TRAVEL & CULTURE
JUNE 2017 / SOUTHERNLIVING.COM
70New Smyrna is authentic Florida
at its colorful, funky best, with tons of
fun concentrated along a few blocks of
Flagler Avenue nearest the beach. It’s
the kind of place where you might see
a statue of Santa carrying a surfboard;
a bikini-clad skateboarder zooming
by; or maybe a dog wearing sunglasses.
So park yourself at a table on one of the
decks at Flagler Tavern, order a cold
libation and some conch chowder, and
take it all in.
Get a different view of the beach
action at boardwalk-esque Flagler
Avenue Beachfront Park. (By the way,
check out the lifeguard station next to
the park. The tower is as big as a condo,
which might attest to the wave action
they can see down here.)
When you’re ready to get settled
in, choose a mainstream, vintage, or
riverside stay. If you prefer
popular chains, there’s the
cottagey Hampton Inn New
Smyrna Beach, which is
just an easy walk from
the beachfront. Or for a
historic-inn experience, try
The Riverview Hotel & Spa
on the Indian River, a short
drive from the beach. Both
the sleek, Mediterranean
Black Dolphin Inn and
the more traditional Night
Swan Intracoastal Bed
& Breakfast have their
own boat docks right on
the Indian River.
But if you really want to
get into the retro spirit of
New Smyrna, book one
of just a handful of suites
at The Salty Mermaid
Oceanfront Hotel, an
authentic, stylishly reno-
vated motor court. Each
unit has a front and back
door, the latter leading ontoTake It Outside: Many New Smyrna Beach
restaurants, like Third Wave, offer alfresco
dining options. Some are dog friendly, so
you can bring along your four-pawed pals.Everything’s Fresh
The ever-changing menu
at New Smyrna’s Third
Wave Café & Wine Bar
might include dishes like
prawns and caviar or ahi
tuna and mint pesto, along
with handcrafted pizzas.