Ponce Inlet is a calm ocean-front town at the tip of a barrier island. It has free parking, the tallest lighthouse in Florida (which you can tour) plus parks, a beach and places to eat fresh seafood.
Tag: Volusia County
Hontoon Island: Wild island in St. Johns River reopens camping and cabins
Hontoon Island State Park is a big wild park surrounded by the St. Johns River and reachable only by boat. A free ferry operates daily. The park recently reopened its campground and rustic cabins.
Firefly nights at Blue Spring State Park 2026: March 13 – April 12
Fireflies in Florida? It’s a thing! Blue Spring State Park offers special viewing in spring ‘firefly season.’
East Central Regional Rail Trail: 50 mile bike trail; something for every rider
The East Central Regional Rail Trail deserves a catchier name because it’s a great bike trail – long, smooth, scenic and well-supported with signage and amenities. It travels through one of the most rural areas of Florida with miles of paved path without an intersection.
Ultimate Road Trip: Driving on Florida’s coastal beaches
Driving your car on the beaches is a Florida tradition going back to horse-and-buggy days. Today, only a few beaches still allow the practice. We show you where and how on the Atlantic Coast.
De Leon Springs: ‘Pancake park’ is so much more
De Leon Springs, about an hour north of Orlando, is a state park with swimming, kayaking and fantastic history. It’s best known for — of all things — its pancakes. Our advice: spend the day and take in the adjacent Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge.
Unsung heritage corridor: Springs, history, scenic byway in Central Florida
This off-the-beaten track region offers springs, history and Florida scenic drives along the St. Johns, the ‘river of lakes.’ It’s centered around the Old Florida city of DeLand, an hour north of Orlando.
Quiet escape to lonely Lake George State Forest
There’s not much going on in Lake George State Forest, making it an ideal getaway for a few days of solitude along the St. John’s River.
Tiger Bay State Forest (and an old brick road near Daytona Speedway)
DAYTONA BEACH — Tiger Bay State Forest is a vast wilderness quite close to Daytona Beach International Speedway, and it’s a great destination for camping, fishing, off-road bike riding, hiking and horseback riding.