With great pleasure I present West Volusia Tourism as my guest blog for June, 2021. Their motto: Old Florida. New Vibe. Let’s go soon . . .
It’s a Summer to Remember in West Volusia County
By David Swanberg, Marketing Coordinator, West Volusia Tourism
Summer is a great time to get outdoors, and there is no shortage of outdoor activities to enjoy in West Volusia. Located only 40 miles from Orlando and 20 miles from Daytona Beach, you will find all kinds of adventures for your friends or family to enjoy.
Take in a show at the Historic Athens Theatre
Celebrating 100 years of live performances, theatrics, and all that jazz, the historic Athens Theatre is a landmark of not only DeLand, but Central Florida. For their 2021-2022 season, the Theatre will be putting on productions such as Ain’t Misbehavin’, Clue, and Elf The Musical, in addition to their regular concert series of tribute bands and musicians.
After the show, head only a few steps away to stroll the streets of Downtown DeLand. Voted America’s BEST Mainstreet in 2017, Downtown DeLand is home to many award-winning restaurants, quaint boutiques and the DeLand Wings, the original wing mural of the Wings of the West Trail. Downtown offers visitors the chance to shop, dine and be entertained, all in one location.
Speaking of the Wings…
Our Wings of the West mural trail offers visitors a fun way to explore some of the area’s hidden gems. Whether it’s a stop to take a selfie in front of the biplane wings at Skydive DeLand – one of the busiest drop zones in the world, the peacock feathers painted on the side of an old barn at Barberville Pioneer Settlement, or the idyllic fairy wings found at the end of a fairy trail in Cassadaga, the wings will show you around some of the most beautiful areas of Florida, old and new.
Cool off at one of the Springs
Nothing beats the heat of a Florida Summer, that’s why the Springs are always bustling during the hotter months. Blue Spring State Park’s spring run is home to hundreds of Manatees in the Winter and hundreds of vacationers in the Summer. The constant 72-degree crystal-clear spring water, will cool anyone off on even the hottest of days.
DeLeon Springs State Park to the north is home to a similar 72-degree water, the only difference is the restaurant on property — The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant. A highlight of anyone’s visit to the park, the restaurant’s tables have a griddle on top that allows guests to cook pancakes themselves, encouraging special combinations with fruits and other toppings available.
From any of the springs, there is easy access to the St. Johns River, Florida’s only American Heritage River, where you can kayak, canoe or paddle board to your heart’s content.
There are other ways to cool off, too
Introduced in the last year, the CoolCraft Beverage Trail invites West Volusia’s guests to experience and taste all the drinks that make West Volusia such a special place. From coffee and smoothies, to craft beer, wine and mead, it’s time to get into the “spirit” as local beverage artisans serve up their signature drinks with some twists on classic favorites.
The trail will take you local favorites like Trilogy Coffee Roasting Co. and Odd Elixir Meadworks, to more well known places like Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe and Persimmon Hollow Brewing.
Check out a Historic Mansion, or two
When famed hat maker John B. Stetson first visited West Volusia in the 1800’s he fell in love and decided to build his winter home in DeLand. Since then, the home has been carefully restored to its former glory and now offers tours around the property. Known today as Florida’s first luxury estate, Trip Advisor has the Stetson Mansion listed as the top rated landmark attraction in all of Florida.
Overlooking the St. Johns River in DeBary is DeBary Hall, a magnificent 19th Century hunting Estate. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, DeBary Hall is carefully curated and gives visitors a crash course on the history of DeBary and West Volusia’s tight connection to the St. Johns River.
DeBary Hall may even offer some haunted twists for those searching.
Want more history? We got it!
Discover vibrant cultural treasures housed in the museums of West Volusia such as the African-American Museum, the Hand Art Gallery, and the DeLand Museum of Art. There’s even a Geological museum, the Gillespie Museum of Minerals; one of the largest private collections of minerals and gems in the Southeastern United States.
For more information about West Volusia and all of the other attractions we have available, please visit our website at www.visitwestvolusia.com.