Ponce Inlet, one of many breaches in the barrier islands along Florida’s East Coast, separates New Smyrna Beach from the town of Ponce Inlet. Lighthouse Point Park, occupying 52 acres of beachfront on the north side of the inlet, features a rare stretch of natural coastline amidst a line of condos and beach homes. A variety of shorebirds and small mammals do their best to live peaceably in their small enclave. Boardwalks and nature trails weave through this scrubland, covered in palmettos, pine trees and cabbage palms.
   Found just south of Daytona Beach, this laid-back section of the coast has quite a different atmosphere from the busy main highway that runs through Daytona Beach. A favorite place for fishing, swimming, surfing and picnicking, the Lighthouse Point Park is obviously centered on the wonderfully restored 1887 lighthouse. The 175 foot tower, colored with a one of a kind burnt sienna paint job, was built using more than a million bricks. Returned to service in 2004, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association was responsible for the remarkable transformation. Maintained by museum staff, the lighthouse receives more than 125,000 visitors a year. The keeper's quarters houses exhibits on the U.S. Lighthouse Service, lighthouse keeper’s history, and one of the finest collections of restored Fresnel lenses. From the tallest lighthouse in Florida, visitors enjoy views of the world's most famous beach, as well as the inland waterways and boating traffic through the inlet and the Halifax River.

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