The family checklist is covered from top to bottom on Daytona Beach holidays. Think never-ending sands, a lively boardwalk and a mix of natural and fast-paced attractions.
World’s Most Famous Beach
Daytona Beach is one of east-coast Florida’s major sunbathing players. The sands unravel for more than 20 miles, with hotels, shopping malls and arcades keeping it company along the way. The Halifax River separates the beach crowd from the rest of the city, with manatees, bald eagles and wading birds often spotted from the banks. The rumble of one of America’s top motorsport stadiums crops up in the background, too.
Multi-skilled sands
The seafront scene’s pretty special here, and it comes with an activity list that’s almost as long as the beach itself. When you’re not flaked out doing nothing, the boardwalk over your shoulder’s on hand to supply amusements and snack spots. Cars are allowed to trundle along the waterfront, thanks to the compact sand, so you’ll see people park up facing the shoreline and cart their picnics to a vacant spot. The odd 4×4 or buggy gets close to the shallows, but the main tanning drag stays undisturbed. Fishermen, meanwhile, cast a line off the pier, while watersports fans opt for surfing and paddleboarding.
Full throttle
This place isn’t afraid to swing into the fast lane, and it’s a big hit with petrol heads and partygoers. Daytona International Speedway draws NASCAR crowds for the annual Daytona 500, and also plays host to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. At the fun-loving end of the scale, spring breakers from across the country pack out the beachfront hotels and bars for a week or two each year. You’ll find the younger crowds around the Seabreeze neighbourhood, while bikers and beach veterans hit the saloons and tap houses of Main Street.
Pick and mix daytrips
Away from the sun-seeking habitat, there’s more variety than you’d expect. The Museum of Arts and Sciences has a planetarium and exhibitions of fossils and skeletons. Florida’s first luxury estate, the century-old Stetson Mansion, still bears the name of its hat-making creator, and the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest in the state. Those with a sweet tooth head for the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory, close to the city’s marina, where bacon and crisps are among the chocolate-smothered snacks. Further afield, Orlando’s line-up of theme and water parks is just over an hour’s drive away.
