Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park
Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park.
This handicapped accessible county park honors the African American heritage of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.
The beachfront area of the park has restrooms, large picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of direct beachfront sidewalk that overlooks this remote and beautiful beach. The riverside park area is a short distance across South Atlantic Avenue and has tennis, pickleball, basketball and volleyball courts, a playground, fishing pier, and restrooms.
The river area around the park is an excellent location for viewing manatees, dolphins and pelicans. The Coastal Division approves unsolicited/organized park activities through a Special Event Permit. There is a $25 application fee and the form can be submitted via email to RecProCoastal@volusia.org.
Bethune Meeting Room Application
Location: 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach.
Open daily: Restroom facilities are available from within one hour of sunrise to within one hour of sunset. Parking is prohibited from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. There is currently no ADA access to the beach.
Effective January 1, 2025:
All County-owned and operated off-beach parking lots require a $20 daily parking fee, separate from on-beach driving fees. The daily parking fee can be paid by following the directions on the signage in the parking lots.
Volusia County residents can park for free if they register their vehicles online at parkvolusia.org or in person at one of two ParkVolusia offices located at:
- 302 North Causeway, New Smyrna Beach (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday)
386-217-0216 - 2422 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday)
386-217-0078
Nonresidents may purchase an annual off-beach parking pass for $100 online at parkvolusia.org or in-person at a ParkVolusia office. This pass allows nonresidents unlimited parking in County-owned and operated lots for 365 days from the date of purchase.
The $20 daily parking fee and annual off-beach parking passes do not provide access to the Inlet Parks (Lighthouse Point Park and Smyrna Dunes Park). Daily passes for Inlet Parks can be purchased at the entrance booth. To purchase an Inlet Park annual pass visit parkvolusia.org or a ParkVolusia office location.
All Coastal and Inlet Parks are open 365 days a year.
