A fabulously fun vacation doesn’t have to break the bank. When you’ve had your fill of splashing in the surf, here’s a few budget-friendly things to do in New Smyrna Beach.
Explore New Smyrna Beach’s 250 years of history with a visit to the New Smyrna Museum of History and the Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum. Inside both museums, you’ll find artifacts, photographs, and other memorabilia from past NSB residents. Both are free to enter and explore.
After you’ve explored the museums, be sure to stop by Old Fort Park, located at 115 Julia Street. The site is home to a mysterious coquina foundation and walls—some say it was a Spanish fort, while others believe it’s the former home of the city’s founder, Andrew Turnbull. Another historic spot, the Sugar Mill Ruins, is also free to visit. Once part of the Cruger-dePeyster Plantation, the site features the ruins of coquina sugar factory that was raided during a war between the Seminole Indians and the United States.
New Smyrna Beach boasts a thriving art scene, with plenty of free galleries to explore. Pop in to Arts on Douglas, which offers a broad spectrum of artistic work. Over at The Hub on Canal, you can view everything from paintings to pottery, and even visit with artists as they work. Other free galleries include Jane’s Art Center, Ring Gallery, and the Bob Ross Art Workshop and Gallery.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the spirit-making process at Sugar Works Distillery, located at 1714 SR 44. The tours are free and generally last 45 minutes to an hour. Afterwards, you can sample whiskey, moonshine, and several types of rum.
Wildlife is abundant in the New Smyrna Beach area. Visit an area park, like Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park’s riverside location, to see lumbering manatees and playful dolphins. The 536-foot boardwalk at Spruce Creek Park is a great spot for birding enthusiasts.
In nearby Port Orange, the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens is both a historical landmark and verdant oasis. Read up on the history of this 1800s sugar mill before taking a stroll through the botanical garden filled with azaleas, camellias, palms, and succulents. There are also full-size dinosaur statues, remnants of when the property served as an amusement park.
Hit the trails! Get some exercise while exploring the great outdoors on one of our area trails. The New Smyrna Beach Multi-Use Trail spans 2.2 miles and offers a 12-foot wide multi-use paved pathway. Or head to Edgewater and hop on the East Central Regional Rail Trail. The trail runs 47 miles, it’s perfect for walking, jogging, biking, and skating.
Spend less and do more with a vacation to New Smyrna Beach.
