📷 Photo by Mason @ TRI on UnsplashFlorida’s Forgotten Coast
Oyster towns and empty beaches on the Big Bend, from Pensacola to Cedar Key.
- Distance
- 625 km (388 mi)
- Driving
- 6 h 56 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 4
- States
- FL
- Updated
- July 16, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 625 km (388 mi) with 4 stops, from Pensacola to Cedar Key. About 6 h 56 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Florida
Route description
Pensacola has one of the oldest European settlements in the United States, with its historic district, and nearby Pensacola Beach has white sand on a barrier island. Head east on US-98 along the Emerald Coast, busy with resort towns, until the development thins out beyond Panama City. This is where the Forgotten Coast begins.
US-98 runs along the Gulf through Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe to Apalachicola, an old cotton and oyster port with brick warehouses and a working waterfront. St. George Island, across a causeway, has a state park with quiet beaches and dunes. The bay’s oyster harvest has declined, but seafood is still at the heart of the town.
Head inland to Tallahassee, the state capital, set among hills and canopy roads lined with live oaks. From there, follow US-19 and US-98 south along the Big Bend, a coast of salt marshes and pine forests with almost no beaches. FL-24 ends at Cedar Key, a small island town of weathered wooden buildings, known for clam farming and sunsets over the Gulf.
Services are sparse on the Big Bend, so fill up in larger towns. Spring and fall are the best seasons, while summer is hot and hurricane season runs from June to November. Some coastal towns are still rebuilding after recent hurricanes, so check campground openings in advance.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Pensacola
FL - 2274 km
Apalachicola
FL - 3125 km
Tallahassee
FL - 4226 km
Cedar Key
FL
Suggested stages and overnight stops
3 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Pensacola → Apalachicola · 170 mi · 3 h 03 minOvernight nearby, for example: Indian Pass Campground (15 mi); Hugo docking 2012 (< 1 km).
- Day 2: Apalachicola → Tallahassee · 78 mi · 1 h 23 minOvernight nearby, for example: Newport Campground (18 mi); Lakeside RV Travel Park (6 mi).
- Day 3: Tallahassee → Cedar Key · 140 mi · 2 h 30 minOvernight nearby, for example: Shell Mound Campground (5 mi).
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually February–April and October–December. Still fine, with some compromises, in January, May and September. Hot in June–August. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Florida’s Forgotten Coast?
3-day road trip of about 625 km (388 mi) with 4 stops, from Pensacola to Cedar Key. About 6 h 56 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Florida’s Forgotten Coast?
We suggest 3 days: about 6 h 56 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Florida’s Forgotten Coast start and end?
It starts in Pensacola and ends in Cedar Key.
Which states does Florida’s Forgotten Coast pass through?
Florida.
Where can you camp along Florida’s Forgotten Coast?
OpenStreetMap lists 61 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Pensacola Beach RV Resort, Pensacola North RV Resort and KOA Holiday.
When is the best time for Florida’s Forgotten Coast?
The most pleasant months are usually February–April and October–December. Still fine, with some compromises, in January, May and September. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
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