Northeast

Northeast Florida covers the Atlantic-coast corner of the state, the river-and-marsh country running from the Georgia line south through Jacksonville to St. Augustine. The terrain is flat to gently rolling — pine flatwoods, salt marsh, and the wide St. Johns River cutting north through Duval — with broad sandy beaches running the full Atlantic edge from Amelia Island down to the Flagler County line. Duval County holds Jacksonville, the largest city in the state by area; St. Johns holds St. Augustine; Nassau holds Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island; Clay, Putnam, Baker, and Flagler fill the rural surround. Anchor cities include Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, Palm Coast, Palatka, and Green Cove Springs. The Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine (founded 1565, the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the U.S.) and Fort Caroline National Memorial round out the historic public-land scenery. Most trips here run history-and-beach. St. Augustine handles the colonial-history itinerary — the Castillo, Flagler College, the Lightner Museum, the Spanish Quarter; Jacksonville’s beaches and the St. Johns running through downtown carry the urban half; Amelia Island runs the quiet barrier-island weekend.