Roadtrip with RVshare Jacksonville to Amarillo

A Jacksonville to Amarillo road trip offers a diverse array of wholesome activities that you and your whole family will enjoy. You will love feeding farm animals on an 1800s-era farm, listening to folk music, exploring caves, and watching outdoor theatrical performances. You can also drive along the Great River Road to visit historic plantations, see where President Kennedy was shot, and take a ride on the Texas official railroad. 

Nearby National Parks

Cane River Creole National Historical Park  

Learn more about the Creole culture by stopping at Cane River Creole National Historical Park on your road trip from Jacksonville to Amarillo. There are two parts to this park, with each offering a unique experience. Stop at Oakland Plantation, which served as the family farm for eight generations of the Jean Pierre Emanuel Prud’homme family. Take the tour to see how the owners transformed this plantation from using indentured labor to working with sharecroppers. You can visit almost 60 buildings on a self-guided tour. Be sure to also stop at Magnolia Mounds near Baton Rouge, where you can tour 20 buildings, including a Civil War hospital. 

Carlsbad Caverns National Park  

You will have to drive about six hours further to incorporate Carlsbad Caverns National Park near Carlsbad, New Mexico, into your Jacksonville to Amarillo RV road trip. Take the elevator to the bottom of the cave or use the natural cave entrance. Go on a tour of this cave, which is the largest readily accessible cave chamber in North America. Humans have used the caves at this park for at least 1,200 years. The caves are home to approximately 400,000 bats. You can watch them fly out of the cave at dusk while attending a ranger-led program. While Carlsbad Cavern is the most popular cave to visit here, you can also explore some of the other 119 caves at this park by following hiking trails or going on a natural cave tour. Go on a scenic drive by following Walnut Canyon Desert Drive to see some of this park’s 357 bird species, 54 amphibian and reptile species, and 67 mammal species. 

Guadalupe Mountains National Park  

You will have to drive about seven hours southwest from Amarillo to reach Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Still, if you love mountain scenery and wide-open spaces, you will want to make this destination a part of your road trip itinerary from Jacksonville to Amarillo. This park is about 45 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park, so it is easy to do both parks. You can find many great hiking trails in the Guadalupe Mountains. Follow Devil’s Hall Trail, where you climb a natural rock staircase before reaching steep canyon walls. Another option is the McKittrick Canyon Trail, which is particularly beautiful when the leaves turn colors in the fall. You may also want to settle down under one of the large shade trees in the Frijole Springs area to watch this park’s birds and wildlife come to get a drink. 

Nearby State Parks

Stephen C. Foster State Park  

Play under the Spanish moss-laced trees at Stephen C. Foster State Park near Fargo, Georgia. This park is one of the entry points to Okefenokee Swamp. Be sure to bring your camera to capture photos of alligators, black bears, turtles, raccoons, deer, ibis, herons, wood storks, and red-cockaded woodpeckers at this 402,000-acre refuge. Rent a canoe, kayak, or Jon boat to explore the swamp, or go on a sunset pontoon guided tour. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle and enjoy the amazing scenery as you pedal through this park. 

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park  

If you love folk music, stop at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park near White Springs, Florida. Listen as the bells play Foster’s famous songs, like “Old Folks at Home,” while you explore this park on the Suwannee River’s shores. Explore the museum featuring dioramas of eight of Foster’s songs. Ten miles of trails along the river are available to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Launch your canoe and enjoy rowing on the river that was instrumental to many of Foster’s songs. The Florida Folk Festival featuring over 300 performances occurs here every Memorial Day weekend. 

Dudley Farm Historic State Park  

Enjoy a seasonally changing experience at Dudley Farm Historic State Park near Newberry, Florida. In the spring, help to plow the garden using manual machines. You can also help water and feed the animals. Hurry, though, because there’s corn to be ground to make into meal. After a busy day on this 1830s-replica farm, rock for a spell on the front porch or explore the nature trail. 

Historic Blakeley State Park  

Historic Blakeley State Park near Spanish Fort, Alabama, is one of the state's largest state parks. Stroll through deserted Blakely, Alabama, which was founded in 1814. Some insist ghosts haunt this town. Take a tour of the battleground where one of the largest battles of the Civil War occurred. There are more than 20 miles of trails. Several buildings and outdoor pavilions are available if you need to get a group together. 

Palo Duro Canyon State Park  

Settle into the natural amphitheater at Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Canyon, Texas, to watch the official state play of Texas performed. Watch the trained horses, longhorns, and over 60 performers bring the history of the Panhandle to life. Stroll over miles of trails running around the rim and through the United States' second-largest canyon. Join a trail ride leaving from the canyon’s floor.

Along the Way

Farm Tours of Ocala  

Leave on this tour of Marion County from Ocala, Florida, to visit the horse country where great thoroughbreds like American Pharoah, Triple Crown Winner of 2015, and Nyquist, winner of the 2016 Kentucky Derby, were raised and trained. Visit with trainers and jockeys. Get up close to broodmares that may produce the next Triple Crown winner. 

USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park  

Climb aboard the USS Alabama and the USS Drum at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Take the guided tour to learn more about the role these ships played in various wars. View U.S. tanks from World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War along with a Russian tank from Desert Storm. 

River Road  

Leave from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to drive The River Road to New Orleans. See the mansions built on both sides of the Mississippi River about 30 years before the Civil War. See homes where the indentured servants and sharecroppers lived and the buildings where crops like corn, sugar, and tobacco were stored and processed. 

The Sixth Floor Museum  

Decide for yourself if Lee Harvey Oswald could have shot President Kennedy by visiting The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas. You can see historic films, photographs, artifacts, and interpretive displays at this museum on Dealey Plaza detailing the events of November 22, 1963. Stand at the window where experts say the shot was fired and see if you believe that Oswald could pull off the deed that sent the country into mourning. 

Main Cities You Will Pass Through

Pensacola, Florida  

Enjoy staying in Pensacola campgrounds, where you can play on the beach and participate in water activities. Outstanding choices include Destin West RV Resort, Emerald Beach RV Park, and Panama City Beach RV Resort. Pensacola RV dump stations are available at Tall Oaks RV Park, Pensacola RV Park, and Lazy Acres RV Park and Campground. 

Jackson, Mississippi  

You will love exploring this capital city’s history, so consider spending a night in a Jackson campground. Great options include Wendy Oaks RV Resort, LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, and Timberlake Campground. RV dump stations in Jackson are available at Swinging Bridge RV Park, Goshen Springs Campground, and Springridge Mobile Estates & RV Park.

Dallas, Texas  

While Dallas is a large metropolitan city, many Dallas campgrounds, like Texan RV Ranch, Hidden Cove Park & Marina, and The Vineyards Campground & Cabins, feature lots of space to explore. Options for Dallas RV dump stations include Traders Village Dallas RV Park, Lewisville Lake Park Campground, and Loyd Park.

Find Adventure from Jacksonville to Amarillo

Find your One-Way Rental

When you follow this road trip itinerary from Jacksonville to Amarillo, you will enjoy historic locations and beautiful scenery along the way. If you want to travel in comfort and style, consider an RV rental from RVshare. From large motorhomes to compact campervans, there is a rig that will meet your travel and budget needs. Once you hit the road, you are protected by our renter guarantee and 24/7 roadside assistance. Find the perfect vehicle for your travel needs in Jacksonville or Amarillo.