Best Parks in Ponce Inlet, FL

Updated July 2026 · Reviewed by Adams, Cameron & Co.

Ponce Inlet sits at the very southern tip of the Daytona Beach peninsula, where the Halifax River meets the Atlantic Ocean, and its park system reflects that geography, water on nearly every side. The town directly maintains four parks, and two more, run by Volusia County, sit within town limits. Here’s an honest look at the ones worth knowing.

Ponce Preserve

The town’s largest park at roughly 41 acres, Ponce Preserve stretches from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Halifax River. At its heart is the Green Mound State Archaeological Site, an ancient Native American shell midden built up between roughly 800 and 1600 CE, once more than 50 feet tall before erosion and early road construction reduced it. The park has two nature-themed playgrounds, a covered picnic pavilion, a restroom facility, elevated boardwalks, hiking trails, fitness stations, and observation towers, along with places to launch a canoe or kayak toward the Halifax River.

Kay & Ayres Davies Lighthouse Park

A 3-acre park carved out of what was originally a 10-acre light station property, sitting right in the shadow of the historic Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. It has a public playground, picnic tables, a Veteran’s Memorial, a covered gazebo available for group events through the town, and a public restroom, a genuinely central, walkable spot for anyone visiting the lighthouse itself.

Timothy Pollard Memorial Park

Dedicated in memory of a former Ponce Inlet police officer, this park sits adjacent to the Ponce Inlet Fire Department and is built around active recreation, basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts, along with a playground for younger kids. It’s the town’s go-to spot for anyone wanting courts rather than sand or trails.

Timucuan Oaks Garden

About two miles north of the lighthouse and museum, Timucuan Oaks Garden is a quieter, more old-Florida stop, natural hardwood marine hammock, salt marsh, and mangrove swamp, laced with well-maintained nature trails and an elevated boardwalk over the wetlands. Visitors can fish or launch a canoe or kayak on Daggett Creek from here as well.

Lighthouse Point Park

A 52-acre park managed by Volusia County at the southern tip of the barrier island, where the Halifax River meets the Atlantic. It has elevated wooden boardwalks, restrooms, reservable picnic pavilions, a nature trail leading to an observation tower over the river, an 800-foot jetty deck, and a dog-friendly swimming beach. More than 220 bird species have been recorded here, and dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles are regularly spotted from the jetty. There’s a daily vehicle entrance fee, with an annual Volusia County beach pass available for frequent visitors.

Winterhaven Park

A smaller, 1.3-acre county-managed beachfront park with free admission, restrooms, freshwater showers, picnic tables, BBQ grills, and a handicap-accessible boardwalk to the beach. Driving isn’t allowed on the sand here, which makes it one of the quieter, more family-friendly beach access points along this stretch of coast.

Why this matters beyond just a nice afternoon

For a town of about 3,450 people, Ponce Inlet’s park system covers a real range, an ancient archaeological site, a historic lighthouse setting, active recreation courts, a quiet nature preserve, and genuine river-to-ocean beach access. For anyone evaluating this small, affluent coastal town as a place to live, work, or invest, that’s a concrete quality-of-life signal, not a minor detail.

Park amenities, fees, and hours can change. Confirm current details directly with the Town of Ponce Inlet or Volusia County Parks and Recreation before visiting.