At VacayMyWay we make it all about you.  It’s your vacation!   We give you the tools you need to plan the ideal Vacay.  In New Smyrna Beach the vibe is definitely different.  Do you want to party on Flagler or need something more secluded like Bethune?  When you are closer to the things that you’d like to do, that means less time driving and more time on Vacay!  

Make your Vacay planning easier with our list of how to “Vacay Like a Local” activities.   

Foodies – Where to eat in New Smyrna Beach

Breakfast

The Third Wave is amazing for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. It’s an upscale choice for all, and upstairs the coffee shop is one of the best in New Smyrna.  Get the Southwestern Hash and don’t miss the avocado toast. 

For an Acai bowl, head to Dakine or Go Juice on Flagler or The Mason Bar, just over the bridge on the mainland.

Tony and Joe’s beach bar is a good breakfast in a beachfront environment.  Take Atlantic north to the “Y”, go straight (bear right) and turn right at Buenos Arias by the Oceana.   The restaurant is on the left. 

The Beacon is an old school breakfast diner, continue past Tony and Joe’s on Third avenue until it dead ends into Flagler Ave.  The beacon is Directly in front of you.

On to lunch

The Breakers has the best hamburgers in town on Flagler next to the Flagler beach entrance.  Yellow Dog Eat’s is a local favorite, on Windermere & Canal Street.  Right up the street is The Corkscrew, another local favorite for lunch and dinner, as well as one of the best Moscow Mules in NSB!  Care for Sushi? Garden Fusion or Sasaki on Flagler.

Let’s have dinner

So Napa Grill on S. Atlantic avenue is one of our favorites.  They have a great wine list specializing in Napa Valley’s best, the food is fantastic and the service is impeccable.   The Garlic is a great local setting for Italian, but go hungry!  The il Forno Pepper Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon is outstanding along with everything else.  Norwoods is another great place, with a cool new treehouse bar that is elevated above the restaurant. Their admirals platter is an amazing seafood Tour de Force.   Outstanding wine list. .    

 JB’s Fish Camp has NSB’s best sunset environment, with live music on the weekends. Good place to watch dolphins, and the launch location for many flat water fishing guides (highly recommended).  

Things to do when you visit New Smyrna Beach

Cape Canaveral National Sea Shore.  The turtle mounds are midden mounds from the Indian days. There’s a nice tour through the area with a walk along the oyster beds, an old plantation home, vacation homes and other fun sights.   It’s a wonderful place to spend your afternoon. Take mosquito repellent if the wind isn’t up.  $5 entry. 

Kennedy Space Center is an hour to the south. Go early and do the entire package.  The Space Shuttle Atlantis display is amazing.  

And of course, THE BEACH, voted one of the top ten beaches in Florida.  Go to the Flagler St. entrance and drive north to the inlet.  Great people watching on one of the few drive-on beaches in the US.  

Surfing and Stand-Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) 

New Smyrna is one of the premier surf spots on the east coast of the US.  Many beaches offer a good surf break, including Bethune Beach with a great public area.  

One of the best surf breaks on the East Coast is the inlet. The southside of Ponce Inlet is a playground with an excellent offshore break and various spots from Flagler north to the inlet. The locals are cool; be respectful of the lineup, paddle out and wait your turn if it’s crowded (which isn’t often). Five miles north on Atlantic enter at Flagler or one of the points north and drive north on the beach to the inlet.  

Best place to rent surfboards AND SHOP is Red Dog Surf shop.    

For stand up paddle boarding, rent from Kembali Teak Gallery & Board Shack.  They will deliver to either the beachside or the intracoastal.  For the less experienced paddler, the intracoastal is a great place to learn, as the water is nice and flat.   You can rent beginner boards from JBs Fish Camp for $20 an hour each.   It’s a good deal and you can launch from there.  

Manatees

The manatees enjoy summer in the intracoastal and Atlantic. The best place to see manatees close by is off of Ladyfish Drive, which is directly across from Bethune Beach Park.  There are beach volleyball courts there and it’s a great launch for the standup paddle boards (Kembali will actually deliver there for you!)  IYou can paddle with the manatees in the intracoastal, go around the islands or down south to JB’s Fishcamp for lunch or dinner.  The manatees are protected, so don’t please don’t make contact. 

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles are also an endangered species.   It’s against the law to tamper with their nesting sites or to project a lot of light toward the beach during the late summer fall season.  Lights may confuse the baby turtle’s sense of direction, causing them to head inland rather than towards the water. Rescue numbers for stranded sea turtles are 888-404-3926 or 407-275-4150.

Tours

Echo Tours are done at the Marine discovery Center, and it’s always best to call ahead for reservations.  It’s a fairly easy kayak paddle that will last a couple of hours. The tour goes through the canal system and the older section of New Smyrna then returns back through the Harbor.  Lots of fun and a great way to explore NSB!

Places to Stay

Beachfront and just a few miles from the world-famous Flagler Drive, stay in a gorgeous oceanfront luxury home. Enjoy this prime location with fantastic resort amenities! Book Now!