Orlando To St. Augustine: How To Get There & Stops To Make!

To start, if you’re flying in from somewhere else and are just visiting Florida, it’s best to fly into the Orlando International Airport, since that’ll be the closest airport to where you’re visiting.

Orlando has a large airport that offers direct flights to many locations around the country as well as international flights. 

You can also fly into Orlando Sanford International Airport, which also offers many flights, but is just a bit smaller than the other Orlando Airport.

From Orlando to St. Augustine, the driving distance is only about 2 hours. It’s a fairly short day trip and covers about 105 miles if you take the most direct route.

There is the chance that you’ll run into traffic as you leave Orlando, so this might add a bit of time to your travels, but if you’re traveling out of peak times, it shouldn’t be as big of a problem.

If you want to avoid tolls, the route is about the same distance, totaling about a 2-hour drive and 105 miles still.

There are two main routes to take between Orlando and St. Augustine, both of which have tolls.

There’s also another route that avoids tolls. I’ll tell you a little bit about each of them here.

Via I-4 Express And I-95 [Tolls]

The first and most direct route follows the I-4 Express and I-95 from Orlando to St. Augustine.

This is the fastest way to get between the two since it follows 2 interstates for the entire drive. 

The I-4 Express is a toll road, which you’ll drive on until just after Sanlando Springs. Then it’ll change into a regular road and you’ll follow it until you exit onto I-95.

This drive will take about 2 hours and covers about 105 miles in total.

Via State Route 50 and I-95 [Tolls]

Another option is to take State Route 408 to State Route 50 to I-95. This route takes you east of Orlando rather than north and also has tolls.

You’ll start by following the Spessard L. Holland East-West Expressway, which is the toll road.

This eventually meets up with State Route 50, which you’ll follow until you reach I-95.

This route takes you past Cape Canaveral and is only about 15 minutes longer than the one above, totaling only a 2-hour and 15-minute drive.

Via E Interstate 4 [No Tolls]

If you want to avoid hitting any tolls on your drive, then you’ll want to take this route.

It doesn’t add on too much extra time, only 5 minutes, meaning that it only takes about 2 hours and 5 minutes.

It’s easy to follow since you’ll just take E Interstate 4 instead of jumping on the I-4 Express.

After a while, these two roads will merge and you’ll follow it until you reach the I-95 intersection.

Are There Any Tolls?

If you take the most direct route, which follows I-4 and I-95, you will run into tolls during your drive.

Luckily, they’re right in Orlando and are pretty easy to avoid if you don’t want to pay any tolls.

To avoid the tolls, just follow East Interstate 4 instead of the I-4 Express as you leave Orlando.

They eventually will merge together and you’ll follow the same route up to St. Augustine. Taking this route instead only adds an extra 5 minutes of drive time.

1. Planet Obstacle

This is the world’s largest indoor obstacle course park and is a great spot to stop and let the kids get some energy out before you head out on your road trip.

Planet Obstacle is just outside of Orlando and has an indoor trampoline park, aerial ropes course, ninja warrior course, bumper cars, toddler area, trampoline bungee, and so much more.

It’s not only fun for the kids but is also the perfect place for adults to feel like they’re  kids again!

2. Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Just on the outskirts of Orlando is the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

This large outdoor space has tons of attractions including a zoo with animals from all over the world. 

You can wander through the zoo and see the animals before going into the botanical gardens. There’s a butterfly garden, a fern collection, and more.

Other things to do include attending a keeper chat where you can talk with a zookeeper, or you can watch animals being fed and learn about their lives.

3. Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum

This large lighthouse in New Smyrna Beach is the perfect place to stop to quickly stretch your legs!

Climb the 175-foot tall lighthouse which was constructed back in 1887

It was declared a National Historic Landmark, so you can also learn more about the history of central east Florida during your visit. 

From the top of Florida’s tallest lighthouse, you’ll have views out into the Atlantic Ocean.

4. Daytona Beach

While you’re passing through, be sure to stop at the popular Daytona Beach.

There’s plenty to do along the sandy shore of Daytona Beach from sitting back and enjoying the ocean to wandering through the oceanside shops.

There are also plenty of waterfront restaurants where you can grab lunch or dinner.

Right on the beach, the Daytona Boardwalk has an amusement park with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and more that you can check out during your visit.

Along with that, the Daytona Lagoon is a waterpark near the ocean that you can check out.

5. Daytona International Speedway

While you’re in Daytona, be sure to check if there are any activities going on at the Daytona International Speedway!

Home to the Daytona 500, there are often activities going on at the speedway.

The Daytona 500 is held in February each year, but throughout the year other races take place, so you might be lucky enough to book tickets and catch a race while you’re there!

6. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

This unique state park along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean features an ancient live oak that you can wander around.

It’s a pretty small park, but there are tons of live plants to see.

A few walking trails wind through the park and are a great place to stretch your legs as you drive.

The huge live oak is the main attraction and is really quite impressive.

7. Fort Matanzas National Monument

Take the free passenger ferry from the visitor center to visit Fort Matanzas National Monument.

This is a Spanish outpost fort that was built in the 18th century to guard the Matanzas Inlet along the Matanzas River.

It was used to warn St. Augustine of enemies. But today you can find guided tours as you take a visit to the fort and learn about the historic sites and area from a park ranger.

Being that St. Augustine is the Nation’s Oldest City, there’s a lot to learn about the ancient city.

Plus, if you’re into history and forts, you can see the nation’s oldest masonry fort in St. Augustine, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.

8. Kennedy Space Center

This is a bit out of the way, but if you decide to take the second route, which follows State Route 50 and I-95, you’ll go right past the Kennedy Space Center.

The Kennedy Space Center is one of NASA’s launch points for spaceships. At the center, you can explore attractions and learn more about life in space.

There are all sorts of interactive exhibits to learn as well as hands-on activities for kids.

There are even opportunities to go behind the scenes and learn about future and past NASA missions.

9. Cocoa Beach

If you’re near the Kennedy Space Center, you might as well also stop at Cocoa Beach before continuing towards St. Augustine. 

This beachside town is pretty popular among tourists, so there’s plenty to do during a visit. The best way to see Cocoa Beach is to explore the Cocoa Beach Pier.

The pier is full of great restaurants, unique shops, and activities. You can even rent gear like paddleboards and jet skis to take out on the water or book one of the private shore excursions.

Or just kick back and relax on the sandy shores of Cocoa Beach, one of Florida’s most popular beaches!

So if you’re planning a trip between Orlando and St. Augustine, just know that the 2-hour drive is pretty straightforward.

There are a few options to take, but all of them are similar in distance and travel time.

There are also many places to stop along the way, so if you want to really make the most of your trip, there are plenty of ways to do it!

These two destinations make great places to visit in Florida, so they’re great choices to pair together!