New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, East Central Florida. Blue skies meet over 13 mi (21 km) of white sand in New Smyrna Beach, consistently voted one of the "Best Beaches". New Smyrna Beach lays claim to the best Florida offers — excellent backwater, offshore fishing, golf, historical sites, cultural events, and eclectic shopping and dining experiences along historical Flagler Avenue and Canal Street. The beach is the "Shark Bite Capital of the World", but don't let that discourage you from visiting the beach and having a good time.

Understand

Aerial view of New Smyrna Beach from the top of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

New Smyrna possesses a distinct hometown quality reflected in its cracker architecture, lush tropical landscape and community. Enjoy culinary delights from fresh seafood to steaks and pasta on the waterfront, or under an umbrella at a sidewalk cafe. At the end of the day, retire to a charming bed and breakfast inn, family-size condominium or oceanfront hotel.

Name

Since "New Smyrna Beach" is a mouthful, locals sometimes call it "NSB". It comes from the name of a former European colony in the area, "Smyrnea".

Orientation

New Smyrna Beach is about 20 miles (32 km) south of Daytona Beach along U.S. Highway 1. The towns of Edgewater and Oak Hill, and some unincorporated areas of Volusia County, such as Samsula, are considered to be part of the Greater New Smyrna Beach Area.

New Smyrna Beach can be divided into in three parts, which are almost like "districts". Here, they're listed going from east to west:

• The coast, which is separated from the mainland by the Intercoastal Waterway. Some of it is residential, but a lot of it consists of hotels and resorts that go along the shoreline. On the east side of the coastal island is the beach itself, although in reality, all of the island is a large sandbank. There is a downtown area along Flagler Avenue.
• The mainland, which is west of the Intercoastal Waterway and includes the Canal Street downtown area. Like the coast, it's the older side of town, but unlike the coast, parts of the mainland have low population densities, with a few buildings scattered here and there.
• The Venetian Bay area, which is west of I-95 and is in many ways like a separate community from New Smyrna Beach. However, Venetian Bay is mostly residential, so it is included with the coastal and mainland sections of the city of New Smyrna Beach. There are many man-made lakes in Venetian Bay, but they are not collectively a "bay" as the community's name implies. There is a downtown for Venetian Bay, but it doesn't have many places to eat.

New Smyrna Beach is part of a group of cities in the Daytona Beach area. In the north is Ormond Beach; then to the south is Daytona and a couple small, coastal villages; then the city of Port Orange; then NSB; and then, finally, in the south, Edgewater. Also, on the coast, to the south of New Smyrna Beach, is parkland (nationally-owned), and farther south again, Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center.

To the east of New Smyrna Beach, there are several miles of forest, and then farther east are the cities of DeLand and Orange City; these cities are the northern end of the Orlando metropolitan area.

Climate

New Smyrna Beach offers a humid, subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters. Winter temperatures very rarely drop below freezing. The summers are long and hot, with temperatures frequently in the upper 90's F (35-38 °C) in July. Dangers include hurricanes from June until November.

Get in

By plane

Although New Smyrna Beach has a Municipal Airport, it is chiefly used by private aircraft. Commercial flights to this area should be sought arriving to either Daytona Beach International Airport (the closest), Orlando International Airport, or Jacksonville International Airport.

A relatively easy option for getting to New Smyrna Beach is through the Daytona Beach Airport. If you fly with Delta, you can go from basically anywhere in the United States to Atlanta International Airport; from there, you can get flights directly to Daytona Beach International Airport. Daytona's airport is fairly small and generally not too busy, and it's pretty easy to get a rental car, etc. From the airport, it's a short drive to I-95, and I-95 will take you to New Smyrna Beach (near Venetian Bay).

By train

View of New Smyrna Beach

Amtrak offers the Amtrak Auto Train service with its southern Terminus in Sanford (Florida), about 35 miles west of New Smyrna Beach. The Amtrak Auto Train carries passengers and automobiles between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link to Florida from the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. You can easily drive your car into New Smyrna Beach after departing from the Auto Train.

Amtrak offers regular passenger service with the closest stop being near the city of DeLand. This stop is rather remote and is not the best option.

By bus

Greyhound Bus Lines offers bus service to nearby Daytona Beach. Upon arrival at the Daytona Beach bus station, you will need to either transfer to a local Volusia County bus or take a taxicab to complete your trip to New Smyrna Beach.

By car

New Smyrna Beach is easily accessed by car, as Interstate 95 passes through the western side of the city, and U.S. Highway 1 ("Old Dixie Highway") passes through the center of the city. There's also a Florida state road that goes from DeLand to NSB; I-95 intersects this freeway near the Walmart grocery store.

You can't, however, get into NSB by driving along the coastal island, either by going north or south, in the north because the island ends and in the south because the road ends. You have to enter New Smyrna Beach via the mainland. Once you're on the mainland, then you can get to the coast quite easily (see "get around" section below).

Get around

By bus

Votran is the local Volusia County bus service, which also provides a public transit connection to nearby Daytona Beach. The buses offer service in New Smyrna Beach, M-Sa 7AM-7PM. Votran is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. The website provides maps and timetables. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. Cost: $1.75 per trip, or $3.75 for a one-day bus pass (Valid for all routes).

By car

The main road that goes along the beach is A1A. From A1A, numbered streets (1st, 2nd, etc.) go towards the beach. Some have beach parking or lead to the beach itself, so you can drive along it and park on the beach.

A1A comes to a dead end south of NSB. If you travel north along A1A along the coastal part of town, the road eventually turns to the west and goes over a high bridge to the mainland. This route is called the South Causeway. There is another, smaller route to the north of the South Causeway, called the North Causeway. The North Causeway leads to the Flagler Avenue downtown area.

If you go west on the South Causeway to the mainland, you go onto Florida Route 44, which goes just south of Venetian Bay and then goes toward Deland. Airport Road goes north/south in Venetian Bay.

See

The main sight in NSB is the beach; however, because it is an activity, it is listed in the Do section.

Parks

Many historical and cultural sites make New Smyrna Beach noteworthy. From the Turnbull and Sugar Mill Ruins, to the Eldora State House, the area is rich in history.

• 🌍 Flagler Avenue Park. The Flagler Avenue Park is a popular beachfront park just off historic Flagler Avenue, complete with its quaint shops and restaurants. 
• 🌍 Lake Ashby Park, 4150 Boy Scout Camp Road. Lake Ashby Park is a 124-acre rural setting park in the Osteen area that includes primitive tent camping, playground, volleyball court, nature/horse trails, boardwalks, fishing pier, pavilions with picnic tables and grills. It also offers a free public boat ramp nearby. The park is open sunrise to sunset and offers a 3,500 ft² (330 m²) play area for children that includes a variety of climbers, swings and ladders. 
• 🌍 Smyrna Dunes Park (County), ☎ [phone]. Open daily Sunrise to sunset. Perched on 250 acres of pristine land at the northern tip of the New Smyrna Beach peninsula, the area is surrounded by water on three sides. The park consists of five ecosystems (ocean, river, dunes, scrub zone, saltwater marsh). $3.50 per vehicle, $1 per person for vehicles with more than eight passengers. 
• 🌍 Sugar Mill Ruins, 600 Mission Drive. 
• 🌍 Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve (County), 1755 Martin Dairy Rd. This secluded wildlife preserve offers miles of lonely trails that lead to 60 ft (18 m) sand cliffs that slope gracefully into Spruce Creek. These sand bluffs are among the largest in Florida. (updated Dec 2018)

Arts

Named one of "America's Top Small Cities for The Arts," New Smyrna is home to the Atlantic Center for the Arts, an artists-in-residence community and educational facility, the Harris House, the Little Theatre and Arts on Douglas. Frequent arts shows featuring visual and performing arts take place throughout the year.

• 🌍 Galleria di Vetro, 310 Flagler Avenue, ☎ [phone]. Galleria di Vetro, a unique experience in glass is a thriving gallery and working studio. The Galleria specializes in architectural installations for both commercial and residential spaces, as well as custom pieces in any form. Featuring live glassblowing demonstrations, classes for all ages and world famous and local artists such as Hans Godo-Frabel, John Blazy, Shane Fero, Kyle Carni and many more. 
• 🌍 Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave, ☎ [phone]. Open until 4PM. Founded by local artist Doris "Doc" Leeper, this tranquil artist seminary plays hosts to artists worldwide, and invites them to come and create art at the center. The center itself is an architectural marvel. Donations accepted, but admission is free. Exhibits are always coming and going. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Arts on Douglas, 123 Douglas St. An upscale art gallery on Douglas Street. Works are for sale, but you can view the paintings for free. (updated Dec 2018)

Do

Above all, go to NSB for the 🌍 beach. You can even park on the beach here — drive onto the beach at one of the approved entrances, drive along the designated traffic route that runs along the beach, and park. The rest of the beach is open for activities, although be careful about going into the water — as stated at the beginning of the article, this is the shark attack capital of the world.

Fishing

Anglers at nearby Mosquito Lagoon have set international records with giant redfish catches. Deep-sea charters leave New Smyrna Beach daily, giving offshore fishers an easy way to wet a line in the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

• Eldorada Charters, ☎ [phone]. Capt. Brian Clancy is a full-time fishing guide on this Coast Guard licensed, National Park permitted and insured trip, specializing in red fishing. All ages and experience-levels welcome. Call for reservations. 
• 🌍 Fishin' Cove Bait & Tackle, 129 N. Riverside Drive, ☎ [phone]. Open daily, 6AM-6PM. A full-service marina, Fishin' Cove offers river fishing and deep-sea fishing charters and boat rentals. 
• 🌍 Floridays Fishing Excursions, toll-free: [phone]. Experience the thrill of the strike, fishing for red fish and sea trout. Fly fishing trips are available. Call for reservations. 
• 🌍 Marker 57 at Cameron's Marina, 2001 S Riverside Drive, ☎ [phone]. Open daily 6AM-6PM. Rentals include boats for flat bottom fishing. Tackle and bait shop and boat slip rentals. 
• Fish the Mosquito Lagoon, ☎ [phone]. Capt. Tony Pantuso is a full-time fishing guide specializing in light tackle inshore fishing for trophy redfish and seatrout. 

Golf

• 🌍 Hidden Lakes Golf Course, 35 Fairgreen Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 New Smyrna Municipal Golf Course, 1000 Wayne Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Turnbull Bay Golf Course, 2600 Turnbull Estates Dr, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Venetian Bay Golf Course, 63 Airport Rd, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2018)

Horseback riding

• 🌍 Flying B Ranch, 687 N Samsula Drive, ☎ [phone]. Flying B Ranch is a 33 acre horse facility, offering horseback riding and horse boarding. 
• 🌍 Pioneer Trail Reserve, 4311 Pioneer Trail, toll-free: [phone]. Pioneer Trail Reserve is a gated community of 21 equestrian ranches in a conservation area. Horse training and riding offered. 
• 🌍 Whispering Palms Farm, 137 State Road 415, ☎ [phone]. Offers horse boarding and riding lessons. 

Racing

• 🌍 New Smyrna Speedway, Corner of State Route 44 and 415, ☎ [phone]. Half-mile race track offers regular schedule of FASCAR (Florida Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) races. 

Scuba diving & snorkeling

• 🌍 Sea Dogs Dive Center Guide & Services, 111 Flagler Ave, ☎ [phone]. Provides a 42-ft custom Newton Dive Vessel, New Smyrna Beach's only U.S. Coast Guard Certified dive vessel. Relaxing SCUBA diving for up to 16. Divemaster or instructor on every trip. Full service PADI dive center. NITROX Fill station. Spearfishing specialists. Full range of PADI certifications. Beautiful reefs and countless wrecks. Largest lobsters on the east coast of U.S. 

Tennis

• 🌍 Detwiler Park Tennis Center, ☎ [phone]. Corner of Oakwood & Horton. Offers 5 hard tennis courts. Free. 

Boating

• Hiles Boat Ramp, 156 Hiles Blvd. Hiles Boat Ramp is a concrete single boat ramp off of Hiles Boulevard. It's the perfect ramp for canoes, and those eager to navigate the county's beautiful Intercoastal Waterway. 
• Lake Ashby Boat Ramp, 1151 Commercial Ave. The boat ramp at Lake Ashby Park is open 22 hours a day, seven days a week. The launch site is on Commercial Avenue. 

Buy

ATMs can be found throughout New Smyrna Beach. Usually larger hotels and convenience stores will have a "generic" ATM available; however, be forewarned about hidden service fees.

Shopping

Flagler Avenue and Canal Street feature several quaint shops and cafes. It should be no surprise that the second oldest city in Florida is also home to many antique shopping pavilions.

• Shops on 🌍 Flagler Avenue and 🌍 Canal Street
• Indian River Village Shopping Center
• 🌍 New Smyrna Beach Regional Shopping Center
• 🌍 New Smyrna Shopping Plaza
• 🌍 Ocean Village Square Shopping Center
• 🌍 Winn-Dixie Plaza

Eat

Coast

• 🌍 Heavenly, 115 Flagler Ave (at the far end Flagler Ave from the Beach), ☎ [phone]. A healthier foods restaurant with sandwiches, wraps and ice cream. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Norwoods, 400 Second Avenue, ☎ [phone]. An institution in New Smyrna Beach that successfully made the change from fans, screen doors and smoked mullet to fine dining, wines, and air conditioning. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Boston's Fish House, 1414 South Atlantic Ave, ☎ [phone]. Seafood and Chicken. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Chases on the Beach, 3401 South Atlantic Ave, ☎ [phone]. Florida seafood and luscious tropical drinks. Listen to live music while laying around the pool and sipping on a special cocktail. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 JBs Fish Camp & Seafood Restaurant, 859 Pompano Avenue, ☎ [phone]. Seafood. 
• 🌍 The Garlic, 556 East Third Ave. Ambience is unbeatable at the upscale Garlic. Featuring savory tuscan music. Al Fresco dining, and live music most nights. From $30 per person. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Riverview, 101 Flagler Ave, ☎ [phone]. Offers fine dining with a great view of the Indian River. $30 per person. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Ocean's Seafood, 601 East Third Ave, ☎ [phone]. This little place doesn't have a view, but what it does have is the best local seafood around, and at cheap prices to boot. Caught daily in local waters. Only open till 7PM, so get there early. $10–20 per person. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Heath's Natural Foods, 600 East Third Ave. (corner of Cooper and Third Ave., Beachside), ☎ [phone]. 8:30AM-7PM. Health food store that offers wonderful organic prepared food to grab 'n' go. Delicious smoothies, wheat grass and vegetable juices available daily. The store also has a full array of grocery items, organic produce, gluten-free products & organic meats. 
• 🌍 New Smyrna Steakhouse, 723 East Third Ave, ☎ [phone]. 

Mainland

• 🌍 Blackbeards, 701 North Dixie Fwy, ☎ [phone]. Popular restaurant with a large menu with a lot of fish and chips and other meats. Parking is not always easy. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Thai Mango, 424 Canal St, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Jason's Corner, 135 Canal St, ☎ [phone]. Serves meals around the day; the best time to come is around breakfast/lunch. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Yellow Dog Eats, 147 Canal St, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2018)

Venetian Bay

The restaurants in Venetian Bay are gathered in a plaza area near Airport Road.

• 🌍 Bistro 424, 424 Luna Bella Ln #111, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Happy Deli, 424 Luna Bella Ln #128, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2018)

Drink

• 🌍 Half Wall Brewery, 1889 State Road. The old Gilley's Pub has changed hands many times. It is now owned locally and operating as the "Half Wall Brewery", featuring a wide selection of craft beer and locally brewed favorites. 
• 🌍 Sopotnicks Cabbage Patch Bar, 549 Tomoka Farms Road, ☎ [phone]. Biker bar, on the west side of New Smyrna Beach. Popular destination during Daytona Beach Bike Week and Biketoberfest. 
• 🌍 The Breakers, 518 Flagler Ave, ☎ [phone]. This place is a beach bar/restaurant, far from fancy, with the oceanfront setting and great cheeseburgers. 

Sleep

Budget

• 🌍 Beachcomber Motel, 2705 S. Atlantic Avenue, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Blue Heron Motel, 1204 N. Dixie Freeway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Ocean Air Motel, 1161 N. Dixie Freeway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Pooles Motel, 635 N. Dixie Freeway, ☎ [phone]. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Buena Vista Inn & Vacation Apartments, 500 N. Causeway, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Best Western Beach Hotel and Suites, 1401 South Atlantic Avenue (by the ocean), ☎ [phone]. Offering 102 suites featuring a private living area, ocean-side balcony and private bedrooms that can accommodate 6 to 8 guest. Seascape restaurant on-site. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Islander Beach Resort, 1601 South Atlantic Avenue, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Oceania Beach Club and Suites, 421 South Atlantic Avenue, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Ocean Sands Beach Club, 3208 Hill Street, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Sea Horse Inn, 423 Flagler Avenue, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Sea Vista Motel, 1701 S. Atlantic Avenue, ☎ [phone]. Oceanfront motel with Tiki Bar and restaurant. Microwave, coffee maker and refrigerator in every room. Choice of motel rooms, efficiencies with full kitchens, studio apartments with king beds and sleeper sofa, one bedroom apartments. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 Sea Woods Condo, 4472 Sea Mist Drive, ☎ [phone]. 

Splurge

• 🌍 Atlantic Plaza, 425 South Atlantic Avenue (very close to the beach), ☎ [phone]. Twenty-two 2-bedroom, 2-bath non-smoking condo units. 
• 🌍 Coconut Palms Beach Resorts, 611 S Atlantic Avenue, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Minorca, Minorca Beach Way. Offers luxurious rentals, and the utmost in privacy. However, it will cost you about $400 daily. (updated Dec 2018)

Campgrounds

• 🌍 New Smyrna Beach RV Park and Campground, Old Mission Road, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Over 200 sites. 

Connect

Seven digit dialing is in effect for local calls in the New Smyrna Beach area. The local area code is 386.

• 🌍 New Smyrna Beach Visitors' Bureau, 2238 State Route 44, ☎ [phone]. The official sales and marketing organization for New Smyrna Beach and surrounding area of southeast Volusia County. (updated Dec 2018)

Radio stations

There are about 20 radio stations in Volusia County.

AM

• WSBB, 1230 AM, New Smyrna Beach, Standards

FM

• WKTO, 88.9 FM, Edgewater, Religious
• WJLU, 89.7 FM, New Smyrna Beach, Religious
• WKRO, 93.1 FM, Edgewater, Country
• WLGM, 95.3 FM, Edgewater

Go next

• Just south of New Smyrna lies the Canaveral National Seashore, which offers excellent swimming, bird watching, and hiking opportunities.
• Daytona Beach is New Smyrna's famous neighbor to the North; it offers NASCAR racing and other special events.
• Daytona Beach Shores is a quiet, small city north of New Smyrna, on the Daytona Beach peninsula.
• Ponce Inlet is a scenic fishing village located to the north, on the southern tip of the next beach peninsula. Here you will find the historic Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, Marine Science Center, local charter fishing boats, along with several of the area's best seafood restaurants. It's quite a long drive, though.
• Port Orange is a rapidly growing city just north of New Smyrna on the mainland, where you can enjoy golf and tennis.

Routes through New Smyrna Beach

Daytona Beach ← Port Orange ←	N  S	→ Mims → West Palm Beach
Daytona Beach ← Port Orange ←	N  S	→ Mims → West Palm Beach
Daytona Beach ← Port Orange ←	N  S	→ Mims → West Palm Beach