Southeast Gulf Coast Road Trips

The Sunshine State's southern tip has something for everyone. A primeval environment endures at Everglades National Park; Key Largo and Key West move to a laid-back tropical rhythm. Then there's Miami. Want flash and excitement? Head to this internationally flavored metropolis, where Art Deco buildings and blingy clubgoers showcase the city in seductive fashion.

This route is in the midst of the Horseblock and Cheaha mountains. Trees line curvy SR 281 through Talladega National Forest, and as you head south, forested mountains start popping into view in the distance. Stop at an overlook to get a better view of the scenery.

The Atchafalaya Basin is in one of the most ecologically varied regions in the United States. You may spy some of the 250 species of birds and 65 species of reptiles and amphibians on you trip. I-10 traverses through bottomland hardwood, bayous, backwater lakes and swamps. The waters of the Louisiana swamplands are so still that even the smallest creature can create a wake. Capture this unique calm with a photograph.

You might spot a Florida black bear along the western half of Florida Black Bear Scenic Route 40 where the highest population thrives among palmettos, longleaf and sand pines, and Spanish moss-draped oak trees. Look for endangered Florida scrub jays in gnarled sand pines, scrub hickories and scrub oaks growing in arid, white sand forests bordering CR 445.

Journey south through prairies where you may spot raccoons and squirrels, and marshes where you’re almost sure to see an alligator. Pass by a stilt-house neighborhood and alongside sandy beaches where you may view oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. After skirting the Gulf and a short ferry ride, travel through coastal communities, marshes and swamps before heading north.