Daytona Beach

The "World's Most Famous Beach" on Florida's Atlantic coast, where you can drive on the sand; Daytona International Speedway and Ponce Inlet Lighthouse are the highlights.

Daytona Beach is on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, in Volusia County, about an hour's drive north of Orlando and an hour south of St. Augustine. The Halifax River (the northern end of the Indian River Lagoon) divides the city in two: the long, narrow barrier island on the east side holds the beach, boardwalk and resort hotels, while the mainland on the west side has the historic Beach Street downtown, museums and Daytona International Speedway.

Daytona bills itself as the "World's Most Famous Beach": its sand is hard-packed and flat, and in the early 20th century it was the site of land speed records and beach racing. NASCAR was born here, and today some stretches still allow daytime driving on the sand, the most iconic experience in town. Racing fans shouldn't miss Daytona International Speedway, where the Daytona 500 and Speedweeks in February and the 24-hour endurance race in January draw hundreds of thousands of spectators. Bike Week in March and Biketoberfest in October are among the largest motorcycle rallies in the U.S., and hotel prices soar during these events.

Areas to explore: the beach, boardwalk and Main Street Pier form the core, worth half a day to a full day. 15 km south is Ponce Inlet, where you can climb the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, visit the sea turtle rehabilitation center and see Smyrna Dunes. Farther south are the surf town of New Smyrna Beach and the pristine sands of Canaveral National Seashore. To the north, Ormond Beach has Rockefeller's winter home, The Casements, and Tomoka State Park, and you can follow A1A all the way to Flagler Beach. 40 km inland, De Leon Springs lets you swim and cook your own pancakes. Plan on 2–3 days, or longer if you just want to relax on the beach.

The best seasons are winter and spring (Nov–May), when the weather is mild and dry; Jun–Nov is hurricane season, and summers are hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Swim only in lifeguarded areas and watch the warning flags, as rip currents are dangerous. Public transit is limited, so driving is recommended. The nearest airport is Daytona Beach International Airport, or fly into Orlando for more options and drive from there.

Top sights

• Daytona International Speedway – Known as the 'World Center of Racing,' this is a NASCAR mecca that hosts the Daytona 500 every February. On non-race days, a track tour tak…
• Daytona Beach (Beach Driving) – Hailed as 'the most famous beach in the world,' this firm, white-sand beach lets drivers take their cars right onto the sand along designat…
• Daytona Beach Boardwalk & Main Street Pier – A retro seaside boardwalk at the heart of the beach, with a Ferris wheel, amusement rides, an open-air music stage and a wooden pier reachi…
• Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse – The tallest lighthouse in Florida, standing about 53 meters high. Climbing its 203 steps rewards you with views over Ponce Inlet and the At…
• New Smyrna Beach – A seaside town south of Daytona. Cars can be driven onto parts of the beach, which is famous for surfing. Restaurants and small shops along…
• Canaveral National Seashore (Apollo Beach & Turtle Mound) – The longest undeveloped beach on Florida's East Coast. The Apollo Beach dunes in the north stretch on, and Turtle Mound overlooks Mosquito…
• Museum of Arts and Sciences – Daytona's largest comprehensive museum, with Cuban art, a Coca-Cola collection, a giant ground sloth skeleton and a planetarium.
• Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art – The art museum with the largest collection of Florida-themed oil paintings and watercolors, showing a century of Florida's landscapes, coas…
• Marine Science Center – A rehabilitation center that rescues sea turtles and seabirds. Visitors can see turtles under treatment, a stingray touch pool and birds of…
• Lighthouse Point Park – A seaside park on the north side of the Ponce Inlet mouth, with a jetty, boardwalks and dunes. Dolphins and surfers are often seen here.
• Smyrna Dunes Park – A dune park on the south bank of Ponce Inlet. Nearly 3 km of elevated boardwalk circles the dunes, offering views of the sea, the lagoon, d…
• Tomoka State Park – A state park north of Ormond Beach where you can canoe on the Tomoka River and drive the tree-lined “Ormond Scenic Loop.”
• The Casements – The winter residence of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller in his later years, now a cultural center. Admission is free, and visitors can learn…
• De Leon Springs State Park – Clear spring pools for swimming. The park's old Spanish sugar mill restaurant lets you pan-fry pancakes at your own table, and it is a favo…
• Daytona Lagoon – A water park and indoor entertainment center beside the seaside boardwalk, with slides, a lazy river, go-karts and laser tag. It suits fami…
• Jackie Robinson Ballpark – In 1946, Jackie Robinson played his first integrated spring training game here. The historic ballpark marks the breaking of racial segregat…
• Halifax Historical Museum – A local history museum housed in a 1910 bank building. It showcases early beach racing, Indigenous artifacts and the city's transformation.
• Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory – A long-established chocolate shop on Beach Street, operating since 1925. It offers a free factory tour and samples.
• New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins – The ruins of a coquina-stone sugar mill from the 19th-century plantation era of enslaved labor. The forest remains were burned during the S…
• Mary McLeod Bethune Home – The home of the renowned African American educator and founder of Bethune-Cookman University. It is now a National Historic Landmark.
• Flagler Beach & Pier – A quiet seaside town about 40 minutes north of Daytona. A1A runs right along the coastline, and the pier and orange-brown shell-sand beache…
• Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park – The ruins of Florida's largest plantation sugar mill, with coquina walls hidden among oak groves. Visitors can canoe along Bulow Creek.

Where to eat

• Ocean Deck Restaurant & Beach Club – A beach bar that began as a hot dog stand in 1957; readers of USA Today 10Best named it the top beach bar in the United…
• Aunt Catfish's on the River – A longtime Southern seafood spot on the Halifax River in Port Orange, known for salt-and-pepper catfish and bottomless…
• Don Vito's Italian Restaurant – A family-run Italian eatery that opened in 2010. With thousands of Tripadvisor reviews and a long-standing spot near th…
• Tia Cori's Tacos – An affordable taco stand at the north end of Beach Street, serving traditional Mexican and American-style tacos made fr…
• Crabby Joe's (Sunglow Pier) – A restaurant built out over the water on Sunglow Fishing Pier, known for crab cake eggs Benedict and ocean views.

Itineraries

• Florida Grand Loop Tour – Starting in Miami, explore the Keys, the Gulf Coast, Orlando, and St. Augustine.