Ponce De Leon Inlet, FloridaPonce De Leon Inlet, Florida
This lighthouse and museum, open to the public for a small fee, is an excellent place to spend the early evening hours while visiting the Daytona Beach area.
Only a few miles south of the resort area, it is beautifully landscaped and well-maintained. The climb to the top rewards the visitor with impressive views of the coastline and inland areas from what I understand is Florida's tallest lighthouse.
Our arrival in Florida was delayed by a stopover in South
Carolina, and we arrived too late that first evening to make the climb;
nevertheless, watching the light at dusk was worth the drive.
The lighthouse merited a second visit, a few evenings later (and this time, in time to climb to the top and back before closing).
Evenings in July I imagine are the best time to visit--my guess is it would be very, very hot earlier in the day. We also discovered why the area used to be called "Misquito Inlet"!
The museum consists of several buildings--the newest one containing the fresnell lens from nearby Cape Canaveral Light, removed a number of years ago.
It affords a wonderful opportunity to see how these magnificent
lenses work up-close.