Here’s a map that shows areas where you can drive on the beach in New Smyrna Beach.ĭriving on the beach in a vintage postcard courtesy of Florida Memory Project There are five vehicle access ramps in New Smyrna Beach. You pay a toll as you enter the beach, and if you leave one area, your pass allows you to re-enter on other access ramps. In both New Symrna Beach and Daytona Beach, the areas where you are allowed to drive are clearly marked, with natural areas and select beach areas designated as no-drive zones. Here’s a Florida Rambler story on the delightful off-the-beaten-track town of Ponce Inlet. On the north side of the jetty - the Daytona side - is the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, which is open at 10 a.m. (There is a section of beach inside the inlet where pets are allowed.) Leashed pets are permitted on the boardwalk, but not the ocean beach. The boardwalk is also accessible from the Coast Guard Station on Peninsula Avenue, two miles north of Flagler Avenue. There are two miles of elevated boardwalk that skirt 73 pristine acres. You can also access a magnificent boardwalk near the south jetty that rises above a wide expanse of dunes, known as Smyrna Dunes Park. I also gave up swimming from the beach near the jetty.”ĭoes this look like a good idea? In 1976, these cars were driving on the beach and parked as the tide came in. “After catching a half-dozen sharks and one barracuda inside of an hour, I gave it up. “I once took my boat just outside the inlet to fish,” Bob says. Sharks congregate around the inlet to feed on the tidal migrations of fish, sometimes mistaking surfboards for their prey. The surfing beach near the jetty is the area of New Smyrna Beach that has the dubious distinction of being the shark-bite capital of Florida. Florida Rambler colleague Bob Rountree often visits this area, and he’s been stuck in the soft sand more than once. While there is usually a friendly crowd to help rock you free (regulars bring shovels), it’s not a fun way to spend your day, and it can be a dangerous exercise.

Newbies try to double park, and many inevitably get stuck in the soft sand.

The south side of the Ponce Inlet jetty in New Smyrna Beach is a mecca for surfers, and the jetty itself is a magnet for fishing, so it’s always crowded. Cars of the 1970s driving on the beach on Daytona Beach.

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