New Smyrna Beach, FL Road Trips

New Smyrna possesses a distinct hometown quality reflected in its cracker architecture, lush subtropical landscape and community. You can spend the afternoon enjoying fresh seafood to steaks and pasta on the waterfront, or under an umbrella at a sidewalk cafe, and then retire to a bed and breakfast inn, family-size condominium or oceanfront hotel at the end of the day. For the more curious tourist who is willing to explore the city, however, New Smyrna Beach has a more varied culture that exists away from the resorts along the shoreline. It's a community on the borderline of town and city with a diverse and unique history, from its unusual founding as a colony for Mediterranean Islanders and Greeks to its post-Civil War African-American community, fame as the origin of painter and TV star Bob Ross, and multiple arts centers. New Smyrna has two seasons: Snowbird Season and Orlando. People from Canada and the northern U.S. drive to Florida during the early months of the year, starting around December until early summer. Orlando residents come to the city, typically for the beach, during the second half of the year, particularly in late summer. The city is most crowded during the summer months when the northerners leave and are replaced by locals, although there is a bump in the crowds during midwinter as well and Flagler Ave is popular with infamous "Spring Breakers" when schools and universities close. The geography of the town can confuse newcomers due to its complexity.

Although the beach is the primary point of interest for tourists visiting New Smyrna Beach, there are several artistic and historic sites, particularly surrounding the Canal Street historic district. 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, The Hub and Arts on Douglas. Frequent arts shows featuring visual and performing arts take place throughout the year. 1 Arts on Douglas, 123 Douglas St, ☏ +1 386 428-1133. An upscale art gallery on Douglas Street. Works are for sale, but you can view the paintings for free. (updated Dec 2018) 2 Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave, ☏ +1 386 427-6975. 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 in the modern architectural style, but in an area that feels surprisingly remote for an arts center, hidden inside the rainforest. Exhibits are always coming and going. Donations are accepted, but admission is free. (updated Dec 2018) 3 Galleria di Vetro, 310 Flagler Ave, ☏ +1 386 409-0402. 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.

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 (such as the 1 east end of Flagler Avenue), drive along the designated traffic route that runs along the beach, and park. There are also places adjacent to the beach where you can park, such as a parking lot accessible from 27th Avenue. The 27th Avenue parking area is close to the beach road, so when you reach the traffic lights at 27th Avenue, you turn left onto that street before turning right if you want to enter the parking lot. There is another parking area south of Flagler Avenue, again adjacent to the beach. The beach is long, with various parking areas that continue for miles. The reason for its width is its flatness, particularly in the north. The consequence is that the impact of tides upon the beach is exaggerated. There is a website which provides important information regarding the current status of tides. Not all of the beach features the same topography. For example, 2 Bethune Beach, a "Blacks-only" beach prior to desegregation, more closely resembles the beach at Canaveral National Seashore than it does the northern part of New Smyrna's beach. To the north of this area the beach is sandy, while going south it is covered with a layer of shells and features a steeper slope. In addition to the width of the beach itself, there is a sandbank that follows the shoreline.

New Smyrna's restaurants generally feature either American cuisine or seafood, but there are exceptions, such as an Asian-cuisine restaurant on Flagler Avenue and a couple Italian restaurants. The region's low cost of living means that there are restaurants with low prices given the quantity and quality of the food they serve. Restaurants along the coast are concentrated along Flagler Avenue, the eastern end of the South Causeway, and along the A1A Road/beach area. 1 Boston's Fish House, 1414 S Atlantic Ave (near A1A's turn from eastbound to southbound), ☏ +1 386 424-0757. Seafood and chicken of typical local prices. (updated Jul 2018) 2 Chases on the Beach, 3401 S Atlantic Ave (if you approach from the South Causeway, follow the A1A beach road south), ☏ +1 386 423-8787. Florida seafood and luscious tropical drinks. Listen to live music while laying around the pool and sipping on a special cocktail. (updated Jul 2018) 3 Heath's Natural Foods, 600 E Third Ave (corner of Cooper and Third Ave., Beachside), ☏ +1 386 423-5126. 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 and organic meats. 4 Cafe Paradiso (formerly Heavenly), 115 Flagler Ave (at the far end Flagler Ave from the Beach), ☏ +1 386 427-7475. A health foods restaurant with sandwiches, wraps and ice cream.

1 The Breakers, 518 Flagler Ave, ☏ +1 386 428-2019. This place is a beach bar/restaurant, far from fancy, with the oceanfront setting and great cheeseburgers. 2 Half Wall Brewery, 1887 FL-44, ☏ +1 386 426-8410, [email protected]. The old Gilley's Pub has changed hands many times. It is now owned locally and operates as the "Half Wall Brewery", featuring a wide selection of craft beer and locally brewed favorites.

There are a large number of hotels, resorts, and timeshares along the beach, and they continue for miles along A1A south. These hotels typically face toward A1A or a small nearby beach road and face the other way toward the beach. The types of places where you can stay on the beach alone are diverse, ranging from smaller buildings of two stories to large resorts with several stories. As U.S. Route 1 is the main highway, don't expect much from hotels along this route. 1 Beachcomber Motel, 2705 S Atlantic Ave, ☏ +1 386 427-3786, [email protected]. Mixed reviews, with some pointing to the location and others noting poor standards in cleanliness and service. 2 Blue Heron Motel, 1204 N Dixie Fwy, ☏ +1 386 428-4491. Poor cleanliness standards according to a review. 3 Pooles Motel, 635 N Dixie Fwy, ☏ +1 386 428-9819. Reviews are generally positive, with some criticizing the rooms for being out-of-date. 4 Atlantic Plaza, 425 S Atlantic Ave (very close to the beach), ☏ +1 386 427-4636. Twenty-two 2-bedroom, 2-bath non-smoking condo units. 5 Best Western Beach Hotel and Suites, 1401 S Atlantic Ave (by the ocean), ☏ +1 386 426-0020. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. 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 Sep 2020) 6 Buena Vista Inn & Vacation Apartments, 500 N Causeway, ☏ +1 386 428-5565. Receives consistently high ratings, with the vast majority of reviewers in the highest categories.

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 (DAB IATA)(the closest); Orlando International Airport (MCO IATA); or Jacksonville International Airport (JAX IATA);. 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 the portion of New Smyrna Beach near Venetian Bay. To continue, see Get in#By car below. & : 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 (SR) 44, that goes from DeLand to NSB; I-95 intersects this freeway near a Walmart grocery store. If you are traveling into New Smyrna Beach on I-95, to your west is Venetian Bay and Samsula, while to your east is the rest of New Smyrna Beach. Take SR 44 east if you want to go to the beach; it leads through a few miles of suburban development before crossing two major bridges: the Martin Luther King, Jr.

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). Roads in New Smyrna Beach are excellent with few exceptions, and as a visitor you'll want a car to cover the distances around the city and the distance to its neighbors, especially if you're planning on traveling beyond the beach/coast area. 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. However, A1A comes to a dead end south of NSB. If you travel north along A1A through the coastal part of town (away from the dead end), 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. On the island, Peninsula Avenue connects the eastern end of the South Causeway with Flagler Avenue. This road continues north from Flagler Avenue toward the northern end of the island.

As long as you use common sense and stay in areas a tourist would visit late nights, crime is not a significant concern in NSB. Nowhere in the city is dangerous during the daytime. Flagler Avenue can get rowdy during Spring Break and weekends. The city is home to alligators and sharks. Therefore, stay near the shore if you want to go into the ocean, and do not enter the water in any estuary, brackish water, swamp, or lake. In the ocean, rip currents are an additional concern that you should avoid by staying close to the shoreline if you go in the water. Check weather forecasts in case a rip current/storm warning is in place. Florida, thanks to its wet climate, is home to many lakes and waterways. Explore these in a boat, not by swimming, since you do not want to risk being killed by an alligator in the murky waters of these lakes and rivers. Although people sometimes view the dangers of alligators in extremes, either as harmless or as a threat to people, the best stance to take is to stay at least a few feet from any bodies of water and always watch for signs of an alligator (usually the snout is the first feature of an alligator to be exposed). Alligators do not invade areas with human presence without a good reason. If alligators pose a threat at any time, it is almost definitely because you are not taking proper precautions in the areas where alligators live.