Beach driving is an activity that you don’t see very often besides the occasional patrol cars cruising through the sand. It is a selective activity that can now only be experienced in a few spots within the United States due to environmental and safety concerns that have come up throughout the years.
Where Can You Drive on the Beach in Florida?
Luckily, if you are interested in beach driving, there are still a couple of spots that you can head to for this activity. Florida is home to several of these spots such as Daytona, New Smyrna and Ponce Inlet.
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach is a phenomenal spot for beach driving due to its 23-mile stretch of wide, hard-packed white sand. It was the first to hold automobile and motorcycle races in1902 and the tradition, though it has slowed down, still continues in designated areas at much slower speeds.
Visitors of Daytona Beach often enjoy this activity as part of their vacation rituals. Daytona Beach is the perfect spot for a simple, scenic drive or just to park your vehicle close to your beach setup for your convenience.
There are several access points along Florida’s Atlantic Highway (A1A) and beach driving is allowed from sunrise to sunset as long as the weather and tide conditions allow it. You can bring your own car or rent a golf cart from nearby rentals. Each vehicle requires a $20 fee for parking and beach driving.
New Smyrna
Beach driving has been around for quite some time in New Smyrna. In the 1800s, beach driving was done with horses and buggies. It wasn’t until 1904 that a car was driven on New Smyrna’s beach and soon after, in the 1930s, the earliest stock car took off near the waters.
Today, vehicles are permitted on five miles of New Smyrna’s beaches to allow visitors to take leisurely drives on the hard-packed sand. The designated beach driving areas are sectioned off by signs and wooden posts and all of which have set speed limits that drivers must be mindful of.
Beachgoers may drive from sunrise to sunset from November 1 through April 30 and from May 1 through October 1; driving is allowed from 8 am to 7 pm. Each vehicle must purchase a $20 pass for driving or beach parking to occur.
Ponce Inlet
Similar to Daytona and New Smyrna Beaches, Ponce Inlet has a long history of beach driving going back to the first years of the automobile due to their wide, hard packed sands.
If you are around Ponce Inlet and interested in beach driving, you can do so at the south end of the town which can be accessed by the Beach Street Ramp at the stop sign on South Atlantic Avenue. However, though the southern tip of Ponce Inlet is open for beach driving, most of the beaches no longer permit it.
Beach driving is allowed from 8 am to sunset from May 1 through October 31 and from sunrise to sunset November 1 through April 30 as long as the weather and tide conditions allow for it. To drive your vehicle on the beach, there is a $20 fee for a day pass.
Jacksonville
There are also several spots where you can partake in beach driving within Jacksonville counties like St. Johns and Duval County.
St. Johns County has several stretches of beach that vehicles can drive on. The access ramps can be found at Vilano, Porpoise Point, A Street, Ocean Trace Rd, Dondanville Rd, Matanzas Ave, Mary Street and Crescent Beach (Cubbedge Rd).
Beach driving is allowed March 1 through September 30 and drivers must abide by the 10mph speed limit. A day pass can be obtained at the beach toll booths.
As for Duval County, you may drive only at Huguenot Memorial Park, depending on shorebird nesting and tide conditions.
Rules for Driving on the Beach in Florida
Any special rules, permits, hours, and vehicle requirements?
Beach driving certainly has rules and regulations that the drivers must abide by if they want to participate in this fun, scenic activity.
You should only drive in the designated areas, adhere to the speed limit, which in most areas is 10 mph, and make sure you have purchased a day pass.
It should also be noted that you need to pay close attention to your surroundings for the safety of you and other beachgoers and the wildlife. Areas are sometimes blocked off for nestings and the noise of vehicles and the light admitted from headlands may disorient the animals.
Vehicle-wise, you should always drive in 4WD when on the beach and make sure your vehicle has high ground clearance. Great options are Jeeps, Broncos, Land Rover Defenders, SUVs, Trucks and other designated off-road vehicles.
The Bottom Line: Driving on the Beach in Florida
Driving on the beach is the perfect activity to implement into your vacation or on a random beach day. It is a great way to view the beach from a new perspective, take in the views or have your car close to your chairs for convenience. If you are in Florida and interested in trying it out, then you are definitely in the right place. As long as you make sure to purchase your day pass and abide by the rules I mentioned, everything should be smooth sailing.
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