need for speed | by (or In) the water | festivals | beach stays
Daytona Beach
For a place most often associated with its International Speedway, Daytona Beach is a remarkably chill destination, where favorite pastimes include lounging, strolling and wave-hopping along the 23-mile Atlantic shore. Indeed, if you’ve never been to the home of the fabled Daytona 500—or you haven’t visited in a while—you’re in for all kinds of surprises that will have you plotting a trip ASAP. Whether you seek respite or revving up, festivals or foodie finds, museums or concerts by the sea, your next great getaway awaits.
On March 29, 1927, Daytona Beach saw Sir Henry Segrave become the world’s first driver to exceed 200 miles per hour—one of a number of water and land speed records he would break in his lifetime. And ever since he broke his final land speed record in 1929 (231.44 mph, for those keeping score), the Daytona Beach area has been a racing hotspot. Whether you want to experience the adrenaline rush firsthand or spectate while others take the wheel, you won’t want for choices.
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Daytona International Speedway
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If you do feel
the need for speed
If you'd rather chill by (or in) the water
If you're in a festival state of mind
If you seek the
ideal beach stay
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Plan your trip
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Daytona 500
Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art
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Motorsports Hall of Fame America
Birthplace of Speed Park in Ormand Beach
Go kayaking in Tomoka State Park
Rays at the Marine Science Center
St. Demetrios Greek Festival
The Daytona Turkey Run
Hard Rock Hotel
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Art in the Park—Ormond Beach Arts & Crafts Festival
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The one that needs no introduction is the Daytona International Speedway, known by many as the World Center of Racing, where you’ll find the area’s marquee automobile, go-kart and motorcycles races—for starters, the Daytona 500. But regardless of whether there’s an event on, this is a worthy pilgrimage site for fans: There are daily tours that take you behind the scenes for an hour or so when the track isn’t in use. You’ll also want to visit the onsite Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: 15,000 square feet full of legendary speedmobiles and other artifacts, in addition to immersive experiences—getting your picture taken behind the wheel of a Toyota NASCAR Cup Series car, for one.
To go back to where it all began, head to the Birthplace of Speed Park in nearby Ormond Beach, whose smooth, hard-packed sands became a proving ground for auto inventors and drivers in the early 1900s. The Ormond Garage, aka "Gasoline Alley," opened in 1904 to accommodate the racers and mechanics. And though the original burned down, a replica lives on at the park as an evocative reminder of the early days of racing in the U.S. For a literal historic overview of auto racing’s local beginnings, head to the top of the 19th-century Ponce Inlet Lighthouse—Florida’s tallest light station—where you can look out onto the shores that gave rise to NASCAR. And don’t miss the onsite museum to learn about more fascinating local history while you’re here.
In light of that 23-mile Atlantic shoreline, you’d expect to find a number of ways to have fun in and around the water. And just lazing on the sand, playing in the waves—or surfing them—makes for a head-clearing getaway. But once you factor in the local rivers, creeks, estuaries and intracoastal waters, you have more options than you know what to do with—the best kind of problem to have on vacation. If paddleboarding is your thing (and odds are it is, given the sport’s booming popularity), you have an almost endless selection of waterways to explore. A good starting point? A Three Brothers Boards SUP tour, which will take you to the easy waters of the Halifax River and areas known for dolphin and manatee sightings.
Kayakers and canoers are in luck, too, with options that include the wildlife-rich marshes and tidal creeks of the canoe trail in Tomoka State Park. If you had a bigger or faster boat in mind—and perhaps someone else serving as captain—you’ll find every possible iteration here: sailboat tours, river cruises, airboat charters, luxury yachts and more. If it’s a fishing expedition you’re after, again, options abound, whether you want to head offshore for the big boys, or venture into the backwaters for something slower paced.
If you prefer a different kind of marine life encounter, snorkeling and swimming through the famously clear waters of Blue Spring State Park (limited access available through November 15 due to a shoreline stabilization project) are an amazing place to come face to face with manatees, tarpon and other water-dwelling wonders. For those who prefer to stay dry while gazing upon the undersea world, check out the octopus, rays and other residents of the new Daytona Aquarium and RainForest Adventure.
Dubbed the Festival Capital of Florida, Daytona Beach hosts gatherings of all kinds throughout the year. Music, food, art, kid-friendly, culture…whatever your passion (or passions), the Daytona Beach events scene probably has it covered.
Running from Nov. 22–Jan. 4, the all-ages Magic of Lights event will light up the International Speedway with over one million lights, transforming it into a drive-through holiday wonderland. The elaborate display will set young ones' eyes aglow with cheerful LED-lit and animated holiday scenes.
Spring brings another one of the biggest events on the calendar: the Welcome to Rockville festival. Last year, Judas Priest, Limp Bizkit, Foo Fighters and many, many more graced the stage.
Another big cultural event takes place each fall: the St. Demetrios Greek Festival, where you can experience all manner of traditional music and dance—Hasapiko, Zeibekiko, Tsamiko, Sirto and Pentozali—and feast on gyros, calamari, souvlaki, moussaka, stuffed grape leaves and more. For a feast of a different kind, check out Another fall staple, Riverfest Seafood Festival is a salt-life celebration that brings dozens of food sellers to Ormond Beach. A draft beer garden provides perfect pairings for the catch of the day. To work up an appetite between courses, you can take the onsite paddleboards and boats out for a spin.
One of the most distinctive festivals on the calendar? The Daytona Turkey Run, which brings swap meet vendors and thousands of unique cars—exotics, custom cars and restored classics—to the Daytona International Speedway during Thanksgiving week. If you’ve never been to a combined mega swap meet-car show, you need to see this to believe it. Of course, even if you aren’t visiting Daytona Beach during a particular festival, the city offers plenty of art, culture and music, from Cinematique Theater, an arthouse theater and live music venue, to the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, home to what’s believed to be the world’s largest collection of Florida-themed works.
Whether you’re a couple looking for a quaint cottage, a family looking for a kid-friendly resort or any kind of travel party in between, Daytona Beach has you covered: There are more than 200 properties to choose from. Always a good starting point: the Daytona Beach hotel deals listings.
Beyond seeing who’s got the best rates, you’ll want to check out some of the crowd-favorite lodgings. Couples who like historic stays should consider the Golden Magnolia Resort, two Victorian structures across from Halifax Harbor Marina—the kind of place where each room has its own charms, whether a vaulted ceiling, a four-poster bed or water-view seating parlor. If romantic bed-and-breakfasts are more your speed, consider the River Lily Inn on the Intracoastal Halifax River.
If you’re traveling with kids in tow, you’ll find activity after activity to engage them at the Club Wyndham Ocean Walk, home to a pool with water slide and splash area, a baby pool, a lazy river, a beautiful stretch of beach, a game room and miniature golf, for starters. (More serious golfers will rejoice to find nearly 20 courses in the area, by the way.) If you’re traveling with kids and pets, the oceanfront Hard Rock Hotel is a great option: While kids love the Hard Rock Roxity Youth Club, their four-legged friends lap up the VIP treatment. There’s even a custom pet playlist.
If you’ve traveled here to spend some time surfing, consider a hotel near some of the area’s best swells, as well as an onsite surf school: The Shores Resort & Spa (which is also home to daily beachside yoga sessions, among other thoughtful amenities). At the other end of the spectrum, if you’re in town to rev your engine—or at least to spectate—you’ll want to consider one of the coolest properties by the Daytona International Speedway: The Daytona, Autograph Collection, where you’ll find an energetic, sleek aesthetic that includes various nods to motorsport history—not least, the elevated motorcycle at Sir Malcom, the restaurant named for the record-breaking motorist Sir Malcolm Campbell.
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Welcome to Rockville
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River Lily Inn
need for speed | by (or In) the water | festivals | beach stays
need for speed | by (or In) the water | festivals | beach stays
need for speed | by (or In) the water | festivals | beach stays