Just about every week feels like Shark Week this summer with the onslaught of shark attack headlines in the news, many of which trace back to one seaside town. While New Smyrna Beach, Florida has never recorded a life-threatening or fatal shark attack, the sheer volume of “love nips,” as local surfers call them, has earned it the reputation of being the so-called “Shark Bite Capital of the World.” If you have the courage to visit, you’ll learn that New Smyrna Beach has much more to offer than its abundance of aquatic apex predators. While it is in fact the best place in the state to spot Black Tips and Lemon sharks, you can also scuba dive in the calm waters of the Intracoastal Waterway (or, for the risk-adverse, take a pontoon boat ride) to spot dolphins, manatees, and other colorful marine life. The beach also holds the reputation of being the surfing capital of the East Coast, where you can take a lesson with Surfin’ NSB or gawk at the surfers that compete in the tournaments held ...