The New Smyrna Beach area used to be a quiet getaway from Miami. Thanks to the NASA space program, the 72 miles of Florida beachfront is now known as Space Beach. Kennedy Space Center tourists buff up their tans on New Smyrna and its neighbors, as well as enjoying swimming, fishing and surfing. Fans of pristine nature also flock here for the Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
The town of New Smyrna Beach began in 1768 as a colony of Scottish immigrants. Today it is a vibrant tourist-based city of 22,000, offering hotels for every taste and budget.
Consider the purpose of your trip to New Smyrna Beach. The town offers a little of everything, so there is no limit to your choices. Honeymooners or romantics prefer the town's charming bed and breakfast inns like the Longboard Inn, a Florida Craftsman-style bungalow.
Families frequently book condominiums with kitchens and multiple bedrooms. Motor hotels suit those just passing through, while fishing lodges please those coming for the famous red fish.
Determine your price range. New Smyrna Beach hotels run the gamut from low price to luxury, not to mention campgrounds and RV parks. Budget travelers will consider the centrally located Smyrna Motel, priced around $55 a night in December 2010 for rooms with air conditioning and in-room refrigerators.
If you want something more luxurious, look at the Riverview Hotel, a former fishing lodge restored to new grandeur. It now boasts a 5,000-square-foot spa with a mineral pool. Enjoy nightly jazz and the popular Grille at Riverview restaurant. Rooms start at about $150, but chilled champagne and glasses cost $25 extra.
Look through the six pages of hotel listings on the website of the city of New Smyrna Beach. It provides hotel names, pictures and contact information. All have e-mail links and many have website links.
Go directly to the website of any hotel that meets your criteria and obtain further information. Once you decide on your first choice, call the hotel directly to make a reservation.
