Bethune Beach / Florida (Northern) / United States

As soon as you leave New Smyrna Beach, the competition for waves quickly dissipates while travelling further south to more secluded and less crowded beach breaks. This is probably because spots, like Bethune Beach, are hit-or-miss and seasonal locations. Most surfers looking for something new usually gun it down to central Florida near Playalinda, where the fun pipelines start brewing. But, Bethune Beach is not a bad place for beginners who don’t want to get shown up by the pros.

Located on a dirt road and easy to drive past, Bethune Beach’s waves are entirely swell dependent, and in the summer time this place is flatter than a pancake. Despite being so darn hard to miss, Bethune Beach is equipped with lifeguards in the summertime, a snack shop, and parking. Best season is during the fall months (September to early November).

Like New Smyrna, its waves are entirely dependent on large southern swells that are greater than 3 ft . Waves will break on the outside, but bowl over on the inside of the beach.

Bethune Beach is only 4 miles south of New Smyrna, and it’s not too far from Daytona and Flagler. All three destinations will have everything you need. Hotel accommodations that range from cheap to pricey can be found, though the cheapest options are in the Flagler area. If you need things to do, you can check out Flagler and New Smyrna for the more touristy attractions, but you can go to Daytona to enjoy the festivities of Bike Week and Spring Week from February to April. Surf shops are everywhere in Northern Florida, most of which specialize in selling and renting equipment.

Like most of the east coast, just be wary of the sharks.