Mary Mcleod Bethune Beach Park(Bethune Beach)

Located along the Volusia County shoreline, Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is a six-acre recreational park with a white-sand beach. This beach is also known as Bethune Beach. This park is named in honor of eminent African-American educator Mary Jane McLeod Bethune - Bethune helped in establishing this beach as a recreational area for the African-American community, which was not allowed to access a majority of Floridian beaches during the Segregation era of the 20th century. While a lifeguard tower is present in Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, it is important to note that lifeguard deployment on the beach here may not be permanent. Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park offers many other fun activities including a pavilion, a children’s playground, restrooms, volleyball courts, a fishing pier, pickleball/tennis courts, basketball courts, picnic areas, and barbecue grills. The beach in Mary McLeod Beach Park offers accessibility to people with disabilities. Dogs are not allowed in Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park. 

Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, wildlife watching, fishing, basketball, volleyball, tennis, pickleball, swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodysurfing, skimboarding, kayaking, canoeing, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, boating, wakeboarding, and parasailing. The water near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park offers fun surfing waves, making it popular among surfers. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents.  It is also important to note that Volusia County authorities may seasonally restrict surfing in the water near McLeod Bethune Beach Park (usually between the Saturday before Memorial Day in late May through Labor Day in September). If you are planning to surf in the water near McLeod Bethune Beach Park, we recommend visiting the "Surf zones" webpage Volusia County’s website for more information regarding the local surfing regulations. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the Atlantic Ocean water near this beach including sea turtles and dolphins. If you are planning to fish in the water near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, we recommend following the local fishing regulations. A portion of Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is present along the Halifax River - this part of the park is a great spot for viewing manatees, pelicans, and dolphins. Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is also a part of the Florida Black Heritage Trail, which includes historical sites in the state of Florida that are associated with the African American community.Located along the Volusia County shoreline, Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is a six-acre recreational park with a white-sand beach. This beach is also known as Bethune Beach. This park is named in honor of eminent African-American educator Mary Jane McLeod Bethune - Bethune helped in establishing this beach as a recreational area for the African-American community, which was not allowed to access a majority of Floridian beaches during the Segregation era of the 20th century. While a lifeguard tower is present in Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, it is important to note that lifeguard deployment on the beach here may not be permanent. Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park offers many other fun activities including a pavilion, a children’s playground, restrooms, volleyball courts, a fishing pier, pickleball/tennis courts, basketball courts, picnic areas, and barbecue grills. The beach in Mary McLeod Beach Park offers accessibility to people with disabilities. Dogs are not allowed in Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park. Getting to Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is easy - the park is present near 6656 South Atlantic Avenue, where a free parking lot is also available. 

Getting to Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is easy - the park is present near 6656 South Atlantic Avenue, where a free parking lot is also available. 

There are many attractions near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park. Indian River Lagoon Park offers a chance to explore the beautiful natural landscape along the banks of the Indian River via walking trail. This park offers many other amenities including a pavilion with restrooms and picnic tables, two docks, and a kayak and canoe launching spot. The New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins (more prominently known as the Cruger-DePeyster Sugar Mill) is a 17-acre historic site which has the ruins of an early 19th century sugar mill - the mill’s buildings were composed of coquina limestone and it was destroyed during the Second Seminole War. The mill is currently a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. If you are looking for another attraction near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, Old Fort Park is a park that has the ruins of an unidentified historic structure composed of coquina limestone - many believe that this structure was constructed during Andrew Turnbull’s attempts to colonize Florida in the late 18th century. The park also has benches and it also hosts many fun events including many summer concerts and the annual Art Fiesta.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park. The Garlic is an upscale Italian restaurant which offers a beautifully landscaped garden and it has a collection of artworks made from recycled objects. The restaurant also serves delicious pastas, seafood, salads, steaks, and burgers and it also hosts live music performances. JB’s Fish Camp is a waterfront restaurant and it is famous for serving amazing seafood with Southern United States-style and Cajun culinary influences. This restaurant also serves great sandwiches, chicken dishes, soups, and salads. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, Mi Mexico Restaurant serves amazing Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Black Dolphin Inn offers many amenities including a porch, a pier, boat docking facilities, and complimentary breakfast (with a Southern United States-style option on weekends). A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Best Western New Smyrna Beach Hotel & Suites which offers many amenities including coin-operated laundry facilities, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a pool. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, the 2-Star Hampton Inn New Smyrna Beach offers many amenities including a fitness center, a saltwater pool, a coin-operated laundry, complimentary breakfast, and weekday breakfast bags.