There is a very long beach there that is never too crowded. Also, there is a promenade with a nice view.
There is a car rental office in town. You can make few easy day trips to Mount Etna or Taormina.
You can also take a day trip by train to Palermo (2 hr each way), or Cefalu (1 hr each way).
There is a very frequent reliable ferry service from Milazzo and the exploration of seven Eolian islands make great day trips. From the same port there are few organized boat tours to the islands. It is possible to make a day trip to Vulcano or Lipari, but you have to stay overnight on the other islands.