Gentle ocean breezes, the soothing sound of waves lapping the sugary shoreline, the tangy smell of saltwater permeating the air…New Smyrna’s beaches are a powerful elixir for the soul. Mesmerizing, they call to us, drawing us in like a siren song.
Here’s the even better news. The oceanfront, rivers and bays virtually surround New Smyrna Beach. So, whatever watersports or water-related activities you prefer, you can be certain it is available to you in New Smyrna Beach.
Here is a sampling – with tips and premier locations – of some enticing things you can do on the water in New Smyrna Beach:
Paddleboarding
Paddle boarding is a relatively easy sport to learn, it provides a great full-body workout and, if you are lucky enough to enjoy it in New Smyrna Beach, you can take in some incredible scenery while you’re at it!
Indian River Lagoon is a particularly pleasurable place to glide along on a paddle board at sunset in search of dolphins, manatees, eagles and ospreys. However, if you want to light up the night…for all you fun and health conscious techies out there, Pure Island Tours on S. Atlantic Avenue offers paddle boards with LED lighting systems and 16 color options operated via remote!
There is also the Canaveral National Seashore Wildlife Excursion, which is a two-hour stand-up paddle boat tour along Florida’s largest stretch of undeveloped coastline. New Smyrna Stand Up also offers paddle board rentals and instruction on N. Peninsula, if that is more convenient; and East Coast Paddle, on Engram Road in New Smyrna Beach, is available for assisted stand-up paddle boarding tours and lessons as well.
Kayaking
Ah, but there is also good news for the people who prefer to sit as they paddle through the serene waters of the New Smyrna Beach. Kayaking tours and rentals are abundant in New Smyrna Beach as well!
Here are a few good examples…Dolphin and Manatee Tours of New Smyrna Beach provides fully guided kayak excursions for all skill levels, including land demonstrations. Additionally, Volusia Paddle Board and Kayak offers the convenience of a mobile kayak rental service.
The Marine Science Center in nearby Ponce Inlet also offers kayak eco-tours lead kayakers through mangroves, salt marshes and oyster reefs, which are guided by a certified Florida naturalist and include basic kayak instruction. Plus, if you are looking for an amazing kayaking experience, try a full moon kayaking tour. At the onset of this unique kayaking excursion, participants are invited to climb the observation look-out for a beautiful view of the rising moon.
FYI, Callalisa Park, located at 598 S. Peninsula Avenue in New Smyrna Beach, is a nice spot for kayaking with a boat ramp launch and picnic tables; and right next door, in the neighboring town of Edgewater, you’ll find George Kennedy Memorial Park, which is ideal for open water paddle boarding and has restrooms, a pavilion with picnic tables and a fishing pier.
Surfing
Surfing is a huge deal in New Smyrna Beach and it comes with a legendary history. There is even a museum dedicated to it! New Smyrna Beach Museum of East Coast Surfing showcases our rich surfing heritage, but here’s just a little background for you…
New Smyrna Beach has cultivated more world-class surfers than any other town in the world, and it all began in the early 1960s. Surfing pioneers and New Smyrna Beach residents, Kem McNair and Charley Baldwin were first to set the New Smyrna Beach standard of surfing excellence when they won their East Coast titles back in the early 70s. Charley continued winning pro events long into the 80s, propelling him to become the first New Smyrna Beach surfer inducted into the East Coast Hall of Fame. And there are so many more surf champions who were groomed in and emanated from New Smyrna. In fact, New Smyrna Beach is so important to the world of surfing that the last Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour East Coast event was held in 1989 right here in New Smyrna Beach and Travel and Leisure magazine named New Smyrna Beach one of the world’s 15 “Coolest Surf Towns.”
So, break out your board and get ready to catch some of those world famous New Smyrna Beach waves. Just to give you an idea of how prolific our surfers are here in New Smyrna Beach, you can find surf shops and surfboard rental companies a stone’s throw from pretty much anywhere you go, including Nichols Surf Shop on Lytle Avenue, which is the oldest surf shop and beach rental business. It’s been in, as they say, “delivering fun since 1969” and it also offers surfing instructions. Jimmy Lane Surfing Academy also offers private or group surfing lessons provided by pro surfer Jimmy Lane and his esteemed team. For rentals, there are a bunch more shops such as Red Dog Surf Shop on Atlantic, Quiet Flight, Rip Curl Surf Center and Inlet Charley’s on Flagler.
The top surfing spot in this area is Ponce Inlet, where the Intracoastal and Indian and Halifax rivers empty between the stone jetties into the Atlantic. Bethune Beach, when there is a south swell, is pretty rad too.
Fishing
Framed by water on three sides and part of a 3,000-mile Intracoastal Waterway system, New Smyrna Beach is a fisherman’s paradise. Experienced anglers will tell you that New Smyrna Beach offers some of the best inshore fishing available and its deep water access offshore yields mahi, grouper, sailfish, swordfish, marlin, shark, wahoo, king mackerel, snapper and more. Indian River Lagoon has justly earned its moniker of Redfish Capital of the World moniker and Ponce Inlet is a particularly sweet spot for fishing including the jetty just south which is a preferred spot by locals for surf fishing.
New Smyrna Beach fishing charters include Holy Smokes on the North Causeway, New Smyrna Fishing Charters on Canal Street, Caught Up Fishing Charters on North Riverside Drive and about a million more – just joking…but almost!
