Ponce Inlet

Ponce Inlet is a town in Volusia County, East Central Florida.

History


It is said that in 1513, Juan Ponce De Leon was exploring the land and waters around the inlet that today bears his name. In 1886-87, a 175 foot high lighthouse was built and named after Ponce de Leon.

Ponce Inlet was named after Antonio Ponce, who was granted land here during the Spanish occupation of Florida.

In 1963, the Town of Ponce Inlet was incorporated; the first town council was sworn in at the lighthouse office. The lighthouse still dominates this small, sleepy town of fishing boats, natural parks, and growing condominiums.

Climate
Ponce Inlet offers a humid, subtropical climate that is typical throughout Florida. Winters are dry and mild, marked by a constant series of cold fronts and warm-ups. Temperatures dip into the low 40s and upper 30s (°F) on occasion, although freezes are rare. Snowfall is very rare.

Temperatures in spring are famously pleasant with warm afternoons, cool evenings, and far less humidity. The summers are long, hot and humid, with temperatures frequently in the upper 90s F in July. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer afternoons. Dangers include hurricanes from June until November.

By plane
Ponce Inlet has no local airport. If you need to fly here, you will need to find a commercial flight arriving to either Daytona Beach International Airport (the closest), Orlando International Airport, or Jacksonville International Airport.

By train
Amtrak offers the Amtrak Auto Train service with its southern Terminus located in Sanford (Florida), about 35 miles (57 km) west of Ponce Inlet. The Amtrak Auto Train carries passengers and automobiles between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link from Florida to the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. You can easily drive your car into Ponce Inlet after departing from the Auto Train.

Amtrak offers regular passenger service with the closest stop being near the city of DeLand. This stop is rather remote and is not recommended as an option.

By car
From Interstate 95, take Exit 256 to SR-421, east toward Port Orange. Use the Taylor Road ramp toward Port Orange/Daytona Beach Shores. Merge onto FL-421 East. FL-421 east becomes FL-A1A or North Dunlawton Avenue. Turn right on South Atlantic Avenue (Volusia County Route 4075) and drive straight to the Town of Ponce Inlet.

By bus
Greyhound bus has a stop in Daytona Beach at 138 South Ridgewood Avenue (U.S.-1). You'll need to catch the 17A bus to Ponce Inlet. The nearest bus stop for the 17A is on North Beach Street between Bay and West International Speedway Boulevard. Walk north along Ridgewood avenue, then turn right onto West International Speedway Boulevard. Walk east for two blocks until you reach beach street that runs next to the riverfront park. Turn left and walk towards bay street.

If you are staying at a hotel at the beach south of Granada Boulevard, you can catch the 17A bus south on South Atlantic Ave. Otherwise, you will need to take another bus or walk to the VOLTRAN bus transfer plaza at Doctor Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard and North Palmetto Ave near North Ridgewood Avenue (U.S. Route 1) to catch the 17A bus there.

Get around
VOTRAN route 17A has limited bus service that goes North and South on Atlantic Avenue, but you really need a car to get around in Ponce Inlet. Buses run M-Sa 6AM-7:15PM. There is no bus service on Sunday. The bus does stop at the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse and Museum and the Marine Science Center.

Sleep
There are no hotels or motels in Ponce Inlet. However, there are a lot of condominiums and private homes that you may be able to rent. Other lodgings can be found in the nearby City of Daytona Beach Shores.

Connect
Seven-digit dialing is in effect for local calls in Ponce Inlet. The local area code is 386. For calls within the US or Canada, dial 1+area code+number. There are some public pay phones scattered around the city, but they are becoming increasingly rare with the predominance of cell phones. It is not safe to assume you will be able to find a pay phone at any given time.

The ZIP code in the town of Ponce Inlet is 32127.

Internet
It is common for many of the larger hotels and lodgings in the area to offer free internet access for their guests.

Stay safe
Florida has a high occurrence of hurricanes. You might want to check the Hurricane safety page if you are visiting Florida. Beware of lightning in the central part of the state. The area is known for a high number of shark attacks, so be careful when surfing. Also, there is a high occurrence of tornadoes in Florida, so check the Tornado safety page.

Tourist areas rarely have violent crimes, but theft is an occasional occurrence. The 911 number for fire and police emergencies is in effect in Ponce Inlet.

Go next

 * Daytona Beach - Ponce Inlet's famous neighbor about 10 miles to the North offers NASCAR racing and other special events.
 * Daytona Beach Shores - A quiet, small city just north of Ponce Inlet along the beach peninsula.
 * New Smyrna Beach - South of Ponce Inlet on the next barrier island. New Smyrna Beach lays claim to the best Florida offers - excellent backwater and offshore fishing, golf, historical sites, cultural events and eclectic shopping and dining experiences along historical Flagler Avenue and Canal Street.
 * Port Orange - A quiet, but rapidly growing city northwest of Ponce Inlet on the mainland, where you can enjoy golf and tennis.