TRAVEL & CULTURE
JUNE 2017 / SOUTHERNLIVING.COM
66Mostly a two-lane road, A1A passes
through a string of Florida tourist
magnets: Amelia Island; the “Ancient
City” of St. Augustine; NASCAR birth-
place Daytona Beach; spring break-
central Fort Lauderdale; and a quaint
little village called Miami. But it’s also
home to beach towns undiscovered by
those of us who instead have standing
reservations at places like South Padre
Island, Texas; Gulf Shores, Alabama; the
Florida Panhandle; and South Carolina’s
Grand Strand. We might go the extra
mile to visit Central Florida’s theme
parks, but we tend to “beach it”
closer to home.That’s what makes an A1A adventure
so much fun—the beaches here are
totally different from anything you
typically see elsewhere. And the hot
months of summer are their off-season,
so you can score some deals on hotels.
Best of all, while you might expect a
certain level of homogeneity among
towns dotting the same highway, A1A
beach towns can be as different as
Daytona and Miami. Two of our favorite
destinations are New Smyrna Beach
and Delray Beach.Two Vacations in One
Book your stay at the historic
Riverview Hotel & Spa on
the Indian River, and you’re
just a short hop away from
the sand and surf of New
Smyrna Beach.NEW SMYRNA BEACH
Ultimate Surf TownIf you can’t have fun in New Smyrna
Beach, there’s a very good chance that
you’re a mountain person. Gidget would
love this surf’s-up little burg, but you
can easily choose how much or how
little beach time you want.
Stay right in the thick of things on
the beachfront, or opt for a hotel or a
BYOB (bring you own boat) property on“If you can’t have fun in
New Smyrna Beach,
there’s a very good
chance that you’re a
mountain person.”