Things to do / Travel Guide
Though the state of Florida as a whole is considered a prime tourist destination, and therefore often costly, northeast Florida and the Panhandle is in fact quite affordable. There are plenty of locales in the region that are great fun and open for tourism, but have yet to be truly discovered; thus the lower costs. Tours and other activities can often be up to 20% cheaper than the national average.
Of all the backwoods areas, Cedar Key is probably the most affordable, while of the larger tourist destinations, St. Augustine and Jacksonville are the region's most expensive. The Emerald Coast, including Pensacola, falls out somewhere in the middle. Important to know in these costly energy times, gasoline prices in northeast Florida and the Panhandle are less expensive than in southern Florida or the rest of the South. In fact, you won't find cheaper gas in many places in the U.S, with the possible exception of the bridge and tunnel exits in New Jersey.
Accommodations
Accommodations are relatively inexpensive all around. In the Jacksonville area, a good room in a middle-of-the-line hotel will cost you somewhere between $80 and $100. Prices are slightly cheaper in Daytona Beach, and slightly more expensive in St. Augustine. On the high end of the spectrum, a top-of-the-line room in Cedar Key will cost you around $135, and a moderately-priced room in a good hotel will cost around $80.
A nice room in a bed and breakfast (B&B) on Amelia Island or in St. Augustine can cost as much as $300 a night, but you can still get a good one for half the price. A motel on the highways of the Jacksonville area can cost as little as $50 a night, while on the Nature Coast a room will be even cheaper. Hostels, which you can find in most of the large cities, can cost as little as $15 a night.
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