Daytona Beach

Our Story

Daytona Beach isn’t just a Florida vacation. It’s a story. Actually, it’s a collection of stories waiting to be discovered, remembered, told and retold by the generations who’ve done it, and that will do it again. Where and when is up to you. Start your own chapter when you choose to explore our big, beautiful sandy stretches, dine on true Americana cuisine, or willfully ditch your flip-flops for vehicles of a higher power. Here, classic beachside Americana awaits you.

The Daytona Beach area’s world-famous beaches offer visitors a buzzing ocean park environment complete with savory fare and exciting vendors. Step straight from the surf for come-as-you-are beachside bites, dry off with a turn on various boardwalk amusement rides, grab a glass of something cold, or enjoy a sophisticated meal at one of our oceanfront dining venues. In Daytona Beach, our buckets of boardwalk shrimp are prepared with the same amount of care and American spirit as the filet mignon.

Beach Life

With sandy stretches measuring up to 500 feet wide at low tide, Daytona Beach area beaches are the perfect place to find your place in the sun. Build a sandcastle, jog, fish, and cycle, or lay a blanket down and simply sink your toes in the sand. While at the beach, watersports enthusiasts can catch a wave with a surfing lesson or head out for a parasailing adventure.

History

Did we mention our history runs deep? A host of historical and cultural attractions await those seeking a closer look of Daytona Beach’s rich narrative.

Popular historical sites include Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station and Museum, Florida’s tallest lighthouse; Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Home and Gravesite; Jackie Robinson Ballpark; The Casements; and Gamble Place at Spruce Creek.

Arts & Culture

Woven within the Daytona Beach area is a rich tapestry of arts, culture and heritage – all for you to explore and enjoy! Experience world-class museums, phenomenal art galleries, impressive performances, numerous historic sites and other cultural treasures.

The area is  home to several notable cultural attractions including the Museum of Arts and Sciences, a Smithsonian affiliate; Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens; the Cici & Hyatt Brown Museum of Art; and the Southeast Museum of Photography.

Motorsports

Since 1929, when Major Henry Segrave set his final land speed record on the white sandy beaches of the “World’s Most Famous Beach,” the Daytona Beach area has become synonymous with the high-octane sport of racing. Daytona International Speedway, the World Center of Racing, hosts the area’s most popular automobile, go-kart, and motorcycle races.

Each year, visitors descend upon Daytona Beach and the surrounding areas to witness history in the making at automobile and motorcycle races, like the DAYTONA 500, Coke Zero Sugar 400 and more! Check out these Daytona Beach races to plan your stay.

Eco Adventures

Eco-enthusiasts will enjoy the many parks and wildlife areas in the region. Uncover your rustic side at Tomoka State Park – perfect for fishing, camping, and kayaking.

Prefer the pristine side of Florida? Visit Washington Oaks State Parks to see great oaks draped in Spanish moss and watch as azaleas, camellias, and roses wash the area with color every spring. Enjoy snorkeling or diving? The native marine life and beautiful limestone-walled caves at DeLeon Springs State Park and Blue Spring State Park provide freshwater scuba and snorkeling hobbyists with spectacular underwater sites.

Wildlife & Birding

Coast by canoe or hike on foot through the area’s waterways and parks for a vibrant show of Florida’s unique wildlife – from friendly manatees and dolphins to sea turtles and the precious scrub jay. Home to part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, the area attracts bird watchers from around the world who come to explore more than 200 species of storks, kingfishers, woodpeckers, warblers and more.

• Join environmental specialists at the Lyonia Environmental Center every Monday and Friday at 9 a.m. for a “Guided Scrub Stroll” through Lyonia Preserve.
• Ponce Preserve has been added to the Eastern section of the Great Florida Birding Trail and is an excellent site for bird watching.
• Other popular birding spots include: Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, Hontoon Island State Park, Tomoka State Park and Boardman Pond along the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail.
• Frank Rendon Park is famous for a variety of shorebirds during peak migratory season.
• The Halifax Audubon Society has named 14 locales to its list of Greater Daytona Beach Area Birding Hot Spots.

Boating

Trade asphalt roads for Atlantic waters and miles per hour for knots when you choose to explore the Daytona Beach area by boat. Board a guided boat tour of the Intracoastal Waterway and St. Johns River. Deep-sea fishing charters are also popular and depart from several marinas daily.

Water Activities

This Florida East Coast beach destination has a water activity for everyone in tow whether they enjoy fishing, boating, surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking or watching dolphins frolic in the Intracoastal Waterway. The Daytona Beach area’s sparkling beaches, relaxing rivers and meandering creeks offer endless opportunities for both fun family adventures and solo excursions for those seeking solace in our natural surroundings.

The Daytona Beach area offers so many unconventional and fun-filled water activities to keep your sense of adventure alive! Whether you want to fly thousands of feet over the water while parasailing, glide through the ocean on a banana boat, or take a historic river cruise, Daytona Beach has everything you want and more in your next family vacation!

Fishing

Fishing in the Daytona Beach area offers the angler unique options to enjoy the sport! Offshore, coastal and inland fishing with beautiful weather year-round affords the opportunity to cast your reel in a variety of settings. Imagine saltwater fishing one day, freshwater the next and brackish on another day! Fish from two of Florida’s iconic wooden piers in Daytona Beach, cruise out to the deep sea from Ponce Inlet and fish offshore, experience reeling in a bass from the storied St. Johns River, or sit atop a kayak and fish the flats of the Tomoka River and Indian River Lagoon…it’s all here!

Golf

The Daytona area is home to nearly 20 golf courses, a range of accommodations options, highlighted by stunning Atlantic Ocean views, and enough fun off the course to fill a month-long trip. It all begins on the course, and LPGA International, a highly-acclaimed 36-hole facility with a pair of layouts designed by Rees Jonesand Arthur Hills, is the clubhouse leader.

Mix-in a pair of Donald Ross designs in Daytona Beach Golf Club’s South Course and New Smyrna Golf Club – both layouts are recognized on the Florida Historic Golf Trail. – and the area offers an ideal cross-section of American golf course architecture.

Shopping

Shopping is a breeze in Daytona Beach! Whether you love to browse shops and stroll while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee or shop with a mission, you’ll want to sample our distinctive collection of gift stores, antique shops and clothing boutiques.

Enjoy a leisurely stroll on historic Beach Street to walk off a fabulous lunch or dinner you enjoyed at the Riverfront Shops of Daytona Beach. Peruse our shopping districts, Volusia Mall, Tanger Outlets and ONE DAYTONA to zero in on what will fulfill your shopping list. The choices are endless!

Festivals

Daytona Beach takes claim to the title of Festival Capital of Florida for good reason with festivals and events taking place here year round.

Make the pilgrimage for one of our large legendary events like BikeWeek and Biketoberfest®, Daytona Blues Festival, Halifax Art Festival, or Turkey Run. During Speedweeks is also a great time to visit several of the 60 smaller cultural festivals put on throughout the year. Festivals are constantly being added to the line-up, so please visit FestivalCapitalofFlorida.com for the most up-to-date information.

Where To Stay

With boutique inns, oceanfront cottages, resorts and everything in between, you’ll find the perfect place to stay in Daytona Beach for a family vacation or group gathering. With more than 200 properties and 12,000 rooms, choosing from a variety of Daytona Beach hotels has never been easier. Whether you’re looking for Daytona Beach hotels on the beach or hotels near Daytona International Speedway, you’ll always be close to your next Daytona Beach adventure, golf excursion or shopping spree. Use the search tool below find the perfect base camp to explore the Daytona Beach area and Central Florida. Book your hotel now.