Bethune Beach(Bethune Volusia Beach, Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park)

Located in the city of New Smyrna Beach, Bethune Beach is a very long and wide beach that is situated in front of the Indian River North. Also known as Bethune Volusia Beach, Bethune Beach is backed by many waterways making it a perfect destination for birdwatching and surf fishing. Bethune Beach is mostly filled with fishermen casting for blues, whiting, flounder, and snapper.  

Although Bethune Beach does not have lifeguards, the beach offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, boat ramps, barbecues, playgrounds, and a fishing pier. 

There are many fun activities at Bethune Beach including swimming, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, surf fishing, hiking, sailing, birdwatching, and wildlife watching. If you are looking for additional activities, visitors can watch ruby-throated hummingbirds and gannets on the beach during summer and winter respectively. 

Getting to Bethune Beach is very easy – after you get off of Turtlemound Road, drive down to 6656 South Atlantic Boulevard to find many free street parking spots. After parking, you will need to walk five minutes south to the beach. 

If you are looking for attractions near Bethune Beach, you can drive 30 minutes to Jacksonville Beach Pier, a quarter-of-a-mile-long fishing pier that is a well-known spot for clicking Instagram-worthy pictures and has many shops and restaurants. Shipwreck Island Waterpark is an awesome tropical-style amusement park featuring a lazy river, wave pool, zip line, tree top drop, white knuckle river, and many waterslides. If you like golfing, Jacksonville Beach Golf Club has a private 18-hole golf course – it was designed by the famous golf course architecture Harrison Minchew and a restaurant. Another great golf course near Bethune Beach is Pablo Creek Club, a waterfront golf course that is situated on the shores of the very beautiful Pablo Creek and has been named one of the number one golf courses in Florida by https://www.top100golfcourses.com.

If you get hungry, you can drive 10 minutes to many restaurants near Bethune Beach. The sushi restaurant Fancy Sushi serves sushi, tempura, grilled entrees, and Japanese and Asian cuisines. If you like Italian food, Mezza Luna Ristorante serves classic Italian dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and Fettuccine Alfredo, pasta, gelato, polenta, risotto, chicken, and beef dishes. Another good restaurant near Bethune Beach is Sliders Oyster Bar, a seafood restaurant with a nice menu that includes surf ‘n’ turf, oysters, fish tacos, and margaritas. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Bethune Beach, you can drive 20 minutes to the 4-Star pet-friendly hotel One Ocean Resort and Spa featuring a pool, lounge, spa, gym, and restaurant. The 3-Star Hampton Inn Jacksonville Beach/Oceanfront has a lagoon-style pool, tiki-style bar, fitness center, snack bar, and four waterfalls. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Bethune Beach, the 2-Star Holiday Inn Express & Suites Jacksonville - Mayport / Beach has a pool, gym, and whirlpool tubs.