Planning to drive on the beach in Volusia County? Here is what to know before your trip
Tropical Storms Ian and Nicole caused unprecedented damage to Volusia County’s beachside last year, disrupting several aspects of beach life, including driving.
A few months later, beach driving – a longtime tradition beloved by locals and visitors alike – is open once again.
Beach driving, however, comes with its own set of rules.
Here are a few tips on what to know before driving on Volusia County beaches:
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Where to go (open beach ramps)
Drivers access the beach using the county's beach ramps. Thirteen of the 37 beach ramps are currently open, according to the Volusia Beaches mobile app. These are:
- Harvard Drive – Ormond Beach.
- University Boulevard – Daytona Beach.
- Seabreeze Boulevard – Daytona Beach.
- International Speedway Boulevard – Daytona Beach.
- Silver Beach Avenue – Daytona Beach.
- Van Avenue – Daytona Beach Shores.
- Dunlawton Boulevard – Daytona Beach Shores.
- Beach Street – Ponce Inlet.
- Beachway Avenue – New Smyrna Beach.
- Crawford Road – New Smyrna Beach.
- Flagler Avenue – New Smyrna Beach.
- Third Avenue – New Smyrna Beach.
- 27th Avenue – New Smyrna Beach.
The beach is open to vehicles between sunrise and sunset from Nov. 1 to April 30, tides permitting, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or sundown (whichever is earlier) from May 1 through Oct. 31.
Is there a fee to drive on the beach?
Although beach access is free to pedestrians and bicyclists (depending on tides and the availability of access ramps), driving on the beach isn’t.
Annual beach passes are $25 for Volusia County residents and $100 for non-residents.
Drivers can also choose to pay a $20 daily beach entry per vehicle – one re-entry for the same vehicle on the same day is allowed.
Driving on the beach
Once through the beach ramp, drivers can travel along reserved driving lanes and look for a parking spot following these guidelines:
- Drive with your headlights on and at least one window open.
- No texting and no alcohol.
- The 10-mph speed limit on the beach “is strictly enforced,” according to county guidelines. Drivers who violate it can be issued a fine of $116 or more.
- Grilling on the beach is permitted – those using charcoal grills must “take the charcoal with them and properly dispose of it off of the beach.”
See the complete list of beach driving rules here.
Parking on the beach
On the beach, parking is allowed east (seaward) of the conservation zone – the space between the driving lanes and the sea dunes/seawalls.
Beach parking IS NOT ALLOWED in front of these spots:
- Sun Splash Park – Daytona Beach.
- Frank Rendon Park – Daytona Beach Shores.
- Andy Romano Beachfront Park – Ormond Beach.
- Ester Park – New Smyrna Beach.
- Flagler Avenue Park – New Smyrna Beach.
Off-beach parking
If you simply want to park nearby and walk to the beach, here are a few places where off-beach parking is offered in Volusia County (though additional fees may apply):
- Ormond-by-the Sea: Bicentennial, North Shore and Tom Renick parks.
- Ormond Beach: Andy Romano Beachfront Park.
- Daytona Beach: University, 834 N. Atlantic Ave.
- Daytona Beach: Sun Splash and Breakers Oceanfront parks.
- Daytona Beach Shores: Frank Rendon, Van Avenue and Larry Fornari parks.
- Wilbur-by-the-Sea: Heron Street, Toronita Avenue and Major Street.
- Ponce Inlet: Winterhaven and Lighthouse Point parks and Inlet Harbor Road.
- New Smyrna Beach: Smyrna Dunes, Flagler Avenue and 27th Avenue parks; and Matthews Avenue.
- South of New Smyrna Beach: Bethune Beach Park.
More than 3,500 public parking spaces exist at numerous locations adjacent to and near the beaches.
For information on beach rules in Volusia County, visit volusia.org/services/public-protection/beach-safety.