VISIT FLORIDA Official Media Newsroom

Topic: Outdoors

Florida Highways Some of the Best to Explore Florida Outdoors

NEWS RELEASE TOPIC:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2009

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Oct. 23, 2009) – The Sunshine State has some of the most scenic highways in the United States welcoming its visitors and inviting them to explore Florida’s great outdoors year round. Just recently The Florida Keys Overseas Highway, from north of Key Largo to Key West, was designated an All-American Road.

The designation was announced on Friday, October 16, 2009 by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and a plaque was presented by Victor Mendez, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, during a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

To earn All-American Road status, a thoroughfare must possess characteristics of national significance and features that don't exist elsewhere, making it a visitor destination in itself.

The Keys highway is the only All-American Road in Florida. It's the highest recognition possible under the National Scenic Byways program established by the U.S. Congress in 1991. Only 30 other roadways in the nation have earned the prestigious title.
Originally completed in 1938, the Overseas Highway incorporates 42 bridges over the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. They include the Seven Mile Bridge at Marathon, which stretches 6.79 miles across open water and was referred to on its completion as "the eighth wonder of the world."

The Keys All American Road designation will be celebrated with a Whistle Stop Tour throughout the Keys set for Saturday, Oct. 24. The public is invited to attend. For further information contact: 1-800-FLA-KEYS.

At the same time, three other Florida roads were recognized as new National Scenic Byways including the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway in the state’s north central region, the Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail in the central east part of the state and the Big Bend Scenic Byway in the Panhandle.

The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway traverses some of Florida's most pristine ecosystems, centered on the Big Scrub, the world’s largest scrub forest. This Scenic Byway provides access to a wide array of outdoor activities and public lands, including the Ocala National Forest, the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway runs through the heart of Florida black bear habitat.

Linking Silver Springs and the city of Ormond Beach, the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway provides access to a mosaic of natural lands and communities surrounding one of Florida’s most distinctive ecosystems known as the Big Scrub. Traversing eastern Marion County and parts of Lake, Putnam and Volusia counties, the 60-mile long corridor along SR 40 serves as the backbone for a network of scenic roads and interpretive trails that foster an understanding and appreciation of Florida’s Big Scrub and its inhabitants.

A ribbon cutting event with tours and fun activities for all ages will be held on October 24, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at Camp Ocala, off SR 19, 4 miles south of SR 40 in the Ocala National Forest.

The Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail (OSLT) is a 30+ mile double loop of roadways traversing some of the most beautiful and diverse natural scenery remaining in all of northeast Florida. There is ready access to the Atlantic Ocean, North Peninsula, Tomoka and Bulow Creek State Parks as well as numerous city and county parks. The roadway view includes unobstructed vistas of two rivers, creeks and marshes, barrier island dunes and beach, and historic dwellings. Visitors seeking a cultural and/or historic experience will find museums and historic public buildings and private homes along the corridor in Tomoka State Park and in locations a few blocks off the designated roadways.

The Big Bend Scenic Byway is 220 miles long and includes outdoor experiences all along the way. Explore the Forest Trail rich with pine forests, hardwood hammocks, grasslands, streams and rivers, or the Coastal Trail of salt marshes, bays, sand dunes, and beaches, or just enjoy spotting the many species of birds, butterflies, animals and wildflowers or leisurely biking along the trail. The Big Bend Byway travels along two-lane roads through rural communities and open countryside. This new National Scenic Byway can be accessed from Apalachicola, FL in the west, Tallahassee, FL Regional Airport in the north, or Newport, FL in the east.

National Scenic Byways designations recognize those roads across the country that exhibit one of six core intrinsic qualities-- scenic, natural, historic, recreational, archaeological or cultural-- contributing towards a unique travel experience.

To be considered for designation as a National Scenic Byway, a road must possess characteristics of regional significance within at least one of the intrinsic quality categories. In addition, the byway must demonstrate strong community support and develop a corridor management plan that describes in detail the preservation, marketing and improvement strategies for the byway.

For more great information on outdoor activities in the Sunshine State go to www.VISITFLORIDA.com and www.GetOutdoorsFlorida.com.

VISIT FLORIDA is the official tourism marketing corporation for the state of Florida. VISIT FLORIDA promotes tourism to Florida through sales, advertising, promotions, public relations, new product development and visitor services programs. As a public/private partnership VISIT FLORIDA has more than 3,400 tourism industry Partners and four major strategic alliances with American Express Travel Related services, AirTran Airways, Dollar Rent A Car and The Hertz Corporation. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA, visit www.VISITFLORIDA.org.