Highlights of the North-East

Journey back in time to north-east Florida’s Victorian era – and beyond – with an extensive tour that highlights much of the state’s magnificent Atlantic coast, including historic St Augustine and the 16th century origins of the state, plus the ultra-modern face of the Kennedy Space Center. Start in the extreme north-east corner in impossibly picturesque Amelia Island, a wonderfully off-the-beaten-track destination that boasts memorable beaches, resorts and the 19th century town of Fernandina Beach, which has been lovingly maintained to provide modern treats in shopping and dining, as well as the Civil War history of Fort Clinch and the iconic Amelia Island Lighthouse. From there, head south via the city of Jacksonville, one of Florida’s hidden gems for a happening urban environment, with its craft breweries, excellent restaurants and chic shopping. Then stop in at America’s oldest city, St Augustine, for a magnificent journey back to the 1500s, when the first Spanish colonists arrived to begin a long heritage of development, as showcased at the spectacular fortress of Castillo de San Marco. That history continued in the 1880s with railroad magnate Henry Flagler, and can be witnessed today in the superb period pieces of Casa Monica, the Lightner Museum and Flagler College. Finally, complete an epic coastal tour at Cape Canaveral, home of One Small Step For Man and the repository for the whole story of the space race, which continues to dazzle to this day. As well as the Space Center itself, you can enjoy the delights of Port Canaveral, the wide-open nature of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and more epic beaches.