Head to a new Florida family destination — not Orlando, not Amelia Island, but New Smyrna Beach. The barrier island in East-Central Florida offers 17 miles of sand and plenty of stay options, whether you’re looking for a private condo, vacation rental or the resort lifestyle. Plus, you’re just a short hop away from three airports. What’s there to do once you reach this underutilized vacation destination?
Beaches
There are several different beaches to enjoy in the New Smyrna area, based on your family’s preferences and activity levels. North Beach is popular with surfers (in fact, it was recently named one of the “Best Surf Towns in America” by Surfer Magazine). It’s also a fun spot to try surf fishing — the catch of the day ranges from redfish to Spanish mackerel to flounder. There are beach parks nearby with oceanfront playgrounds and beach volleyball.
Photo: New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau
Central Beach is particularly popular with families. You can pull your vehicle right onto the sand, with plenty of space despite the vehicle traffic (the beach is 500 feet wide at low tide).
Past 27th Avenue and heading south, the beach becomes traffic-free. You’ll find Bethune Beach in that direction, which makes history as the only beach in the county up until the 1950s that permitted entrance to African American beachgoers.
Other Outdoor Attractions
The Canaveral National Seashore is a 24-mile stretch of shoreline that acts as a refuge to native wildlife, including nesting sea turtles.
Smyrna Dunes Park is likewise a quiet shorefront along the Intracoastal Waterway, with 73 acres surrounded by water on three sides. There’s a two-mile boardwalk and large fishing pier, and it’s a great site to spot birds, turtles and dolphins. You might even catch a famous pup or two, like @elote.the.dachshund or @hankthetank_frenchie! You can also view the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse from this vantage point.
Canaveral National Seashore. Photo: Canaveral National Seashore
While you’re in the area, be sure to check out North America’s most diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon.
One great thing about the New Smyrna Beach shores? Unique for Florida beaches, beach bonfires are allowed in designated spots November through April (to account for sea turtle nesting season).
Next year is New Smyrna Beach’s 250th birthday and beyond the beaches you’ll find a smattering of the area’s history, as the second-oldest city in Florida and site of the largest single attempt at British colonization in the New World.
© New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedParents
Apr 22, 20244 Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day fast approaches, and all mothers and mother figures deserve something extra special this year. Treat the mom in your life, whether she’s an outdoor enthusiast or host extraordinaire, to these four great gifts.
Sponsored Content
Interior Upgrades Begin Rolling Out Across United Fleet
United Airlines is in the midst of a major initiative to modernize its fleet over the next several years. After first announcing the plan in 2021, planes fitted with United’s signature interior are finally beginning to appear across the airline’s narrowbody fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes. United flyers are sure to notice these enhancements from the moment they step on board: Each new or updated plane sports remodeled seats, seatback entertainment screens for everyone, Bluetooth connectivity and more, all adding up to a better experience on every journey.
Multigenerational
Apr 19, 2024Family-Friendly Offerings from Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection
Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection includes the largest portfolio of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the world — many of them perfect for family travelers. And two current offers might entice your family even more.
Cruising
Apr 15, 2024Some of Europe’s Best Day Cruises
A week cruising along the Danube or the Rhine may be the stuff of dreams for many, but family travelers can enjoy views from the water in ways kinder to the family budget. Many riverside cities offer scenic cruises, and some Baltic or Mediterranean ports have daytrips to nearby islands or coastal attractions. In several cities you can cruise the canals, and in Switzerland you can spend a day cruising on Lake Geneva, with sightseeing stops in lakeside towns.
Sponsored Content
United Continues Its Global Expansion
United Airlines keeps soaring to new heights, recently announcing another expansion of its leading global route network. The airline added new non-stop flights between Newark (EWR) and Marrakesh (RAK), Morocco; Tokyo (NRT) and Cebu (CEB), Philippines; and Houston (IAH) and Medellin (MDE), Colombia. That’s not all: United also plans to increase flights to popular worldwide destinations including Hong Kong (HKG); Seoul (INC), South Korea; and Porto (OPO), Portugal. Following the recent agreement to increase flights between the U.S. and Chinese governments, the airline now adds four weekly flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Shanghai (PVG).
Multigenerational
Apr 15, 2024Enjoy Multigenerational Travel in New York with Motto by Hilton
Family Travel Agent recently found family travel will continue to grow this year, as 81 percent of families expressed their likelihood of traveling in 2024. Of that group, more than 50 percent plan to take part in multigenerational travel. If that multigen travel is taking place in New York City, two hotels, Motto Times Square and Motto Chelsea, prove ideal options.
ShareThis