What to do in New Smyrna Beach Florida

It’s evening and I’m sitting on the second story balcony facing the beach. The afternoon storm that put on a show of lighting and twirling gray clouds hanging over the ocean surface has cleared. A dolphin pod is swimming off to my right, surfacing and showing their dorsal fins as they arc out of the water and back in. My eyes are peeled for any spinner sharks jumping out of the water or signs of other shark activity.

I’m in New Smyrna Beach Florida. Known as Shark Bite Capital of the world, and also the place I would most recommend visiting in Florida if you’re looking for a beach town hideout.

The city has a multi faceted past with roots in bootlegging and moonshining during the prohibition era. The river islands served as hideouts for stills and rum runners coming from the Bahamas through Mosquito Inlet. Its history dates much further back than that though. In 1768 it was established as a British Colonial settlement, making it one of the oldest European settlements in Florida.

But the reasons I would recommend visiting New Smyrna Beach, affectionately known as NSB, have more to do with what the town is today than what it used to be.

You have probably heard of places in Florida like Orlando, Miami, Destin, Key West and maybe Seaside. Although it doesn’t have the turquoise blue waters of Destin, or the resort options of Orlando, I would pick NSB over these other popular Florida destinations. It has something I haven’t found in the other places- character, charm, and the genuineness of a town that came about the way that it came about, rather than being master planned, or designed to project a certain facade or atmosphere.

Here’s what I would recommend doing while you’re there:

1. Stay on the beachside if you can. This will allow for nighttime walks on the beach looking for shells that have washed in, and morning sunrises while watching the dolphins swim by. If your condo has roof access, make sure to have a rooftop picnic while you watch the sunset and spot dolphins.
   
   

I love where we stayed. It was funky, had a lot of character and reflected the same vibe as the town. The condo we stayed in was originally built in the 1930s right on the beach. The rest of the family stayed next door in a newly built gorgeous luxury beach apartment. Both places were comfortable and had their own advantages. I’ll link to videos below if you’d like to tour both places. You can book either of them by visiting NSBhouse.com

2. Swim at the beach. This one may go without saying, but I don’t think a trip to New Smyrna is complete if you haven’t at least dipped your feet in the Atlantic waters. Be forewarned- since you’re on the Atlantic side of the state the waters will be chilly. During the middle of the summer this can be refreshing. But if you come in wintertime it will likely be too cold to swim.
Check out my curated list of beach must haves here!
While you’re on the beach you can look for the New Smyrna Beach Turtle Trackers. They may be working to track and protect nearby sea turtle nests. If you’re fortunate, you may even get to see a turtle hatching. Sea turtle hatchings are generally July-October.
You could also try out surfing while you’re there. I saw several people taking surf lessons while I was at the beach and it looked like fun.
Afraid to swim because it’s called Shark Bite Capital? This is one of my travel fears too. Check out my YouTube video where I do a deep dive [pun intended] and talk about what the chances truly are of getting bit by a shark while visiting NSB, and where I landed on addressing this adventure anxiety.

3. Make sure to take at least one afternoon and walk down Flagler avenue, named for Henry Flagler, a railroad tycoon who brought Florida’s East Coast Railway to NSB. Today, Flagler ave is full of shops that are browse-worthy and restaurants that are taste-test-worthy.
Here are my favorite places:

4. Stop by Bamboo East Trading Company to find flowy linen beach wear, colorful boho dresses, carefully curated jewelry, and creative beaded bags. They had a brand of Jewelry called Scout that I especially liked.

5. When you’re hungry for lunch, stop by Manzano’s Beachside Deli. They have an amazing range of subs you can order, including the NSB sub. Their bread is flown in every day from New York! And it is fantastic.

6. Be sure to visit Cool Beans Cafe. It’s nestled in a Latin style courtyard with colorful tables and chairs outside to sit on. The owner Nicole served me an amazing Affogato with Salted Caramel Gelato. It was amazing. And the portion sizes were generous. It’s a great place to take a break from the heat and enjoy something delicious. Someone else in our group got the “Paradise” lavender agave oat milk coldbrew, and that drink was a top pick as well.

7. The most meaningful place we stopped in NSB was Kat’s Cafe. I would definitely recommend visiting during your stay. The barista Charles was super lovely and explained that Kat’s Cafe was created for Kat, who is autistic. It is a haven for her to sell her handmade pottery. She performs on harp and piano at events held there. They even buy their coffee beans from a company in North Carolina called 321 Coffee, that employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While you’re there be sure to order a Dutch coffee made in their glass slow drip cold brew tower that you can watch do its work while you wait. Make sure to order coffee ice cubes so your coffee stays nice and tasty while it melts.

Here are some places I would love to visit the next time I go:

Sugar Works Distillery- They have drinks with names like “Shark Bite” and “New Smyrna Shine,” and cocktail classes every second Tuesday!