby lands were connected to figures such as Zephaniah Kingsley and Francis Philip Fatio. Today these areas form part of some of the wealthiest suburban communities surrounding Jacksonville.
The final section crosses St. Johns and Nocatee, massive planned residential developments recently built over former forests, wetlands and plantation lands. Population growth throughout this region has been explosive during recent decades. Eventually the route returns toward the Atlantic coast through protected areas such as the Guana River Wildlife Management Area and the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve before finally arriving once again at Vilano Beach.
Throughout the entire ride, the route reflects the historical evolution of northeast Florida, from Indigenous territories, plantations and colonial settlements to the modern suburban and tourism-driven expansion now dominating the corridor between Saint Augustine and Jacksonville.
