Florida Coast to Coast Bike Tour

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Meet-up in Orlando

   After meeting up in Orlando you'll then have a two-hour shuttle to Vero Beach (pop. 16,919), nicknamed Hibiscus City; which is an Atlantic-facing beach community set on a barrier island.

   The first ride of the tour sweeps north, between the coast and I-95. On that note: It’s said that Florida is the only state in the US where the further north you go, the further south you get. All subtext aside, that direction delivers rich visual history, optimum cycling routes and abundant wildlife. Egressing from Vero Beach, the route hugs the Atlantic, and more figuratively, what’s called the Treasure Coast. (An entire Spanish fleet was lost here in 1715, swept to the bottom by a hurricane. Estimates place two trillion dollars worth of booty and sunken riches within 60-miles of Florida’s coast.)

   The route you'll follow, however, locks onto a natural bounty. One that resolves into a warm, tropical embrace, and a trifecta of wilderness: the St. Sebastian River State Park; the adjacent 21,000-acre Fort Drum Marsh and 6500-acre Blue Cypress conservation areas. The latter set-aside wends you past 30-46 ft. tall Cypress trees, most 6-9 at their base. Though some reach in excess of 36-ft diameter. On this stage, you’ll also gain an up-close sense of the region’s unique geology. To wit, as Lake Okeechobee retreated, it left great spans of fossilized mollusc that clung to limestone. These ancient clamshells bore and nurtured gems (called calcites).

   With a triumphal surge across a handsome cyclist-pedestrian dedicated bridge, we drop into Captain Hiram’s Sebastian Inn, your layover. Named for American GI who perished at Normandy, Captain Hiram’s is nothing less than Jimmy Buffett’s vision of paradise, or island escapism: an inviting resort of old Florida charm, albeit with a subtle Bahamian vibe. Set alongside Sebastian Inlet, which opens onto the Intracoastal Waterway, the gentle waters here are frequented by manatees, Bottlenose dolphins, Pelicans if not all manner of colorful waterfowl.
   

   • 34.2 - 40.4 miles
   • 397 ft
     397 ft
   • Captain Hiram’s Inn, Sebastian
   • Lunch and Dinner

   • 

     Captain Hirams Resort

     Spend your first night at this fantastic resort on the water's edge

2. Day 2Lake Okeechobee

   Today’s loop is known as the Lake Okeechobee out ‘n back. Known as Florida’s inland sea, Okeechobee answers to Florida’s largest freshwater lake, as well as America’s ninth-largest. Hugging the 730-sq mile lake’s northern tier, the tour sweeps south, via Taylor Creek. The enjoyably up-tempo circumnavigation lends great optics onto this tremendous natural resource, divided amongst no less than five Florida counties. Holding one trillion gallons of water—despite being only 9-ft deep—Okeechobee forms the headwaters of the Everglades.

   At the southern end, you'll cycle past three different islands. Originally settled by pioneer stock, the trio of islands was abandoned in the 1960s. Closing out a brisk ride, you'll shuttle to Clewston. Tonight’s layover unfolds at the historic Clewston Inn.
   

   • 23 - 71.5 miles
   • 584 ft
     584 ft
   • Clewiston Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
3. Day 3Ormond Loop

   Day 3’s ride follows the Ormond Loop, seguing into the 3230-acre Bulow State Park. A northerly neighbor of Daytona Beach, the Ormond area is decidedly more tranquil—think bowling, pickleball and pools—if not nature and cyclist-friendly than Daytona. Pointing your front wheels onto a network of scenic state and county back roads, this stage merges onto vestiges of the Old Dixie Highway. The routing transits Pine forests, lakes turned red by tannic acids and swamplands patrolled by alligators. Constructed in 1915, then expanded in 1925, the Old Dixie passes over moveable bridges—to accommodate boat traffic—not to mention before more deeply rooted mainstays. Namely, the largest stand of iconic Southern live oak trees. One such beauty, known as the Fairchild oak, is four centuries old, and the largest of its kind.

   Today’s ride also visits the ruins of an antebellum plantation remarkable as much for its remoteness as its building materials. Constructed of coquina, great horizontal slags of sediments embedded with trilobites, mollusc and other invertebrates, the plantation and its adjacent sugar mill offer a fascinating glimpse onto what was the region’s first enterprise/economic lynchpin. Overhead you’ll likely glimpse Bald eagle and Swallow-tailed kites, a small black and white raptor.

   The ride closes out at the Minneola Inn, alongside Ormond Lake. A turn-of-the-century property, the Inn gracefully projects old Florida aesthetics, but nuanced with a decidedly Key West vibe. More so, there might not be a better spot to view the sunset or decompress post-ride than at the Inn’s waterfront Tiki Bar.
   

   • 23 miles
   • 265.7 ft
     265.7 ft
   • Minneola Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Lake Minneola Inn

     Enjoy comfortable and well-situated accommodation every night of the tour

   • 

     Lake Minneola Inn

     Enjoy comfortable and well-situated accommodation every night of the tour

4. Day 4Alps of Florida

   The day’s ride loops over what’s known as the Alps of Florida. (Don’t snigger, Westerners.) Climbing a total of 1445-ft, the route peaks out at 309-ft ASL. Sweeping through farmlands, vineyards and orchards from Clermont, west of Lake Apopka, today’s ride is punctuated by the Sunshine’s State’s steepest rollers, terrain completely atypical of the Florida peninsula.

   At Clermont (pop. 30,200), about 22-miles west of Orlando, you'll gain unprecedented view finding via the Florida Citrus Tower. Built in 1956, the 226-ft tower lends a 360-degree view of the surrounding orange groves. The ride closes out at the Mt. Dora Inn, yet another signature lodge.
   

   • 32.9 miles
   • 1,443.6 ft
     1,443.6 ft
   • Mt. Dora Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Mount Dora Historic Inn

     Stay at charming heritage hotels on tour

5. Day 5The Withlacoochee

   The day’s ride follows a rails-to-trails course, the Withlacoochee: a linear state park shaped around a dedicated bike path, the state’s longest paved trail spanning 46-miles altogether. Smartly built atop the erstwhile Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, this ride sweeps between a pair of chained lakes. Then over former railway trestles, by virtue of small bridges engineered for cyclists and pedestrians

   All throughout, the framing along the Withlacoochee Trail is quietly stunning if not gleefully rich in feathers and fur. To either side of trail roam Wild turkey, White-tailed deer and wild hogs; these five to six foot long interlopers reach 150-lbs and up. Speaking of up, overhead you’ll very likely encounter herons, Sandhill cranes, wood storks, limpkins (a long-legged shorebird) as well as a great many songbirds.

   Transiting successive state forests, you'll enter Richloam: a 58,000-acre preserve of pine savannah mixed with forested wetlands. Rolling in and out of piney forest, you'll stop to savor small, rural Florida townships. They include the stately and picturesque Floral City (pop. 5216), named for its abundant wildflowers. Should the impulse set in, those gardeners amongst the group are free to yell “floribunga”! here. The ride partly follows the 70-mile Crooked River, sweeping through the Citrus Wildlife Management area, the Flying Eagle and Jumper Creek preserves, respectively, before the peloton curls off for Inverness, where you will overnight.
   

   • 23 - 61.5 miles
   • 1,765.1 ft
     1,765.1 ft
   • Holiday Inn Express & Suites Inverness-Lecanto
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
6. Day 6Final Day

   The wrap-up day ride follows the Fleet Trail. From quirky Mascotte (pop. 5538), named for a small tobacco hauler that sailed between here and Cuba during the Spanish-American War, you'll sweep across the eastern edge of the aforementioned Richloam Wildlife preserve; then merge into the adjacent 110,000-acre Green Swamp preserve.

   Paralleling I-75, west of Orlando, you'll reach the headwaters of no less than four rivers: the Peace, Withlacachoolee, Ocklawaha, and Hillsborough. Ultimately, the route bisects a 560,000-acre plateau of wetlands, lowlands and sandy ridges; a critical habitat and drinking water source. Closing out here you'll shuttle back to Orlando.
   

   • 18.6 miles
   • 377.3 ft
     377.3 ft
   • Breakfast and Lunch