With motorcycle week just across the corner, bikers from everywhere in the united states of america are pulling their motorcycles out of iciness garage and cleaning up their leathers in anticipation of a motorcycle rally like no different. While Daytona is sincerely the place to be the week of March 5th, Florida offers some brilliant stretches of avenue thru pristine landscapes to a few brilliant biker locations.
About an hour and a 1/2 north of Daytona on A1A lies the bustling seaside community of Jacksonville Beach, that’s where we can meet for the begin of our road ride- due to the fact, properly, that’s in which I’m from! On any given day you’ll find motorcycles and bikers parked and striking out at the Jax Beach Pier parking zone. Just throughout the road is the famed biker bar Mango’s, a first-rate location for bikers to satisfy, have some excellent home cooking and shoot a few pool. Summer weekends will commonly locate some heavy steel band acting outdoor at the included deck. So placed on your great leather-based motorcycle jacket and come on out to Mango’s to start our first north Florida road journey.
Our first day ride will start from Jax Beach and head north on A1A to Fernandina Beach, a old fashioned little island city with its own particular mind-set. If you comply with A1A north, after bearing left at Mayport Naval Station, you’ll be cruising through the marshlands on the mouth of the St. Johns River and come to a lifeless stop on the ferry in Mayport Village. A traditional fishing village, this is where most of north Florida receives their seafood. Shrimp boats, birthday party boats, and deep sea charters line the docks, and you could even take a gambling cruise from right here. If you’re hungry, there’s an vintage wooden shack sitting on the water that serves some of the first-rate seafood to be had. Singletons isn’t tons to take a look at, but it’s been there all the time and those pressure for miles to take a seat on the water enjoying the hottest of Florida seafood, whilst looking the pelicans scrounge for theirs.
Taking the ferry throughout the river, you’ll all over again pick out up A1A heading north. To your proper you’ll soon see a big barren sandbar that became fashioned via the northern jetties at the mouth of the St. Johns. On the japanese aspect are the jetties, the Atlantic Ocean, and a seaside this is full of babes of all shapes and sizes. The western aspect has a lagoon and the Fort George River inlet. A very wide seaside at low tide, motors have been swallowed up and swept away via the Atlantic because of human beings parking just a little too close to the water, and taking a walk within the dunes. A first-rate place for jet skiing, swimming, fishing and surfing, Huguenot Park additionally has a campground with primitive and RV camp sites and showers.
For the following several miles, you will be cruising thru some of the maximum pristine and unspoiled wetlands in Florida. Island hopping through little and large Talbot Islands and the Timacuan Preserve, this coastal place is one of the few in Florida untouched with the aid of development, and will theoretically stay that way. Flora and Fauna abound, and nature enthusiasts flock to the area in kayaks and flatboats to navigate the waterways looking for trout and redfish.
Heading across the Nassau Sound Bridge to Florida’s northern maximum barrier island, the trends yet again begin to pop up. World renowned motel Amelia Island Plantation has large acreages of condos, unmarried family homes, an Inn rivaled via none, and a huge conference middle that attracts commercial enterprise from all around the international. A network within itself, the Plantation strives, and has accomplished a good task, of preserving the natural habitat.
Not to be outdone, the Ritz Carlton is only a few miles north and is likewise a magnet for the properly to do, with a golfing direction and all the pampering the Ritz is thought for!
Almost there, we take A1A into downtown Fernandina Beach. An old fishing village like Mayport, Fernandina is a lot larger and has many precise and historical buildings. The waterfront is speckled with shrimp boats and deep sea charters, and Brent’s is the eating place on the docks. Fernandina Beach additionally hosts an annual shrimp pageant on the primary weekend in May.
Ending our bike excursion from Jacksonville Beach (approximately an hour non prevent), our last stop is a very popular watering hole for bikers and locals alike. The Palace Saloon has been there seeing that 1878, and although it burned in 1999, it has been restored to its unique 18th century wood décor. More of a bar than a restaurant, this is where you get to recognize the locals, a lot of which can be in the hospitality industry and clearly recognise a way to birthday party hardy! With live bands, dancing, flirting and drinking, the Palace Saloon is the region to party in Fernandina Beach!
In my subsequent road trip article we’ll head south on A1A to our countries oldest town. Founded by means of Ponce de Leon in 1513 and domestic of the fountain of kids, this vicinity is only a tiny little drinking city with a fishing problem!
https://youtu.be/ojo3isWCdnQ