New Smyrna Beach, FL, Decided.

✦ Stay: Black Dolphin Inn ($$-$$$)

✦ Eat: The Garlic — book reserve (OpenTable / phone) for weekend + peak-season dinners — it's the town's marquee occasion room and fills; walk-ins can face a long wait. The play: an earlier or weeknight seating is easier; go for the Tuscan-garden atmosphere as much as the food. Dinner only (opens ~4pm).

✦ Stay: Coastal Waters Inn ($$-$$$)

✦ Eat: J.B.'s Fish Camp & Seafood Restaurant — book walk-in — a rustic waterfront institution; go off-peak (early lunch/dinner) and expect a wait at prime hours. The play: pair it with a Mosquito Lagoon kayak/paddleboard rental (on-site), grab a patio-deck or tiki-bar table over the water, and order the crabs/oysters. No reservations.

✦ Stay: Islander Beach Resort ($$-$$$)

✦ Eat: The Breakers Oceanfront Restaurant — book walk-in — a casual oceanfront landmark at the beach end of Flagler Avenue; expect a wait at peak beach hours + event weekends. The play: walk off the sand for a burger/seafood-basket + a beer with an ocean view; go earlier or off-peak to skip the line. No reservations.

✦ Stay: The Riverview Hotel & Spa ($$-$$$)

✦ Eat: Little Drug Co. (Soda Fountain & Lunch Counter) — book walk-in — a vintage counter; go for breakfast or a lunch-counter sandwich + a hand-made malt or ice-cream soda, mid-stroll on Canal Street. The play: the nostalgia + the malts, not a meal to plan around. Confirm current hours before relying on it.