Samsula-Tomoka Farms
Samsula-Tomoka Farms is a rural area west of I-95 in Volusia County, west of Daytona Beach, Port Orange, and New Smyrna Beach. It receives peak tourist attention during Bike Week, when motorcyclists from around the country gather in the Daytona suburbs and the area around the Cabbage Patch Bar, in particular, is crowded with hundreds of bikers.
Understand
Samsula is a rural area on the east side of Tomoka Farms Rd stretching east to Venetian Bay, which is the western end of New Smyrna Beach. Tomoka Farms Rd continues north from Samsula to Daytona Beach where it is close to I-95. The area lacks the lakes found in Lake Ashby, which is the continuation of Tomoka Farms Rd known on the south side of FL-44 as FL-415. In addition to the core area along Tomoka Farms Rd and Samsula Dr, there are low-development areas on the western fringe of the Samsula area, particularly on Pioneer Tr toward FL-44, including a park, which is for practical purposes a part of the Samsula rural area, and some development on the southwest edge of Daytona Beach β but still west of I-95 β that is connected to the Tomoka Farms region.
While this area is rural, city and suburban life is not far away. Rural Volusia County transfers into suburbs that follow the course of Williamson Blvd and Airport Rd to the east of Samsula-Spruce Creek. The primary neighborhoods west of I-95, and almost within earshot of Samsula, are Venetian Bay in New Smyrna, and Water's Edge and the Spruce Creek Fly-In in Port Orange. Therefore, stores and services are close to Tomoka Farms and as development moves west, Tomoka Farms is beginning a transfer from rural to suburban. Formerly the Airport Rd corridor was an entirely rural road, but Port Orange and New Smyrna have expanded west. However, a rural corridor along Pioneer Tr remains continuing east across I-95 toward the Turnbull Bay area.
The climate is best outside of peak summer months, particularly for outdoor activities.
Get in
By bus
The Votran bus network's Mason Ave route leads to Tomoka Farms Rd and does a short distance along the route west of Daytona Beach.
By car
There are a number of points of entry to this rural area. North- or eastbound turns from FL-44 into the area include Pioneer Tr, Tomoka Farms Rd, and Samsula Dr, while from the east are Pioneer Tr, Taylor Rd, and US-92.
Get around
The main road is Tomoka Farms Rd, the northern continuation of FL-415. Tomoka Farms Rd is designed as a two-lane highway with a speed limit of 40-50 miles per hour. This does present obstacles to some intersections as there are typically no turning lanes. The intersection with Pioneer Tr is a four-way stop, and traffic going south on Tomoka Farms Rd can become a traffic jam here during rush hour. Pioneer Tr enters from the east, marking the border between New Smyrna and Port Orange, before going southwest toward FL-44 and merging in an on-ramp. Traffic turning left from FL-44 to Pioneer has no traffic signal and must yield to, and cross the path of westbound traffic when that respective road is clear. FL-44 is a four-line highway with a speed limit in most parts of 65 miles per hour.
A bridge takes Tomoka Farms Rd over I-4, and likewise a bridge takes Pioneer Tr over I-95, so be careful regarding the assumption of on and off-ramps between local roads and the interstates.
See
Sights are concentrated in the parks due to the lack of terrain. Even these views aren't above a mile due to the forest that covers much of the region. In Longleaf Pine Preserve there are breaks/forest clearings and narrow water channels inhabited by alligators and small fish, but there are no large lakes in the Samsula area comparable to Lakes Ashby or Monroe to the south and southwest, respectively.
Do
Events
In effect there are two "bike weeks" in this area, in spring and fall. During these weeks the roads are full of bikers, so you're not a biker, visit outside of the organized bike weeks.
Popular "bike week" spots can be found throughout the Daytona-New Smyrna area, but the main Tomoka Farms destinations surround the Cabbage Patch Bar (north side of junction with Pioneer) and the Daytona RV site (south of junction with US-92).
- Biketoberfest: . (date needs fixing) in mid-October
- Daytona Bike Week: 04β13 March 2022. (date needs updating)
Parks
- π Longleaf Pine Preserve (two entrances, one on Pioneer Trail closer to Samsula and another off FL-44 closer to DeLand). A couple trails (going from the separate staging areas) go through the region's mixed ecosystems. As the eastern trail, the one closer to New Smyrna Beach, is near a shooting range, hikers may hear the sound of not-so-distant gunshots, but need not be concerned.
- π Pioneer Trail Reserve, 4311 Pioneer Trail, toll-free: +1-888-937-5263. At the reserve, there are twenty-one equestrian ranches in a conservation area, which is a gated community. Horse training and riding are offered.
Ranches
- π Flying B Ranch, 687 N Samsula Dr, β +1 386 478-1244. Flying B Ranch is a 33-acre horse facility, offering horseback riding and horse boarding.
- π Whispering Palms Farm, 137 FL-415, β +1 386 527-1666. Offers horse boarding and riding lessons.
Sports
- π New Smyrna Speedway, northwest corner of FL-44 and Route 415, β +1 386 427-4129. Half-mile race track offers regular schedule of FASCAR (Florida Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) races.
Buy
- π The Barefoot Farmer's Market (Tomazin Farms), 3779 Honeydew Ln. Traditional farmer's market based in Samsula every Saturday morning. Also open on Tuesdays on FL-44.
Eat
- π Sorry Charlieβs Corner, 116 N Samsula Dr (junction with FL-44). Hard to miss if you're headed west on FL-44. There's a large dirt area right in front of the restaurant and it's well back from the main roads. American cuisine with similar appeal to the Cabbage Patch Bar. Advertises alcoholic drinks as well. It's particularly popular with the bikers during Bike Week and Biketoberfest.
Drink
- π Sopotnicks Cabbage Patch Bar, 549 Tomoka Farms Rd, β +1 386 427-8969. Biker bar, west of New Smyrna Beach. Popular destination during Daytona Beach Bike Week and Biketoberfest, thanks partially due to its location on Tomoka Farms Road, which goes north-south from the Daytona area. At this time the area becomes a center for Bike Week activities on both sides of Tomoka Farms Rd.
Sleep
- π Daytona Speedway RV, 3003 W International Speedway Blvd (just south of junction of Tomoka Farms Rd and US-92), β +1 386 257-6137, info@daytonaspeedwayrv.com. On the boundary between the Tomoka Farms and Daytona Beach areas because Daytona has expanded west of I-95.
Cope
There are a number of religious centers along the Tomoka Farms Rd, including π First Baptist Church, π Sovereign Grace Church, a π Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and π Ni Viα»n Phα» Hiα»n, a Buddhist place of worship.
Go next
- Immediately to the south of FL-44, FL-415 goes toward and passes Lake Ashby. The area surrounding Lake Ashby is a continuation of the parks, though is less impacted by Bike Week. There is a campsite and boardwalk at Lake Ashby Park on the shore of the lake.
- To the east of Tomoka Farms are three cities with sprawl across I-95: New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange, and Daytona Beach. New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach have beautiful beaches, Daytona Beach is the location of the LPGA Golf Course and Daytona Speedway (both of which are only a few minutes' drive from northern Tomoka Farms), and Port Orange is a suburb nestled between the two cities.
- To the west, following Pioneer Trail and FL-44, is DeLand, a college town home to Stetson University.