New
Smyrna Beach Voted Florida's "Best Beach"
By
readers of Florida
Monthly
Magazine
The New Smyrna
Beach Area Visitors Bureau gratefully thanks the readers of Florida
Monthly magazine for voting our area Florida’s "Best
Beach"! Please accept our appreciation for this celebrated
award. Selected by those who know Florida best - the Floridians - we
appreciate the value of this distinction. It’s wonderful that New
Smyrna Beach has been recognized for Florida’s greatest asset -
the beach!
Located on
Central Florida’s East Coast, the New Smyrna Beach area consists
of 13.2-miles of sandy beach with an additional 24-miles of pristine
coastline at Canaveral Seashore Park. As the closest beach to
Central Florida’s theme parks and attractions, New Smyrna Beach is
an ideal Florida destination. Visitors escape the long lines and
high prices of Central Florida to a relaxing and inexpensive stay on
this magnificent coast.
The average
temperature of 74°F allows for year-round sunbathing, swimming,
surfing, windsurfing, jet skiing and fishing. The strip of ocean off
New Smyrna Beach is one of the safest in Florida, not only for
accomplished surfers to rip up the waves, but also for sunbathers to
soak up the rays.
New Smyrna Beach
offers first-rate fishing conditions to explore the backwaters of
Mosquito Lagoon or the deep waters of the Atlantic. International
redfish records have been set in Mosquito Lagoon. Rental or
chartered boats are available for full or partial-day tours, and
most guarantee a catch of the day. With restaurants located on the
bank of the lagoon, locals enjoy fresh seafood and live music while
overlooking one of the most diverse estuaries in the United States.
As one of
America’s top cities for the arts, New Smyrna Beach is home to
several shows and theaters featuring visual and performing arts.
Visitors flock to these locales for the various exotic art shows and
stunning works by local Floridians.
Originally
preserved and recently restored turn-of-the-century buildings line
the streets of New Smyrna Beach. The shopping districts of Flagler
Avenue and Canal Street are lined with majestic palm trees, brick
sidewalks and a brand new beach ramp and boardwalk. It should be no
surprise that the second oldest city in the state of Florida is home
to seven antique shopping pavilions.
Just South of
New Smyrna Beach, Canaveral National Seashore Park serves as a
refuge for several endangered and protected species of Florida
wildlife. During the summer months, Canaveral National Seashore Park
serves as a nesting ground for giant loggerhead sea
turtles. Park
rangers offer "Turtle Watch" programs, giving visitors an
opportunity to learn about sea turtles and the role the park plays
in their conservation
As early as
2,000 BC, Timucuan Indians inhabited the area of New Smyrna Beach.
Fortunately, part of their legacy continues in the form of Turtle
Mound, a 50-foot hill containing 33,000 cubic yards of oyster shells
covering two acres. Visitors to Canaveral National Park can climb
atop for a spectacular panoramic coastal view. For more information
on the New Smyrna Beach area, please visit www.newsmyrnabeachonline.com
or call toll-free 1-TO-NEW SMYRNA (1-866-397-6976 U.S. & Canada)
or (386) 428-1600.
florida monthly July
2001
