Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach’s legendary NASCAR race might bring you to this fun Florida location, but what will keep you coming back are its long stretch of coastline, live music, and local culture.
Built for Speed
No visit to Daytona is complete without paying respects to the motorsport legacy that made its name. The Daytona International Speedway—the “World Center of Racing”—is a pilgrimage site for fans and the curious alike. Every February, the Daytona 500 transforms the city into a roaring cathedral of horsepower, drawing nearly half a million fans for NASCAR’s most celebrated race and accompanying events. If you visit other times of the year, you can still visit the speedway during a behind-the-scenes guided tour.
Meanwhile, Biketoberfest, held in mid-October, brings a different rumble to town—a long weekend of motorcycle rallies, live music, and leather-clad camaraderie that fills every bar and boulevard.
Beach and Beyond
A sun-kissed stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, Daytona Beach envelops 23 miles of coastline and even allows you to drive right on the sand in certain parts. Daytona’s Main Street Pier juts out over the water like a punctuation mark in the heart of the action and is flanked by shops, seafood shacks, and the Ocean Center convention and entertainment venue.
Along Main Street, iconic spots, such as the Boot Hill Saloon, Main Street Station, and Caribbean Jack’s, keep the party going with live rock, country, and blues almost every night.
The cultural side of Daytona Beach rewards those looking to go beyond speed and surf, too. At Halifax Historical Museum, rare photographs, postcards, and enduring artifacts help to tell the story of the people, places, and unique events that shaped this distinctive coastal community.
When it’s time for visitors to fill up, Daytona’s casual catch of the day enjoyed dockside at any number of restaurants will hit the spot: Sample fresh grouper sandwiches and nibble on steamed shrimp paired with tropical cocktails. Then finish up with Cuban coffee strong enough to fuel all of your vacation activities.
