CHARMING PONCE INLET

For me (and probably most people) summer is best represented by the smell of sunscreen. *mentally inhales* ahh, that might just be one of my favorite smells in life. It brings me back to the days I would spend at the lake growing up in Zanesville, Ohio. It’s the smell of sunshine and freedom (from school, that is. Chores…not so much haha).

The memories of lobster red skin and .25 cent gummy sharks bought at the concession while Gwen Stefani played on the overhead speakers. From the moment that I slather that white paste on my skin, it’s an instant vacation vibe.

Admittedly, we don’t make enough trips to the beach for living as close as we do (darn you, Mickey Mouse!), but it makes the trips that we do take all the more special!

Ponce Inlet is best known for the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse, which is both, a lighthouse and a museum, and is the third tallest lighthouse in the United States!

The small beach town is just south of Daytona Beach and is an excellent day trip for anyone who loves quiet beaches, local eats and scenic drives! There are some G O R G E O U S beachfront homes to drool over. Jacob and I spent a good portion of time just driving around, taking it all in and daydreaming of living the coastal high life. *raises pinky finger*

Ponce Inlet Beach quickly became one of our favorite beaches. So far, we’ve visited Cocoa, St. Augustine and New Smyrna Beach and they were all a good time, but Ponce Inlet won by a landslide!

The sand is actually sand, which was big for me. It wasn’t shards of seashells or rough rocks. And unlike New Smyrna, there is no driving allowed on the beach, which makes for a more relaxing experience. Plus, the crowds are W A Y better!

Since Daytona Beach is about a 30 minute drive from Ponce, it seems as though most people spend their time there instead, making Ponce Inlet Beach a bit of a private oasis. It was absolutely delightful!

For lunch we decided to give a local, riverfront seafood restaurant a go. We stopped in to Boondocks, located along the Halifax River and had, hands down, the best fried shrimp we’ve ever had and Jacob had the Boondocks garlic seared fish sandwich…I think we saw stars. It was SO GOOD.

They prepare all of the fresh seafood right there on site, so you’re getting the best quality possible. The service was great and the prices were even better. This is most definitely a hidden gem in the community and a must do, in my opinion.

And of course, we couldn’t leave without seeing the famous lighthouse! For $7 per person, it was a unique experience and interesting way to spend a couple of hours if you like history. The lighthouse stairs are pretty steep (203 in count) and there is no elevator, so keep that in mind if you’re traveling with any disabilities or health issues, but the view at the top was breathtaking.

There are four to five smaller museums around the lighthouse property where you can see artifacts found from those living on the land in it’s early years. Facts about Juan Ponce de Leon (the explorer that was in search of gold and the Fountain of Youth, but instead, wound up discovering the Gulf of Mexico), the wars (Revolutionary and WWII) that took place in the surrounding land and ocean and when you’ve finished your educational excursion, you can head back to the gift shop to commemorate the day with a keepsake!

While there may not be an actual Fountain of Youth, Ponce Inlet has a youthful energy that will leave you with charmed memories. There’s no doubt that we will be back to this historic town, if for nothing more than another fish sandwich and a suntan on the beach!