5 Historic Volusia County Stops for a Jeep Day: New Smyrna Beach to Daytona
Pull the doors, drop the top and give yourself a Saturday. Volusia County has thousands of years of history packed into a 40-mile stretch of coast, and a Jeep is the best way to see it. This loop starts in New Smyrna Beach and ends in Daytona Beach, with plenty of sand, shade and stories along the way. I'm a Volusia history buff and a Halifax Historical Society volunteer, and these are the five stops I send everyone to first. 1. Turtle Mound, Canaveral National Seashore Start south of New Smyrna Beach on A1A. Turtle Mound is a Timucuan shell mound built from oyster shells over centuries, one of the largest on Florida's Atlantic coast. A short boardwalk takes you to the top, where you can see the ocean on one side and Mosquito Lagoon on the other. (The national seashore charges an entrance fee.) 2. Old Fort Park (the Turnbull Ruins), New Smyrna Beach Head back into town to Riverside Drive. A huge coquina foundation sits on a bluff over the Indian River. It's often tie...