Set along the St. Johns River, Deland is surrounded by natural lands that protect the vast floodplain forests surrounding Florida’s longest river.
Daytona Beach
Outdoor recreation around Daytona Beach showcases both oceanfront natural lands and wilderness areas along the estuaries and pine woods to the west of the coast.
New Smyrna Beach
At the south end of Volusia County, on the Atlantic Ocean, historic New Smyrna Beach is home to Canaveral National Seashore and other diverse recreational opportunities.
Ocala National Forest
Established in 1908 as the first National Forest east of the Mississippi, the Ocala National Forest is a mecca for hikers as the birthplace of the Florida Trail.
Ormond Beach
Known as the Birthplace of Speed, Ormond Beach has preserved vast estuaries and ancient forests between its barrier island and coast along the Tomoka River
Ormond Memorial Gardens
In the 1940s, Ormond Memorial Art Museum members hired noted landscape architect Henry Stockman to design the Ormond Memorial Gardens on relict sand dunes, landscaping to accent the art museum on site. It was dedicated as a memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War II.
Ponce Preserve
Just south of Daytona Beach, Ponce Preserve protects a cross-section of barrier island habitats, with more than 2 miles of trails connecting the beach and the Halifax River.
Primrose, tie-dye, and VW culture
Within sight of the third Westy that looked just like Primrose, we were looking through an array of tie-dyed t-shirts, trying to find a matching pair. Unfortunately, they had sold out of the ones with the VW design swirled through the middle, or we would have bought some on the spot. We were at the […]
Sugar Mill Gardens
Yep, that’s a stegosaurus hiding in the bushes. Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens has had a lot of faces over the ages, including a stint in the 1950s as Bongoland, a roadside attraction full of not-so-scary dinosaurs.
The new 50 Hikes in Central Florida
We launched a new full-color edition of 50 Hikes in Central Florida at the National Trails Festival in Deland the first weekend of October. Take a peek inside.
Tomoka State Park
Walk in the footsteps of the Timucua beneath the ancient oaks at Tomoka State Park. The peninsula was the site of the village of Nocoroco, a thriving community on the shores of the bountiful river.