Ponce Inlet

The town of Ponce Inlet gave me the creeps. I was imagining that the population was made up of everyone susceptible to being shell shocked by nearby Daytona Beach's spring break economy going overboard in the other direction. What was irritating was we kind of expected a pretty beach drive and a lighthouse - because they have websites saying that's what it is. But every possible view of the beach is blocked off by little houses or condos, there's almost no businesses around, signs were a bit threatening, and just generally get impression it would be better if you didn't visit. Signs at the park seemed to do a lot of threatening and the attendant the entrance where you pay was outright rude. 

So my point is that it's mostly NOT idyllic like you might be hoping for in a lighthouse visit.

Another weird thing - never seen so many raccoons in one place in my life. And that was really strange because it's a tiny park. I can't imagine what they could be living off of. Did they recently just chase them down here from the town? I'd like to think they have an annual festival where they wield clubs and trash can lids chasing them down the roads to this spot. Poor raccoons!

So all that said - the lighthouse wasn't open. But what could be inside that would be life changing? It was quaint but definitely not worth the drive. The pier was a view of a lively wave filled patch of land meets sea. A little magic there maybe. Lots of people fishing and taking it seriously. There were killdeer and other shorebirds actually on the pier avoiding being stepped on - never seen that. So I'd go see those two things if for some reason I was unfortunate enough to find myself in the town of Ponce Inlet but I wouldn't drive out of my way to go there.

Across the water at Smyrna dunes park I think is the go to place for birds (I made the wrong guess). Unfortunately although you could wave to people there it's a 45 minute drive.