Plan a Florida Beach Vacation

Florida is a very large state with a somewhat diverse climate.  Mileage from the northernmost tip of the Panhandle to southernmost Key West is roughly 832 miles.  It would take over twelve hours to drive from one end of Florida to the other.  It can be daunting to find the perfect place to spend a long-awaited vacation.

The Gulf of Mexico is well known for it's beautiful beaches and calm, warm waters, but don't dismiss the east coast.  The eastern areas also offer some unique beauty all their own.  And the eastern, central area offers close proximity to the big theme parks in Orlando and Kissimmee, as well as the Daytona International Speedway and the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

Fun fact: Flamingos get their bright coloring from the shrimp and other food they eat.

Photo credit: Meredith Lamb | Dreamstime

The New Smyrna and Daytona beaches allow cars to drive onto the beach during the day.  It's a convenient way bring everything you need right to the sand for the day. 

Most people drive on and find a place to park and spend a few hours, or all day, then leave.  Others like to cruise the beach.  In the summer, drive-on beaches can be packed with people, cars and bicycles, but the beach closes around 7:00pm.

I have stayed a few times at a condo on the drive-on beach.  It really didn't bother me that there was traffic in front of the condo all day long.  It can be entertaining watching the people and cars pass by.  Cars are required to crawl along the sand due to posted very low speed limits.  But some people prefer the non-driving beach as it is safer for children and less crowded and more quiet (sometimes).

Beach Traffic Pros and cons:

1. Drive-on beaches are in the heart of the busy areas.  With people on the beach from the condos combined with people visiting in cars, the beaches can be crowded - especially at high tide, when the sand area is smaller. (At extreme high tides, the on-ramps to the beach are closed.)
2. The non-driving beaches are further down the road (south) from the center of the city and therefore further from shopping and some restaurants, but generally not that far.
3. Some of the areas near the non-driving beaches have parking lots so you'll seldom have the place to yourself no matter where you are.
4. Lifeguards dot the driving beach during the day, and Turtle Mound / Bethune Beach has one as well (one of the non-driving beaches), but renting a home or condo on a non-driving beach may mean there will be no lifeguards.
5. Renting beach equipment such as umbrellas, boogie boards, bikes and such is done from the trucks and trailers that pull onto the beach and set up their business.  Also food and drink can be purchased from vendors on the drive-on beaches.  You are on your own on a non-driving beach.
6. Cars must leave the beach at the end of the day, so no matter where you stay, the beach will be clear of traffic in the evening.

(Photo:  27th Ave. park and walk on beach area.)

New Smyrna Beach is a located on the central, east coast of Florida.  It is a beautiful place, with a small town, friendly feel.  Famous Daytona Beach is to the north and the Canaveral Seashore is to the south.  It's the perfect place to live or vacation.  With two main roads that dump visitors onto the drive-on beaches in New Smyrna, it's also a very busy area.

Two causeways cross the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to get over to "beachside" from the mainland and they are known simply as the "north causeway" and "south causeway".  The north one has a drawbridge.  There are, of course, numerous hotels and condos all along the shore and the river.

Water is always close by in Florida.  You may rent a pontoon or fishing boat at the Fishin' Cove Marina, and get out on the ICW and see some of the real Florida.  Fishermen are drawn to this area because of Mosquito Lagoon, just to the south, which is a very popular spot for catching redfish and lots more.  (The rentals are not allowed to go as far south as Mosquito Lagoon.)

(Photo: That's my son driving our center console rental boat.)

Flagler Ave., in New Smyrna is a popular area for tourists with restaurants, a surf shops and places to pick up souvenirs, not to mention beach access.   Head over the north causeway and Flagler Ave will dump you onto the drive-on beach.  If you head north, you'll eventually end up at the jetty at Ponce Inlet.

There's also a big parking lot (that has bathroom accommodations) where Flagler Ave. ends, so you can stroll the beach or sidewalks and do some shopping.   A favorite spot right at the beach is Breakers restaurant where you can sit and watch the beach traffic (the image below was our view).  Sit at the windows to eat a yummy meal while watching the beach-goers run for cover from an impending storm!

(Shortly after I took the picture below, the lifeguards and beach patrol cleared the beach because of lightning.)

Recently I was searching for a place to rent for my Florida week-long vacation.  Of course the first place I thought of was on the beach.  It can be overwhelming when trying to choose the perfect place to rent as there are just so many to choose from.  While they all may seem quite similar, certain amenities can add comfort to your stay.  Read descriptions carefully, and ask the renter questions to make sure items will be provided.

• Do you want to be on the driving beach or non-driving? (See below for an explanation)
• Want a large, highrise complex with many units, or would you prefer a smaller place?
• Compare number of pools to size of units - how crowded will the pool be?
• Is there a minimum number of weeks you must stay?  (Some places rent by the month only.)
• Think about amenities you may want, such as washer and dryer, internet access, elevators, wheelchair access, covered parking, beach toys, towels and chairs.

Having the ocean in your front yard is a wonderful thing.  And all these condos also have great pools.  VRBO (Vacation rentals by owner) has an extensive list of New Smyrna Beach rentals, but these were my top finds:

Schooner Point (Non-driving beach)
Built in 1983, this is a nice looking, low-rise complex of condos directly on the beach. With only 40 total units, this place is not overly huge. Prices per week vary throughout the year, but I found this place to be on the more expensive side.

Chateau by the Sea (Driving beach, but at the cut-off, so close to non-driving)
With 53 units right on the ocean, what I liked about this complex was the location of the pool. At most condos, if your room is located close to the pool, it can be noisy. This place centered the pool in a grassy area with the "U" shaped building giving everyone a nice view. This was also one of the more affordable places I looked at.

The Watermark (Driving beach)
The Watermark is a great place to stay. It's right on the driving beach near popular Flagler Ave. (see my photos on this page), which means you can walk to shops and restaurants. This complex also offers a closed garage with each unit so your vehicle can be parked under cover. I have stayed here twice with my family and we all had great fun.

Minorca
The Minorca and the Inlet are located at the northern tip of New Smyrna Beach near Ponce Inlet, which is a driving beach, but I believe this complex has access to the ICW side too (not sure). This place is relatively new, and huge.  The site says there is underground parking which is something I've never heard of in this area.