Day Trippin' › Florida › From Jacksonville › Best beaches and lakes
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Jacksonville: 51 places, 7 under an hour away, 24 between 1 and 2 hours and 20 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 32202.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Little Talbot Island State Park, 34 min northeast of Jacksonville.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Jud McCranie, Public domain
#1 · Island · 1 hr 14 min north
A state-owned island with beaches, a historic club district, bike paths and a sea turtle hospital.
Heads-up: The fee is paid at the gate on the causeway.
Photo: Pengd0t, CC BY-SA 4.0
#2 · Springs · 1 hr 29 min west
The classic Florida tubing river, crystal clear and cool, with swim spots at the head spring.
Heads-up: Midpoint launch closed for repairs since Mar 2026. North river closed to tubing. Off river by 6 pm. Gates close at capacity on summer weekends.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Tetraminoe assumed (based on copyright…, CC BY-SA 3.0
#3 · Springs · 1 hr 53 min south
The best place in Florida to see manatees in winter, hundreds at a time, from a boardwalk.
Heads-up: Day-use reservation required since July 15, 2026. Spring run closed to all water use Nov 15-Mar 15 (manatee season). French Landing ramp and rentals closed from Nov 2, 2026.
Photo: Sphanyx, CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · Springs · 2 hr 8 min southwest
A former roadside attraction with waterfalls, gardens and a buoyed swim area at the head of the Rainbow River.
Heads-up: All visitors need a day-use reservation (since Apr 29, 2026). Snorkel only in the swim area.
Photo: BakedintheHole, CC BY 4.0
#5 · Beach · 2 hr 27 min north
Savannah's beach town, with wide sand, a pier and a laid-back vibe.
Heads-up: Beach dog rules apply. Visitor center at 802 1st St, open 9-4 daily.
Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · National park · 54 min north
A wild barrier island with feral horses, mansion ruins and empty beaches, reached by ferry.
Heads-up: Ferry from St. Marys needs a reservation. Park is cashless. No food sold on the island.
Photo: Moni3 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
#7 · Island · 1 hr 52 min south
A car-free island in the St. Johns River, reached by a free ferry, with trails and a shell mound.
Heads-up: Last ferry leaves the island one hour before sundown.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5
#8 · Small town · 2 hr 14 min south
A hilly lakeside town with antique shops, festivals and lake views.
Heads-up: See downtown parking info on the city site.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#9 · Island · 1 hr 14 min north
A relaxed island with a village pier, lighthouse, beaches and live oak streets.
Heads-up: Summer traffic on the causeway.
#10 · Springs · 2 hr 58 min west
One of the world's largest and deepest springs. River boat tours show off manatees, gators and birds, and there's a swim area with a diving platform.
Heads-up: Swimming is closed when gators or water conditions are a problem. Boat tours from 9:40 am.
Photo: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0
#11 · Beach · 34 min northeast
Five miles of quiet, natural beach and dunes, with paddling in the salt marsh.
Heads-up: Exact change or credit card required.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Island · 37 min northeast
Boneyard Beach is lined with bleached, fallen trees that look like driftwood sculptures. Bluffs and hiking trails too.
Heads-up: Beach access is down a bluff trail. Watch tides.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · Beach · 48 min southeast
Four miles of wide beach, tall dunes and a calm lagoon for paddling, right by St. Augustine.
Heads-up: Pets not allowed on the beach.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#14 · Historic site · 51 min northeast
A well-kept Civil War era brick fort with living history weekends, plus beach and trails on Amelia Island.
Heads-up: Fort tickets sold at the visitor center.
Photo: Averette, CC BY 3.0
#15 · Garden · 1 hr 4 min southeast
Formal gardens on the river side and a rocky coquina beach on the ocean side, all in one stop.
Heads-up: Honor box needs correct change.
Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve (41 min), Fernandina Beach (42 min), Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park (1 hr 7 min), Flagler Beach (1 hr 10 min), Driftwood Beach (1 hr 16 min), Tomoka State Park (1 hr 19 min), Laura S. Walker State Park (1 hr 24 min), Daytona Beach (1 hr 28 min), Sapelo Island (1 hr 29 min), O'Leno State Park (1 hr 30 min), Salt Springs Recreation Area (1 hr 31 min), Madison Blue Spring State Park (1 hr 37 min), De Leon Springs State Park (1 hr 37 min), New Smyrna Beach (1 hr 41 min), Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area (1 hr 41 min), Ginnie Springs (1 hr 42 min), Silver Springs State Park (1 hr 51 min), Juniper Springs Recreation Area (1 hr 53 min), Alexander Springs Recreation Area (1 hr 54 min), Fanning Springs State Park (1 hr 59 min), Apollo Beach (2 hr 1 min), Winter Park (2 hr 10 min), Manatee Springs State Park (2 hr 12 min), Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge (2 hr 13 min), Wekiwa Springs State Park (2 hr 14 min), Reed Bingham State Park (2 hr 17 min), Playalinda Beach (2 hr 23 min), Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park (2 hr 28 min), Jetty Park (2 hr 28 min), Jack Hill State Park (2 hr 30 min), Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park (2 hr 32 min), Cocoa Beach Pier (2 hr 35 min), Cocoa Beach (2 hr 35 min), Weeki Wachee Springs State Park (2 hr 55 min), Lake Louisa State Park (2 hr 56 min), Little Ocmulgee State Park (2 hr 58 min)
Our top picks are Jekyll Island (1 hr 14 min), Ichetucknee Springs State Park (1 hr 29 min), Blue Spring State Park (1 hr 53 min), Rainbow Springs State Park (2 hr 8 min) and Tybee Island (2 hr 27 min). The page lists 51 places in all.
51: 7 under an hour away, 24 between 1 and 2 hours and 20 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 32202.
Little Talbot Island State Park, about 34 min northeast of Jacksonville.
5 need no pass or fee, including Hontoon Island State Park, Mount Dora and Fernandina Beach. Fees change, so check each place.
36 of the 51 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.