There are three roads crossing north Florida going east to west. Which one is best for you to bike depends on the kind of touring you do. The most popular route is highway 90. It runs from Jacksonville, FL to Van Horn, TX. If you need designated camp grounds, motels, and you want to visit sites of cultural and historic interest, 90 is your road. One thing about 90 is it can get very hilly. Some hills are quite long and might present a difficult to insurmountable challenge to inexperienced cyclists starting out from Jacksonville. You could also encounter heavy traffic.
Farther south is highway 20. This road is clean. It has side lanes. It is rolling. It does not have the long steep hills found on 90. It is an easier ride, faster and safer. On my three crossings using 20, I do not remember seeing a camp ground or any sign of one. There is a motel here and there. If you stealth camp, and are looking just to cross the state, 20 is the way to go.
Farther south, following the contour of the shore line on the gulf of Mexico, is highway 98. I used it twice. It is nearly level with small rises here and there. It has many restaurants and motels. It is not a good place to live during a hurricane, but that is a different matter. Certainly there are places of interest. Be all that as it may, there are two reasons I know for avoiding this route. Both times I used it I fought a stiff side wind, south to north, coming in from the gulf. Because it follows the shore line, it adds 60 miles. For many that is a full day of cycling. Add side wind to 60 extra miles, and you question using this road for bicycling, unless you have to. So, there you are.
