Discover

The Athens of Florida

A historic downtown that keeps winning “best main street” — and the springs, trails, and towns around it.

In DeLand

Athens Theatre

Italian Renaissance-style theater opened January 6, 1922 as a vaudeville and silent-movie palace (designed by architect Murray S. King). Fully restored; now a live performing-arts venue with plays, musicals, and concerts. Its name honors founder Henry DeLand's vision of the city as the 'Athens of Florida.' — DeLand proper (downtown)

124 N Florida Ave, DeLand, FL 32720

Blue Spring State Park

Premier Florida manatee refuge: hundreds of manatees winter in the 72-degree spring run, most reliably seen Nov 15-Mar 15. Summer swimming/tubing in the spring, St. Johns River boat tours, hiking, camping and cabins. Phone 386-775-3663. Park frequently reaches capacity on winter and summer weekends. — NEARBY - Orange City, ~6 miles south of DeLand

2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763

Chess Park

Pocket park beside the historic Volusia County Courthouse featuring concrete chess tables, a life-size chess board (giant pieces checked out via City Hall Administrative Services, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, deposit required), a water wall, and a small stage for cultural events. Built by the county in 2009 and deeded to the city. — DeLand proper (downtown)

125 W Indiana Ave, DeLand, FL 32720

De Leon Springs State Park & Old Sugar Mill Pancake House

Spring-fed swimming area, kayaking, eco-boat tours, and the beloved Old Sugar Mill Pancake House, where guests cook their own pancakes on griddles built into the tables inside a replica of the 1830s sugar mill. Park admission required to dine. — NEARBY - De Leon Springs, ~7 miles north of DeLand

601 Ponce de Leon Blvd, De Leon Springs, FL 32130

DeLand Historic Mural Walk

Self-guided outdoor walking tour of large-scale murals depicting DeLand's history and culture across downtown. Sources vary on the count (13-15 murals). A printable Mural Walk brochure/map is downloadable from the MainStreet DeLand website. — DeLand proper (downtown)

Throughout historic Downtown DeLand (start anywhere; maps at MainStreet DeLand office, 100 N Woodland Blvd area, and Museum of Art - DeLand)

DeLand Municipal Airport (Sidney H. Taylor Field, KDED)

City-owned public-use general aviation airport, open 24 hours. Built in the 1920s; served as Naval Air Station DeLand 1942-1946, training Navy pilots and gunners (SBD Dauntless dive bombers, PB4Y-2 Privateers, F6F Hellcats) before returning to the city in 1946. Today hosts Skydive DeLand and aviation businesses. — DeLand proper

1000 Flightline Blvd, DeLand, FL 32724

DeLand Naval Air Station Museum

Volunteer-run WWII museum at the DeLand Airport, opened 1995, housed in a National Register-listed 1920s residence - one of the last remaining NAS DeLand structures. Exhibits on the 1942-1946 naval air station, women in the military, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the home front. Free admission. — DeLand proper (airport)

910 Biscayne Blvd, DeLand, FL 32724

Henry A. DeLand House Museum (West Volusia Historical Society)

Victorian-era historic house museum in an 1886 home associated with city founder Henry Addison DeLand; operated by the West Volusia Historical Society since opening as a museum in 1990. Guided tours at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Phone 386-740-6813. — DeLand proper

137 W Michigan Ave, DeLand, FL 32720

Hontoon Island State Park

St. Johns River island park reachable only by boat - a free passenger ferry runs daily. Hiking, an 80-foot observation deck area, camping and cabins, and a replica Timucuan owl totem. Six miles west of downtown DeLand off SR 44. — DeLand address, ~6 miles west of downtown on the St. Johns River

2309 River Ridge Rd, DeLand, FL 32720 (ferry landing)

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

21,000+ acre federal wildlife refuge of marshes, swamps, and uplands along the St. Johns River system. Levee trails for birding (bald eagles, swallow-tailed kites, wading birds), plus fishing and photography. — NEARBY - De Leon Springs, northwest of DeLand

2045 Mud Lake Rd (off Grand Ave), De Leon Springs, FL 32130 - refuge entrance ~0.5 mi west of DeLeon Springs

Museum of Art - DeLand

Fine-art museum with rotating exhibitions across two locations, plus education programs. Also a pickup point for the Mural Walk map. — DeLand proper

600 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32720 (plus Downtown Satellite Gallery at 100 N Woodland Blvd)

Painter's Pond Park

Quiet neighborhood park with a half-mile figure-eight paved trail around a duck pond, plus retaining-wall murals celebrating DeLand's African American heritage. No restrooms. — DeLand proper

N Hayden Ave & E Wisconsin Ave, DeLand, FL 32720

Reptile Discovery Center

Working venom laboratory (Medtoxin Venom Laboratories) open to the public: live venom-extraction demonstrations plus alligators, snakes, lizards, and tortoises. Venom programs Thu-Sat 11:30am & 3pm, Sun 11:30am. Phone 386-740-9143. — DeLand proper (east of town)

2710 Big John Dr, DeLand, FL 32724

Skydive DeLand

World-famous drop zone at DeLand Municipal Airport, operating since 1982. Home to elite competition teams, military training programs, and skydiving-gear manufacturers - the reason DeLand is called the 'Skydiving Capital of the World.' Tandem jumps for first-timers. Phone (386) 738-3539. — DeLand proper (airport, east side of town)

1600 Flightline Blvd, DeLand, FL 32724

Stetson Mansion

1886 Gilded Age estate built for hat magnate John B. Stetson - billed as the largest, grandest historic home built in Florida before the 20th century. Guided historic tours run roughly February-May; the famous Christmas Spectacular tours run November-mid January. Online reservations required. — DeLand proper

1031 Camphor Ln, DeLand, FL 32720

Parks & Outdoors

Bill Dreggors Park

City park with pavilion/building rentals; shares address with the Parks & Recreation office and Freedom Playground.

230 North Stone Street, DeLand, FL

Candlelight Oaks Playground

Neighborhood playground.

813 Longview Avenue, DeLand, FL

Chisholm Playground

Playground at the Chisholm Community Center site.

520 South Clara Avenue, DeLand, FL

Earl Brown Park

Major city park with pavilion/building rentals; home to the Sanborn Center (south end) and the DeLand Skatepark.

600 Block of South Alabama Avenue, DeLand, FL

Freedom Playground

Playground at the Bill Dreggors Park site; pavilion/building rentals listed.

230 North Stone Street, DeLand, FL

Highland Park

Neighborhood park.

Corner of South Stone Street and Highland Street, DeLand, FL

Jackson Lane Park

Neighborhood park.

720 North Frankfort Avenue, DeLand, FL

Painter's Pond

Pond/green space.

Corner of South Alabama and East Wisconsin Avenues, DeLand, FL

Sunflower Park

Neighborhood park.

Corner of South Alabama Avenue and East Church Street, DeLand, FL

Tra Thomas Park

City park with pavilion/building rentals.

200 Block of South Frankfort Avenue, DeLand, FL