9 Small Florida Towns That Are Begging To Be Explored On An Ebike

It is no secret that electric bikes have exploded in popularity in recent years, giving riders newfound freedom to get outside and explore — and there is no better state to get out and get lost on two wheels than Florida. Thanks to its largely flat geography and year-round warm weather, the Sunshine State is a haven for e-bikers looking to hit the road and ride, especially within sun-drenched, friendly, small Florida towns that are unlike any others in America.

Riders will find the same Americana vibe, friendly people, and charming downtowns present in other states, but what sets these towns apart from their companions are beach boardwalks, neighborhoods draped in majestic Spanish moss, and trails that cut through rural areas that are dotted with palmetto palms. For e-bike enthusiasts, these towns make for perfect places to explore what the Sunshine State is all about, and this piece will aim to list the towns that are best seen from behind the handlebars. 

To come up with this list, we researched travel blogs that explore the state and looked up each town's bike infrastructure that makes it easy to access shops, restaurants, and attractions. Before continuing, keep in mind that while the state (currently) treats e-bikes as regular bicycles, each town may have its own regulations regarding this popular mode of transportation. Before you ride, make sure to research e-bike laws to make sure your e-bike tour of this American state goes smoothly.

Dunnellon is a haven for e-bike riders where high-tech cruising meets railroad history. Established in the 1890's as a railroad town, Dunnellon's historic train depot is a natural starting point for exploring this charming town. Built in 1908 by the old Atlantic Coast Line on South Williams Street, the wooden, white building houses historic murals that act as record-keepers of the town's history. The depot anchors the Boomtown Historical District, which dates back to the 19th century and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains 70 buildings of historic relevance, from the cozy restaurants and locally owned boutiques to moss-draped streets.

Less than 10 minutes from the historical district by car sits the Gulf Junction Trailhead, part of the 47-mile Withlacoochee State Trail, one of the longest paved rail trails in the state. One of the first corridors constructed under Florida's "rails-to-trails" program, the Withlacoochee cuts through lush forests, cypress swamps, and rural areas where the chirping of birds and the buzzing of cicadas pierce the humid air. For riders looking for a more modest trail built along the historic rail bed, but with the same beautiful scenery, the 2.4-mile Dunnellon Trail provides a peaceful ride that will take riders past wading birds, gators, and other wildlife who look to enjoy the trail as much as their human counterparts. A tour of Dunnellon is not complete until you park your bike near Swampy's Bar & Grille. Also sitting on the Rainbow River, Swampy's is a local institution, with tasty Florida staples such as Gator Bites and seafood gumbo, which you can enjoy with a nice cold beer while gazing at the serenity of the river. 

DeFuniak Springs is an underrated and charming lake town with plenty of Southern charm best explored on two wheels rather than four. E-biking around the small Panhandle lake town represents a low-stress escape from reality, with low-traffic backroads leading to lush forests, a cute downtown complete with a shaded streetscape that will have you riding without even breaking out a sweat, and a lake that one has to see to be believed. That lake is Lake DeFuniak, the centerpiece of the town and the ideal starting point for a tour.

At 40 acres, Lake DeFuniak is one of two such lakes in the world that has a near-perfectly round shape. It's a natural marvel that can be seen up-close at Chipley Park, which largely surrounds the lake and offers a bike path that whisks riders around the stunning lake. From there, branch off from the park's trail and take a lovely stroll on Circle Drive, the street encircling Lake DeFuniak that features stately 19th-century homes featuring Victorian, Queen Anne, and Florida-style architecture. However, there is one building that will make e-bike riders squeeze the brakes in amazement: the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood. Built in 1909, the auditorium was established as a National Historic Landmark in 1972. While the building is currently being renovated after a hurricane in 1975 severely damaged the building, riders can still ride up to its grand entrance. After circling the lake, e-bikers can cruise into the historic downtown, a bikeable area filled with antique shops and cute cafes to end a day of small-town exploration.

Nestled on Amelia Island is Fernandina Beach, a captivating blend of historic charm and coastal tranquility. The beach, which occupies the northern end of Amelia Island, has been under the flags of eight different nations. Start your tour in the historic downtown near the historical marker for the William Bartram Trail, where Centre Street begins, and it will take you on a quaint ride down a street lined with cute, quirky shops and restaurants. From there, make your way to the beach, where you can take your modern machine on a 13-mile ride of unspoiled beach right on the sand, with the whitecap waves of the ocean coming oh-so-close to your tires. 

To take in the island in its entirety, spend a day traveling the Amelia Island Trail, an 8.7-mile paved multi-use trail that runs parallel to State Road A1A. Along this beautiful trail, you'll go through Amelia Island State Park, where you'll get breathtaking views of maritime forests and salt marshes. After you're done beach-riding, charge up the bike, and set forth to a place where nature and history collide. For a modest $2 fee, you can bike your way inside Fort Clinch State Park, a 1,400-acre living history museum where you can ride paved paths hidden from the world by massive arching live oaks. For an extra fee of $2.50, ride up to the entrance of the fort, and soak in the history of this masonry fort, which sits perfectly preserved overlooking the mighty Atlantic Ocean and is worth taking a little time off the bike to explore on foot. Not to worry, the park offers areas outside the fort where you can safely secure your e-bike. 

Jensen Beach is one of Florida's best-kept secrets. Once a town that thrived on shipping pineapples, this charming beach town north of West Palm Beach may not seem like an ideal place for exploring on an e-bike, but the sneaky charm of Jensen Beach is what should attract riders to come and ride. Riders will hardly break a sweat here as its flat topography offers an effortless ride as they wind their way through charming, palm tree-draped neighborhoods and breezy shorelines. A natural starting point for exploring this breezy beach town starts right in its heart.

Jensen Beach Boulevard is lined with quaint shops and restaurants in buildings that are painted in a tropical hue. From there, follow the road towards its end, and the Indian River Lagoon will unfold right before your eyes. Before pedaling alongside the river, stop and grab a great hot dog at a Jensen Beach institution. Fredgie's Hot Dog Stand has been the go-to spot for residents craving a tasty hot dog for 41 years. Hot dogs here don't exceed $5, a great bargain in this day and age, and you'll be able to enjoy your tasty dog with the gentle breeze of the river acting as nature's floor fan. After enjoying your meal, pedal along the paved trail that lines the lagoon and enjoy the breeze coming off its peaceful shores. If you can't get enough of the beautiful scenery, take your e-bike across the river to Jensen Beach Cove, where a day of beach-riding awaits. Bike up the sand toward Shuckers, a beachside restaurant with delicious food and cold drinks that come with a side of beautiful ocean views.

New Smyrna Beach is a town where the sun and sand effortlessly come together along its wind-swept shoreline, with iconic landmarks dotting the palm-tree-clad landscape ready for e-bikers to explore. A natural starting point for this beach town journey will be on the sand, where the beach's "driving lanes" will make it easy for you to connect with the coast. But, you'll have to get off the sand and ride the pavement for a short distance to reach Smyrna Dunes Park, a breathtaking 184-acre park where the river meets the ocean. The two-mile elevated boardwalk offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Halifax River, the diverse ecosystem these emerald bodies of water create, and the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, built in 1887 and standing as the tallest lighthouse in Florida.

Beyond the sand, e-bikes are the perfect choice of vehicle for exploring the charming, tree-lined downtown along Flagler Avenue, a street that's a bustling stretch filled with shops bursting with beach vibes. Before crossing the North Causeway Bascule Bridge to the next destination, make a pit stop at The Mermaid Cafe at Riverview, a cozy spot that offers breakfast and lunch not far from the Indian River. After you've had lunch at The Mermaid Cafe, cross the causeway to reach a hauntingly beautiful symbol of a bygone era. The New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins are the remains of a coquina sugar factory that was raided and burnt to the ground by the Seminole Indians in 1835. While most of nature has reclaimed the land, most of the fossilized coquina mill still stands in ruin. A trail will take you through the ruins. It's free to enter, and it's an experience riders won't soon forget.

Just northeast of the hustle and bustle of Orlando sits Winter Park, a town that is dripping in Old Florida charm. A ride through Winter Park will take you on a breezy tour of magnificent lakes, neighborhoods shaded with live oaks, and a downtown main street that buzzes with life seven days of the week. Start your cruise on Park Avenue, a street lined with upscale boutiques and restaurants, with a Starbucks thrown in for that morning get-up-and-go. After touring the tight, brick streets of downtown, point your e-bike in the direction leading you to the enchanting Mead Botanical Garden. Dedicated in 1940, this free park has trails that will take you through a lush garden that offers peace and tranquility away from the modern world.

Once you've rested a bit, take the long route through lush, green neighborhoods and the town's serene lakes to Hannibal Square Heritage Center, the beating heart of the town's African American community. Established in 2007, riders will learn about the role African Americans played in shaping the growth of Winter Park through exhibits featuring framed archival pieces. Once you've finished exploring the fascinating, often forgotten history of how African Americans impacted this town, stay in Hannibal Square for a while and enjoy the many down-to-earth restaurants such as JAM Hot Chicken, a small chicken shack that pumps out delicious hot chicken ranging in spice, from mild to "JAM," which is best enjoyed with a nice, cold Mexican Coca-Cola to complete the tour.

When the name Lake Placid is spoken, many people think of the upstate New York town at the peaks of the Adirondacks that served as the setting for the "Miracle on Ice." But, there is another Lake Placid that people outside of Florida haven't heard of, one that drips in sun-drenched magic on the southern end of the Lake Wales Ridge. It's magic that's best explored on two wheels, with the quiet hum of the motor beneath you. Lake Placid offers a bit of variety when it comes to topography, thanks to its location on the Ridge, with gentle rolling hills replacing the near-uniform flat topography for a nice change of pace.

The first stop on this two-wheeled motorized journey is downtown, which can easily double as an outdoor art museum. Lake Placid is home to over 40 murals that decorate the sides of cafes and shops, depicting in full-blown color what life is like in Florida's heartland, earning it the nickname "Town of Murals." While you're touring these larger-than-life murals, take a break and grab some brunch at Morty and Edna's, where you can order the Notorious B.L.T. After taking in the sights and paint of downtown, load up your e-bike and head about 30 minutes northwest of town to Highland Hammock State Park, where you can ride a 3-mile paved loop that will take you through the hammock. The trail ventures underneath shaded canopies, allowing riders to immerse themselves in the unique ecosystem of the park. For riders with a more adventurous spirit (and a fat-tire e-bike), the state park also offers a 6-mile off-road trail that will take riders deeper into the hammock to explore the park's stunning collection of plant and animal life. 

Sanibel is a place that was specifically designed for two wheels rather than four, thanks to more than 26 miles of shared-use trails that stand a safe distance from the town's main roads. Taking an e-bike ride in Sanibel is like being on a slow-moving safari, especially when you take a cruise down Periwinkle Way, the town's main street, gliding briskly past the numerous hibiscus hedges that line the front of quirky shops. Before you continue further on your Sanibel e-bike safari, make a stop at The Original Cheeburger Cheeburger. This diner-style restaurant has been a staple of Sanibel for over four decades, and charges $12.99 for a classic burger. You can build it however you like, adding anything from caramelized onions and fried pickles to grilled pineapples.

To burn off those calories, turn your handlebars toward Sanibel-Captiva Road, where the magic of the island unfolds right in front of your very eyes. This is the start of the road trail that will take you to the western end of Sanibel Island. As you make your way to Blind Pass Beach (where the bike trail ends), you can embark on a side quest into the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, where for only a single dollar, your e-bike will be able to tour the four-mile Wildlife Drive and explore the dynamic wildlife that calls the refuge home, including up to 245 bird species, alligators (this is Florida, after all), and majestic mangrove forests. Once the side quest is complete, continue on the Sanibel-Captiva Road path to its endpoint at Blind Pass Beach for a picture-perfect ending to an exhilarating ride on this beautiful and serene island.

St. Augustine was established in 1565, and this town has changed little in over 450 years. The oldest continuously inhabited settlement in America, St. Augustine is one of Florida's busiest tourist towns, which normally involves being trapped in the gridlock of cars searching aimlessly for parking on extremely narrow streets. But, there's another way to explore this bustling, historic town, one where you can breeze to the town's many historic attractions without facing the pain of the traffic: the e-bike.

E-bikes are St. Augustine's ultimate cheat code to navigating the town's 16th-century infrastructure. While riders will be tempted to take their 21st-century bikes into the Historic District, it isn't recommended, given the tsunami of tourists who make this area the first stop of their St. Augustine journey. Instead, start your 16th-century adventure along the historic bayfront. While pedestrians will be wiping away sweat, you'll breeze on along the Matanzas River seawall to Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in America. While e-bikes are not permitted inside the fort, you can ride the paths around it to see this architectural marvel (just be careful of tourists). After touring the fort, turn your bike north on San Marco Avenue to a historical site with religious significance. Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre De Dios is the oldest Marian Shrine in America. Built in the 1620s, the church is a ground where visitors go to see grace, peace, and renewal. The main attraction on this holy ground is the Great Cross, which rises into the Atlantic sky like a silver needle. Standing 208 feet tall, the massive cross acts as the city's monument and a resting place to sit and quietly reflect on an exhilarating e-bike journey.

To find Florida's postcard-perfect small towns, we capped our search at towns with fewer than 30,000 residents, a sweet spot that contains places large enough to explore but small enough to traverse in a single day. This was done by researching travel blog sites that specializes on Florida travel scuch as the Florida Rambler. We also prioritized towns with compact downtowns and surrounding areas with solid bike infrastructure and interesting places to visit that were perfect for exploration at just 10 mph.