Road Trip - ATL to JAX - Any Suggestions?

[Bobby G]

Leaving the ATL on Friday for Jacksonville and want to stay off the interstates for as much of the trip as possible. Thinking of getting off I-75 at Macon and getting on US 23/341 to Brunswick and taking I-95 the short rest of the way. Anyone familiar with that route or have any alternate suggestions? Being a holiday weekend, I really don't want to deal with interstates all the way.

[RSV Angel]

A few yrs. ago my wife and I rode down US 41 down from Jonesboro all the way to Albany. Then across 82 thru Tifton and Waycross. Once you get south of Griffin it is mostley farmland in S.Ga. so any road is not too crowded.Good luck - be careful and have a great trip.

Craig:thumbsup2:

[royalstarjac]

You can take I20 east to exit 114 then 441 all the way to Florida.

[RandyR]

I just rode 441 to 23 to 1

 

Nice ride, good roads. A 1 day ride.

[Bobby G]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think we are going to take US41 to US341 to US23 to US1 all the way to JAX, and then pick up 295/95 the rest of the way to St. Augustine. Should be a great ride, and the weather is looking good for Thursday and Friday as well. the trip home on Monday might be a little dicey with T-storms moving in, but oh well. That's why God made rainsuits and windshields.

 

[RandyR]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think we are going to take US41 to US341 to US23 to US1 all the way to JAX, and then pick up 295/95 the rest of the way to St. Augustine. Should be a great ride, and the weather is looking good for Thursday and Friday as well. the trip home on Monday might be a little dicey with T-storms moving in, but oh well. That's why God made rainsuits and windshields.

 

 

Once you get around Jacksonville on 295, you can pick up US 1 again to go to St. Augustine. Or push east to A1A for the slow beach-front route.

[Art708]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think we are going to take US41 to US341 to US23 to US1 all the way to JAX, and then pick up 295/95 the rest of the way to St. Augustine. Should be a great ride, and the weather is looking good for Thursday and Friday as well. the trip home on Monday might be a little dicey with T-storms moving in, but oh well. That's why God made rainsuits and windshields.

 

You should try A1A from Jax to St. Aug.

[hig4s]

US 23 and US 1 are the same road North side of Jax,, once you get on US 23 just keep coming south. At 295 go East/North follow it around as it turns into 9A South. Going around the East side of the loop (9A) misses a lot of traffic.

 

If once you hit 9A you are in a hurry to finish the trip, just follow it until it goes back to US 1 straight into St Augustine, or I 95 and then go down to Hwy 16 and East into St Augustine where it meets US1 again. Taking 9A to I95 is a little faster, but not much. Depending on where in St Augustine you are going.. If you take I95, 10 miles before you hit Hwy 16 you will pass withing a couple miles from my house!! I live off the Hwy 210 exit.

 

If you are still not in a hurry when you hit 9A, instead take a left/East at Hwy 202/ JTB/ Butler Blvd and take it until it ends in Ponte Vedra Beach at A1A, go South past Sawgrass/TPC all the way down to Vilano Beach..

 

At the light in Vilano Beach/ May st, turn left go over the intercoastal bridge and you are in St Augustine, Just over the bridge on the left is a boat ramp and just passed that is a dirt access where the flounder fishing is sometimes decent. Across the street from that on the right is the St Augustine school for deaf and blind where Ray Charles grew up.

 

May st runs into San Marco Ave, a left and you will be going toward the oldest city area. San Marco turns into S Castillo just before the old fort and the Bridge of Lions. At the Bridge of Lions is King st, a right and you will be heading back toward US 1. A couple of blocks before you hit US 1 again, you go past the San Sabastian Winery on the left, right next to sheriff's office, during the day they have free tours and wine tasting, and at night they have a roof top bar with a live band.

[Bobby G]

Hig, you ought to write for Fodors Destination Guides! Great suggestions for once we hit the JAX metro. Thanks! We're actually staying on the west side of I95 in the World Golf Village, but will be playing tourist in St. A, and also heading up to Amelia Island to visit some friends.

[1BigDog]

The ride up to Amelia Island along Heckscher Drive is another beautiful ride. You can ride 16 down to US-1, make a left and ride that to 9A North. Get off at 1st exit over the Dames Point Bridge and go right to Amelia Island. Very scenic and coastal. Watch your speed limit there. Its 35 by Amelia and enforced. Ride up into Fernindina Beach downtown area for some great ice cream.

[Bobby G]

I love Amilia Island and we have hit a number of the restaurants there before. Will be heading over there to meet up with some friends on Sunday. Thanks for the head's up on the speed limit.

 

Hope the popo's are biker friendly. We do tend to run somewhat loud!

[Bobby G]

Back safe and sound from a great trip to the greater Jacksonville area over the holiday weekend. 1,100 total miles, and hit Old St. Augustine, the Blue Crab Festival in Palatka (awesome food), the Outback Crab Shack on the St. Johns River (more awesome food), did a great pub crawl all over Fernandina Beach on Amilia Island, and managed to fit in some R&R time both at the beach and poolside. We also commemorated Memorial Day in honor of our veterans and active duty military along with about 5,000 others at a service right in St. Augustine. It was very moving.

 

The route suggestions were very much appreciated. Getting there, we veered off of I-75 at Tifton GA and took 82 to Waycross, then US1 to JAX and back roads all the way down to St. A. Coming home, we picked up US1 again to Waycross, then US23 all the way to Macon, then a speed shot up I-75 the rest of the way to the ATL. No traffic at all. Amazing.

 

I did have a few "bug" issues to deal with along the way - - twice getting nailed right between the eyes in FLA where we were riding "sans helmets", and one pesky critter that flew up my pants leg on the way home. Stung the crap out of me for about 5 minutes until I could safely pull over and kill the little bastard. Longest 5 minutes of my life! Ouch.....

 

Hope everyone had a safe and fun weekend. Now it's back to the grind!