Ponce Inlet, Daytona Beach Shores and Wilbur by the Sea, Florida

Daytona Beach Shores/Ponce Inlet/Wilbur by the Sea

Waterfront living at its finest is found on the peninsula that extends south of the Daytona Beach area; Daytona Beach Shores, Port Orange and Wilbur by the Sea all the way to Ponce Inlet, named for the famed explorer Ponce de Leon, several miles south. Beautiful beachfront extends the length of the eastern edge of the peninsula while riverfront vistas anchor the western edge.

At the southernmost tip is Ponce de Leon Lighthouse Park, home to the tallest lighthouse in Florida. From the top of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse you can see miles in every direction. This is one viewpoint not to be missed. On the grounds of the park are several original buildings that belonged to the lighthouse operations including the principal light keeper’s house, the oil reserve house and a lens museum, where the original Fresnel lens is kept.  

Next to the lighthouse is Volusia County’s Marine Science Center and Mary Keller Bird

Sanctuary. Here, injured sea turtles, sea birds and other creatures are nursed back to health. The inter-active museum in Ponce Inlet at the center includes one of the largest sea turtle rehabilitation hospitals on the east coast, along with dioramas of the coastal terrain and information on native wildlife and plants.

In Ponce Inlet, Florida Ponce de Leon Lighthouse Park is ranked one of the top ten beaches in the United States in a 2007 survey by Dr. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach. The wide, sandy beach slopes into a large dune field, then into native hammocks of sawgrass palmetto and oak trees. Walkways and trails in Ponce Inlet lead through the natural flora and fauna.

On the north side of Ponce Inlet, a rocky jetty juts out, offering terrific perches for fisherman and wonderful surfing for those willing to hang ten. Nearby, marinas offer safe harbor for boating enthusiasts. Charter your choice of half or all-day deep-sea fishing adventures. Delicious food is available at any number of fine dining establishments in the area.

To take a scenic tour of the area, look for the water taxi that travels back and forth from the docks at Inlet Harbor Restaurant  in Ponce Inlet to make several stops across the inlet in New Smyrna Beach.

A few miles up the coast is the charming unincorporated community of Wilbur-by-the-Sea. A quaint restored boathouse remains. So far, this area has remained condominium and hotel free, with only beachside homes filling the area.

Nearby, Racing’s North Turn Restaurant marks the historic spot where stockcar racing began on the hard-packed sand. Today, that beach is traffic-free.

Oceanfront condos rise along the stretch of beach just south of Dunlawton Avenue a small area of beachside Port Orange, all the way to Daytona Beach Shores. Those favoring high-rise living at its best are close to the ocean, but still within minutes from the necessities of life. Constant breezes make this an ideal location year round.