New Smyrna Beach is a great place to live. It is an even better place to vacation and visit. Regardless if you are a biker, spring breaker, retiree, or family vacationer here are a few tips to make your stay more pleasant.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Grab a bagel with any and all choices of eggs, meat, cheese, veggies etc at Bagel World. Best Bagels anywhere, great service, good coffee..love Bagel World, they are cash only. If you are beach side and want a tasty, traditional breakfast, cheap and fast, hit The Beacon on Flagler Ave.
Seafood choices are plentiful, JB's Fish Camp, Off The Hook, Ocean's Seafood and Dolphin View are a few of the local favorites. The NSB Steakhouse has about everything on the menu and always wonderful service.
Other good restaurants to check out.....Thai Mango on Canal Street, Merk's on the North Causeway (great wings), McKenna's Place on US 1 (something for everyone). Cafe Heavenly on Flagler, SoNapa Grille and NSB Yu Mi Sushi.
Want to order pizza...we have the usual chains. Best local on the Beach is Mikey's. They deliver beachside or you can pick up. They only take cash.
Some other things to remember when visiting our beach....we have beautiful beaches, please help us keep them that way...there are trash and recycle containers available all along the beach. Please use them and do not litter.
Our wildlife is also plentiful, please do not disturb the birds, turtles, or other critters that inhabit our beach.
When traveling on A1A, please notice there are crosswalks. There are several from Publix on down to Bethune Beach. They could be marked better BUT, if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, YOU MUST STOP. There is also a major crosswalk at 8th Avenue and Saxon. This one is clearly marked with stop signs and pedestrian crossing signs. Please be careful and observe the right of way of the many walkers, runners and bikers that utilize these areas. You will get ticketed if observed running one of these when someone is in the crosswalk. Even worse someone could be hurt or killed.
Please watch your children on the beach. Most drivers are careful, some are not. Do not take a chance. Watch your kids.
Yes, we have sharks. We also have an ocean, sharks live in the ocean. I get at least 2 emails a week asking if it is safe to swim here. Most of the nippy little pests are hanging out in the inlet near the jettys. I have lived here several years and visited here since 1989. I have spent many hours in the water, so have my children, not one shark encounter to report.
While on the topic of swimming. We have an over abundance of lifeguards. They are well trained, observant and know what they are doing. Swim near them. Ask them questions, read the boards they have on their big red chairs. Lots of information like water temp, rip current threat, shark sightings.....Another good thing to note....IF they are waving at you to get out of the water and blowing their whistle it is probably for a good reason...lightning, rip current, shark (sorry, couldn't resist) to name a few.
There is all kinds of touristy things to do on Flagler Avenue, but be sure and check out Canal Street while you are here, nice shops, some good restaurants and on select weekends entertainment as well.
Please email me if you have questions or need information. I am happy to find out the answer if I don't know it (good chance of that). Also check out our Visitor's Center website. They have a great calendar of events and all kinds of information. Also a great resource is Volusia County Mom's. She has events and activities all over Volusia County, not just at the beach.
Check out the links in the left sidebar for other local information, news, beach and surfer access, boat ramps etc.
All the restaurants mentioned in this post I have eaten at and can recommend. (they are on beach side or close) If they have a website you can click on their name and take a look. I know there are other good places to eat, if you have a question about a specific restaurant post a question on my Facebook page and someone will surely answer.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the beach!
