Nature / Outdoors in New Smyrna Beach

When I want to spend time outdoors in New Smyrna Beach, I have more choices than just the beach, and all of them are close by. You can drive on the sand, walk boardwalks through the dunes, watch surfers, and explore mysterious old ruins. These are my favorite places, from a quiet morning by the river to the sunrise and sunset at Smyrna Dunes Park.

The beach: drive on the sand and watch the surfers

New Smyrna Beach is one of the few beaches in the country where you can drive right onto the sand and park next to your beach chair. The driving areas are marked, and there is a daily fee. It is also a surf town, so you will often see surfers in the water, especially near the inlet. And yes, it is often called the shark bite capital of the world. Most bites are minor and happen where small fish gather, and locals mostly shrug it off.

Smyrna Dunes Park

Smyrna Dunes Park is one of my favorite hidden gems. More than two miles of boardwalk wind through the dunes, with views of the ocean, the inlet, and the river. It is a special place on the East Coast because you can watch the sunrise over the ocean and the sunset over the river. You can even bring your dog to the swimming area on the river side. There is an entrance fee per car.

Riverside Park

Riverside Park sits right on the river, a short walk from Canal Street. It is a favorite fishing spot, with people fishing under the bridge and from the pier, and you will also see people walking their dogs or just sitting by the water. There is a covered playground and plenty of open green space, and it is one of the most popular prom photo spots in town. I took my sons' prom pictures here.

Old Fort Park ruins

The Old Fort Park ruins are one of the most mysterious places in town. The walls are made of coquina, a shell-based stone, and they likely date back to the 1770s colony. But nobody can prove who built them or why. Some say it was a fort, some say a warehouse, and some say an unfinished house. It is free to visit, and the farmers market is held right around here on Saturday mornings.

Sugar Mill Ruins

The Sugar Mill Ruins are another piece of New Smyrna Beach history. The coquina walls are all that is left of a steam-powered sugar mill built around 1830, which burned in 1835 during the Second Seminole War. For years, people believed it was an old Spanish mission, but historians say it was always a sugar mill. It is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Canaveral National Seashore

At the south end of New Smyrna Beach, Canaveral National Seashore has 24 miles of beach with no buildings at all, the longest undeveloped beach on Florida's Atlantic coast. There is an entrance fee per car, but there are fewer people. You can climb Turtle Mound, a huge shell mound left by early Native Americans, and look out over Mosquito Lagoon. On summer weekends, go early, because the parking lots fill up. Dogs are not allowed on the beach.

Why I love the outdoors in New Smyrna Beach

I take photos pretty seriously. I am not a nature photographer, but these places make the best backgrounds for portraits. My son loves fishing and kayaking here too, and if you have a boat, there is even more to explore on the river and the lagoon. Every time I am out here, I feel so lucky to live in New Smyrna Beach.