Yes, there is more to the Daytona Beach region than surfing, shrimp-eating and spring break. And I can prove it.

 

Or you can do that for yourself, if you visit the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange.  At this historic property, donated in 1963 to the County of Volusia by J. Sacton Lloyd, and operated since 1988 by the non-profit Botanical Gardens of Volusia, you can take a self-guided tour of the well-maintained trails, chock-full of native plants and flowers. Green thumbs will appreciate the range of skills invested here, given that there's everything from a butterfly garden to a bromeliad collection. And birding buffs will be delighted by the Audobon Trail.

 

Among the 59 points of interest, you'll see what's left of the Dunlawton Plantation Sugar Mill, which was built by the British in 1830, and a Molasses Holding Area, a curing room for the barrels that were eventually shipped to the Caribbean to make rum. More recent additions, including near life-size casts of various dinosaurs and the Human Sundial, built in 1991 by the Daytona Beach Board of Realtors, are good for keeping kids entertained, as well.

 

Entrance to the Gardens is free, but because the site is maintained by volunteers, donations are always welcome. For more information, visit www.dunlawtonsugarmillgardens.org.