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Now that Momma To Go has been up for about a year and a half, some friends (and family) have asked about sharing their travel experiences with my readers. Today I am so excited to have a guest post by Heather, who I met through our work on the Hometown Tourist Project! Heather is a New Smyrna Beach Photographer, and she is sharing a guide to her hometown, as well as her gorgeous photography!
Of course now I have another place to add to my MUST-VISIT list!
A Guide to New Smyrna Beach Florida For Families
New Smyrna Beach is a little coastal gem situated along the east coast of Central Florida that many people have never heard of. Many people come for the small beach town atmosphere and others come to enjoy the surf.
Nestled quietly 1.5 hours away from the most magical place on earth and just south of Daytona Beach, it is a cozy little beach town that is ideal for families.
New Smyrna Beach: Beaches
Enjoy 13 miles of white sandy beaches that offer something for everyone. Whether you would like to coast down the shoreline in a convertible or find a quiet place to play in the sand.
Beach Driving is a big thing around here and you can access beach driving at several different entrance points.
- 27th avenue
- 3rd Avenue
- Flagler Avenue (most popular)
- Beachway Avenue
For $20, you can drive on the beach until sunset or 7pm from may 1 to October 31. Annual passes are available for $25 for Volusia County residents and $100 for non-residents. If you are local, I highly suggest you opt for the $45 annual pass because you will have access to Smyrna Dunes Park, Lighthouse Point Park and beach driving.
Best New Smyrna Beaches for families
If you have small children, I highly recommend going to a no-drive beach. Here are some of the best beaches for families in New Smyrna Beach:
- 27th Avenue Park
- Smyrna Dunes Park Access ramps 1 & 2
- Mary McLeod Bethune Park
- Canaveral National Seashore
Each of these parks have access to bathroom facilities, showers and do not permit beach driving. Dunes Park has a $10 entrance fee per vehicle and it’s a large state park with a long winding boardwalk. We love the inlet side, where the water calmly laps and there are rarely lots of people. We love evening trips to Dunes Park to watch the vibrant sunset and spot dolphins.
27th Ave is by far the most convenient beach for families. Beach driving ends here and they have lots of restrooms, changing areas and showers.
North Beach Community Park and Flagler Avenue are perfect for families who want to drive on the beach! Both are close by to each other and Flagler is an eclectic street that is lined with quirky shops and tasty eateries. Huge benefit to beach driving is that you don’t have to lug all of your beach gear down to the beach – just park, unpack and enjoy the beach!
New Smyrna Beach: Restaurants
New Smyrna Beach boasts some incredible local dining treasures. From quick bites to sit down dinners, there is so much to choose from.
Yellow Dog Eats is our go-to lunch spot on Canal Street. It’s colorful & quirky atmosphere pairs well with their mouth watering pulled pork sandwiches and wraps. Their pulled pork nachos will change your life!
Mason Bar is a cute little popsicle shop that serves fresh smoothie bowls, juices, gourmet popsicles and a smoothie called The Pink Flamingo that you HAVE TO try!
The Breakers is a New Smyrna Beach staple with stunning ocean views, incredible burgers and a location right on Flagler avenue.
Clancy’s Cantina is an NSB fixture with Flagler Avenue charm and Mexican food that will never disappoint!
That’s Amore is a delicious Italian restaurant by Flagler ave. And our 5 year old loves this place! The lasagna is amazing!
There are so many great places to enjoy a meal in New Smyrna Beach, I also suggest you try Norwood’s, The Garlic, and Riverview Grille for a date night or even a nice family dinner.
New Smyrna Beach: Culture & Things to Do
New Smyrna Beach is so much more than a weekend beach spot. As the second oldest city in the United States, just behind St. Augustine, it is sprinkled with rich history & culture.
Old Fort Park is high up on my list of things you should check out. Nestled inconspicuously beside Canal Street, sits a little riverside park draped in lived oaks. People drive by every day not realizing that it is the site of a mysterious coquina formation.
Sugarmill Ruins is a neat landmark to checkout, as you may have guessed, it is what remains of a 19th century sugar factory.
Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve is our favorite place to hike and go kayaking. It is a 1500 acre preserve that spans into Port Orange. One of the unique features of this park is the 50 foot incline with views of the marsh. This is a very large park that is free to visit, there are multiple entrances and parking areas to different parts of the park.
Callalisa Creek is perfect for paddle boarding and kayaking. LayZboard SUP and kayak rentals offer paddle tours and will even bring your rentals right to you!
Marine Discovery Center is a wonderful place for kids to learn about marine life and they offer kids programs, kayak tours and so much more. Their mission is to protect the Indian River Lagoon and educate the community about preserving one of the most biodiverse lagoon systems in North America.
Discover New Smyrna Beach
Your family will enjoy soaking in all that there is to explore and experience whether you are coming for a day, a week or never leaving.
Have you ever been to New Smyrna Beach? What are your favorite Florida beaches?
About the Author: Heather and her husband Jon are family portrait photographers based in New Smyrna Beach. They specialize in vacation portraits all along the coast and in Orlando. They are parents to a train-loving 5 year old and a cuddly chihuahua. When they aren’t at Disney, they enjoy beach days, coffee breaks and kayaking.
OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
A visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Driving from New York to Florida
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Please share:
That beach looks nice!! This looks like a fun town to explore!
I love reviews from locals on places to go. It seems there are so pretty great places in New Smyrna Beach!
Looks like such a cute and fun vacation spot!
This looks like a wonderful place to visit! I love the beach on the ocean, adore it when I go and I don’t want to leave, but home is Minnesota, so I only get the ocean for a short time. Thanks for sharing, this looks like a gorgeous place to visit!
This seems like a hidden gem, and a totally fun place to explore!
This beach town sounds like an excellent spot for relaxation! If I find myself with extra time in Florida, I will have to check it out!
Awwww NSB!! This is “my beach”. I practically grew up here and am usually there multiple times a year. Missing home and can’t wait to be back to the beach ASAP (which may actually be sooner than later)! Can’t wait to hit up the Garlic and JBs (my two faves)!
Looks like a vacation spot with enough variety to suit just about everyone. Thanks for sharing.
Don’t forget Atlantis Bistro on Flagler…noted for its delicious food and wine!
Have been visiting NSB since 1974. It’s “Heaven on Earth”. No need to leave the country for a beach vacation. Too many Five Star eateries to count. Can’t say enough good things about NSB. Leaving 6/20 for our second visit this year. Going back in October.
oh wow! I need to get out there – this post was by a guest author who lives in that area!
YES, I agree JB’s is definitely a great place to eat. If you ask to sit outside you will probably be sitting right on the water (not the ocean) You can watch the sunset and sometimes see dolphins. There is a dock that is gorgeous and you can bring drinks down and watch. I have been going to NSB my whole life and is the best place on earth.
I want to go back right now!
I lived in NSB for 14 years…best town in FL in my opinion. We still vacation there every year. You did an awesome job on the places to visit. The beaches are clean and less crowded than the more well known ones. Most places to eat are one of a kind and unique. We visit the nearby springs too on our visits. Chartering a day of guided fishing is fun too. The sunset dinner cruise is nice too.
This was a guest post written by a local. she did a great job. I go to FL ALOT but I have not been to NSB – I know! A shame. Its on my very long list. Sounds like a hidden gem
The author of this post has undoubtedly done a great job by shaping this article on such an uncommon yet untouched topic. There are not many posts to be seen on this topic and hence whenever I came across this one, I didn’t think twice before reading it. The language of this post is extremely clear and easy to understand and this is possibly the USP of this post.
Love NSB and have been going since college. Now my own children love it. Mi Mexico is a family favorite restaurant and we love going to the retro looking DQ for a treat.
I gotta get down there! Sounds like a great spot
Yay! So happy! Just got our getaway place in NSB!
oh congrats! Im very jealous!