Staying in Ponce for a month or so. Have 2 kids under 2. Looking for recommendations for family activities, food, and places to see/avoid. Also, any ranges (preferably outdoor) or gun stores that I need to check out? Thanks in advance.

The beach at Ponce is really nice. Huge beach, clear water, can puddle around the jeti.

They are probably too young but the marine science center is kind of cute and you can feed and touch stingrays.

The other side of ponce is NSB that area is the shark attack capital of the world but you should be okay I’ve been going to that area for 20+ years.

Volusia county is kind of crummy and ran down. I really wish the area would improve. Daytona is nicknamed dirtona for a reason. There are gun shops and places to shoot.

The speedway. The new Tanger outlet shopping center right off 95 is real nice.

If you head west towards Deland and further there are a lot of cool crystal clear springs to go to.

What are you interested in maybe that will help the kids ages hinder you a bit. I have two girls under 5 and they have been to Florida 6 times or more already.

We own property in the northern part of Volusia county and I’ve been going there for nearly 30 years.

I live in Daytona (and my sister is in Ponce Inlet).

Ponce itself is pretty quiet.  Mostly just houses.  It has the beach (very nice), the lighthouse (fun once), and few restaurants at the inlet.  The HIDDEN TREASURES restaurant is good for small kids because it is mostly outside (though I prefer their other location on the other side of the inlet).

North of you is Daytona Beach. Never heard anybody call it "dirtona", but everybody has an opinion.  Definitely has some run down areas but we like the vibe and it isn't over built/commercialized.

In the summer (Memorial Day > Labor Day) there are free Saturday concerts at the bandshell on the beach (at Main Street) with fireworks at the end (9:45pm, maybe a bit late unless you make sure the kids got a late nap).

Minor league baseball team (Daytona Tortugas) is fun, cheap, and good for kids (for the price and the no-name players you don't feel guilty to leave before the end of the game).  Sat night games end with fireworks.

Beach street has lots restaurants, stores and weekend events (https://www.riverfrontshopsofdaytona.com/events/).  Check out ANGEL & PHELPS chocolate factory.  The tours are neat and the store is great.

Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Science has a nice kid's section.  It is located in a not so nice part of town but you will be OK if you have any situational awareness at all.

Florida Gun Exchange is a large LGS in Ormond Beach.  They also have a small branch store in South Daytona.

Buck's Bun Rack is the oldest LGS in the area and worth the visit just to see the old building, but it is in a bad part of town.  Watch your six.

Our county gun range is Strickland.  Check the website if you really want to shot.  Days and hours are listed on the site.

https://www.volusia.org/services/community-services/parks-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-trails/park-facilities-and-locations/strickland-shooting-range.stml

Blue Springs is a nice little day-trip/picnic.  I'm not sure if the temperature is right to see the manatees.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Blue-Spring

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Thank y'all for the suggestions. We're planning on checking out a couple Tortuga games for sure. I'm going to have to make a trip up to Florida Gun Exchange after looking at their website.

Advice on Tortugas games....

Bring binoculars.  The Osprey's have a nest in the lights over the outfield.  If you are lucky you get to see the babies.  At worst you get to see them fly in and out and sit on the nest.

Don't sit on the 1st baseline side for a late afternoon game.  You'll be staring into the sun.

There are VIP seats ($12.50).  These are the first few rows just along the 1st base and 3rd base line with individual fold-down seats.  They also have waitress/waiter service but it's sometimes quicker to get your own.

Non-VIP seats ($9) is general admission bleacher seating.  However, the 1st base line ones are covered which is nice if it's really sunny.

There is a kids playground behind the 1st base line bleachers.

Never heard anybody call it "dirtona",

Lol.

Dude. Name a nice area. Or even one that doesnt have ghetto two blocks over.
Everyone who has grown up here calls it dirtona.
Its a beachside tourist town with a speedway.

I work LE in volusia and was born in Daytona. I often refer to it as Dirtona.

ETA;

Volusia Gun & Hunt Club off 44 in new smyrna has open range day on Wednesdays. I'd also check out Flagler Avenue in new smyrna.

Smyrna > daytona, port orange, etc for that smaller town beach vibe.

Ormond by the sea..Flagler beach as well.

Take the kids to silver Glenn springs.
Go on a weekday....and enjoy having it mostly to yourself till mid day. Gets busier once schools out.

2yrs old is kinda hard to do fun stuff.
But could hit up Flagler beach../Ormond by the sea. Hit one of the Access ramps and have a slice of beach to yourself on a week day.

Theres also sky high in Daytona.my daughter likes it. Its a gym,bounce house set up.

+1.  I’ll echo that.

We have a small water park, Daytona Lagoon, but I don’t know if they’ve been open since Hurricane Irma came through.  Also, you can’t visit Central Florida for any length of time without going to a Disney and/or Universal theme park.

St Augustine, which is about an hour and a half north of Ponce Inlet, has a lot of historical places to see and visit; plenty of fun activities for both kids and adults. The downtown historical area is geared toward pedestrians and has a lot of good restaurants, entertainment and pretty neat tourist/souvenir shops within walking distance.

Second Saturday each month is a car show down town New Smyrna Beach, next one is May 12th. Free to attend here!

We will definitely be doing this. Just checked out the Jeep Beach event at the speedway today and had a good time, especially watching some people tear up their daily drivers on an obstacle course.

My wife just told me an hour ago this week is Jeep Beach, sneaks by us every year some how. We have an 03 TJ and have never been.

Well that explains all the jeeps running around up by the forest