Top Ten Gifts in New Smyrna Beach!
Is everyone excited for Christmas? I sure am! I have been so cozy wrapping gifts, baking and indulging in too much hot chocolate. Here in North Carolina, we get all four seasons and experience a winter around this time. I am thankful because the cold weather in Charlotte is fitting with the holiday tunes and season (with less snow). However, I also LOVE Christmas at the beach.
You can go shopping around without freezing, enjoy the water view to reset your stressed mind, and the nautical holiday decor is adorable. I LOVE escaping to the heat during this months to cool off in the sun. Florida is a short enough plane ride that you can go for only a couple of days and the trip is still worth it. I recently flew into Daytona Beach Airport to get to New Smyrna Beach, Florida and it was such an easy flight.
I still had plenty of time to enjoy that day after checking in. I have never been to this particular area in Florida so I am beyond excited to share about this experience with you AND give gift ideas along the way. I had a blast at the Girls Night Out shopping event on Canal Street where I spotted a lot of these.
We strolled the street which was shut down so it was cool to pop in and out of the stores. Some were giving discounts or free champagne. The palm trees were full of gorgeous lights, Santa was around, and live musicians were playing some my favorite Christmas songs. The community was welcoming and it was giving me all the feels. I would love to attend this again in the future. Here is a gift guide for the area in case you do!
I think giving the gift of travel and a stay here would be absolutely amazing. There is nothing like a new experience! My boyfriend and I couldn't get over the sunrise and sunset views over the water right across the street from the Black Dolphin. The absolute best part was there were dolphins all around to watch. We would sit looking out for them with coffee from the front porch. We also spotted them on our walks a few times. Another amazing thing about this Inn is how it is walking distance to a variety of food, drink, art, and shops.
Although, there is no need to leave for breakfast from here! The menu rotates and it's delicious no matter what. I know my Mom and Aunt would love the mid century decor so I want to return with them already. I actually met and chatted with a couple from Charlotte during our stay. They mentioned it's not their first time at the inn and they have returned a handful of times!
This little shop straight from the North Pole is right along Flagler Avenue. It is filled with Christmas decor, novelties and gifts. It has the perfect festive present options like wreaths, stockings, nutcrackers, dish towels and more. You can easily find a gift full of cheer here and it's fun to look around too!
This trendy boutique carries brands that I love. They have scarves, hats, necklaces, candles, matching sets, and rompers for your loved ones. They displayed everything in a fabulous way, especially their decor. If you are in need of a cute outfit while in town, I would head here.
Fresh olive oil makes a huge difference and tastes unreal. I feel like this is definitely an item that not everyone owns in their pantry or knows much about. I think a bottle of oil or balsamic vinegar from here would make a unique present for someone who loves to cook or host others at home. The Galley has gift sets you can also shop online!
This store had such original gifts you could gift. They had crafts of all kinds from around the country. I found this felt flower bar to be my favorite out of them all. Gallery 237 also had puzzles, frames, canvas art, and more to browse through.
What an awesome store! These gallery style shops make it super simple to pick out something for everyone on your list. Wild Oats and Billy Goats sells pottery, metal art, wood products, candles, and fun textiles. They had a lot of funny quote bags to read and cute items for kids. My niece would adore one of these sweet little animals.
The Ring Gallery was another gallery and gift shop. They carried coastal home decor, ladies fashion accessories, t-shirts, photography, koozies and more. It was a neat selection of crafts so we took our time searching around. One of my family members loves flamingos so this section made me smile.
This boutique had a boho style to it. They sold clothing like tees, sweatshirts, skirts, and dresses. They had journals and accessories to gift as well. I loved how they decorated their storefront for the season. These soft jolly, jingle, and merry tops would make a fantastic gift paired with candy, coffee, or a candle.
I suggest eating lunch at City Market Bistro then making your way over to the Hub on Canal + Jane's Art Center. There were pieces of so many talented, working artists inside. Painting, sculptures, ceramics, glass work and more. I loved taking the time to appreciate the details of the creative artwork.
This stunning two story restaurant on Flagler Avenue is a dinner spot you don't want to miss. It was a good date night atmosphere on the rooftop with the heaters outside. The menu had a lot of options to pick from whether you like seafood or chicken. This curry chicken dish with the toasted coconut on top was one of my favorites from the NSB trip. It was warm and hit the spot after lots of walking that day!
Some other restaurants around town to note:
Prima for pizza and salad
Cafe Del Soul for smoothies
Corkscrew Wine for happy hour eats and drinks
The Garlic for pasta dishes
Norwood's Eatery for sandwiches and seafood
Cool Beans Cafe for coffee
Third Wave Cafe for brunch or a patio dinner
(Prima's Carbonara pizza is pictured)
I hope that helps you become more familar with the area and get some solid gift ideas. When it comes to drinks, both Norwood's Eatery and Treehouse + Flagler Tavern are fun. They have lights and inflatables to add to the Christmas happiness. There are so many others and as always, I love hearing your recommendations. Please let me know your favorites around New Smyrna Beach! A lot of these places I mentioned were along Flagler Avenue by the beach or historic Canal Street in downtown.
I'm sorry if I've got you dreaming of the beach in the middle of Christmas chaos but here is your reminder to TAKE THE TRIP! Please continue to follow along on Instagram @queencitychic where I share more from my travel. Need more info? Head here for more on New Smyrna Beach overall. Thanks so much for reading! Take care of yourself during this nonstop time of year.
xo, Rachel
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