My last trip to Daytona Beach was in high school with three friends where we roasted on the beach and ate at cheap pizza joints and pancake houses.
My return visit was more upscale, with dining at fabulous restaurants, visits to museums, touring the speedway and a side trip to naturally beautiful West Volusia County. A highlight was a dolphin tour where we spotted hundreds of the creatures frolicking near our boat.
While Daytona Beach has 23 miles of gorgeous beach, we explored more of its natural beauty at several state parks and on scenic drives along the Intracoastal Waterway.
My husband, Chris, and I had a perfect view of the beach from our room at Bahama House. This family-owned hotel includes a free breakfast and happy hour daily and the location was perfect for exploring Daytona Beach. Check out our suggestions for things to do in Daytona Beach.
Take a spin around the track on the Daytona International Speedway Track Tour
I’m not a big racing fan, but really enjoyed the tour of the famous Daytona International Speedway which hosted its first race in 1959 and has attracted millions of visitors to watch world-famous racers compete in car and motorcycle races.
Daytona is known world-wide for its connection to auto racing history with races being held for years on the beach before moving to the Speedway. Homages to the city’s connection with racing are everywhere, from murals and memorabilia in restaurants to a large exhibition in The Streamline Hotel. This art deco hotel is recognized as the birthplace of NASCAR after Founder Bill France, Sr. and others gathered on the rooftop bar to form the organization.
After our most excellent tour, which included riding on the track, we visited the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America where the winning car of the Daytona 500 is housed for a year.
Dine on fabulous food
I love dining with a water view and we found two incredible restaurants in Daytona Beach. We relished our fried shrimp and redfish with a view of the Intracoastal Waterway at Caribbean Jack’s.
The waves were just below our feet as we dined on a pier at Crabby Joes where I had the best chicken and waffles of my life.
Although they aren’t on the water, you’ll get a fantastic meal at 4 Rivers Smokehouse, just across the street from the Daytona Speedway. I’m usually a pulled pork girl but highly recommend the brisket and the ribs here. Large murals of people in convertible race cars on the beach decorate the walls.
You’d never know from the exterior, but Millie’s has a charming interior and fantastic food. We chose not to indulge in the BBQ smoked alligator ribs featured in “Diners Drive-Ins and Dives,” instead selecting fish dishes as the restaurants specializes in fresh seafood.
View dolphins, climb a lighthouse and view a hotel museum at Ponce Inlet
Blessed with a perfect sunny day, we had an amazing view of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean after our climb up 203 steps to the top of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. The outbuilding and the exhibits in the former lightkeepers’ home are worth exploring as well.
Just across the street you can tour the Constance D. Hunter Pacetti Hotel Museum, built in 1880 and a once popular destination for fisherman.
We never once lost sight of the water during our day in Ponce Inlet, and had a beautiful view from the deck of Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grille where Chris loved the fried oysters and I opted for ahi tuna tacos.
The most astonishing part of our day in Ponce Inlet was the Ponce Inlet Watersports for Dolphin and Manatee Tour. I’ve been on a lot of dolphin tours, but with the exception of a feeding frenzy in Cabo, Mexico, that surrounded our boat, I’ve never seen so many dolphins.
We saw hundreds of them as we cruised along New Smyrna Beach, which our captain told us was the shark bite capital of the world. To quote Jimmy Buffett, “Fins to the left of me, fins to the right.”
Our last stop in Ponce Inlet was Lighthouse Point Park where we strolled through the dunes along the boardwalks, stopping to observe a large turtle who had the same idea and drew into his shell at our approach.
Visit a Smithsonian-affiliated museum
While visiting a museum may not be at the top of list of things to do at the beach, it can be a welcome respite from the sun and a perfect thing to do on a rainy day or when you’re taking a break from the sun and sand.
The Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) is an arts, sciences and history museum that includes a planetarium and children’s museum. With over 100,000 feet, it’s the largest museum in central Florida. Be sure to see the large Coca-Cola and Americana collection and the Cuban art in the Cuban Foundation Museum collection.
Adjacent to MOAS is the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, which has the largest collection of Florida art in the world.
Play a round of upscale mini golf at PopStroke
You won’t find any shark’s mouths, pirates or windmills at PopStroke Daytona Beach. What you will find is two 18-hole mini golf courses, full-service restaurant and bars, ice cream parlor, kids’ playground and outdoor games like cornhole. You can even order food and drink from an app while you’re playing golf. (See our related story)
There are fans and misters to keep you cool in the Florida heat, music to dance along to while you wait your turn and lights so you can keep playing after sunset.
It seems I am excellent at placing my ball in sand traps, but I did make a hole in one, and we had a blast.
PopStroke is in Tomoka Town Center with tons of shops and restaurants so you can make a day of it here.
Spend a day in Ormond Beach
Ormond Beach, just to the north of Daytona, is worth a visit for its natural beauty and fantastic restaurants.
It wasn’t open when we visited, but we stopped by The Casements, a mansion on the Halifax River that was once the winter home of John D. Rockefeller. Right across the street is a Fortunato Park, a small park on the river where people strolled along the walking trails.
A bed and breakfast opened in 1901, Rose Villa is now a restaurant serving southern-inspired cuisine. We stopped in for a drink at the bar. A mosaic of a race car was displayed above the bar, another nod to the area’s history.
We felt like we were dining like a Rockefeller at Alexander’s Prime, a steakhouse with delicious dishes that include French onion soup, prime dry-aged steaks, pasta and salmon. Kudos to our excellent server Eric.
Grab breakfast at Rosie’s Café in Dunn’s Attic, then stroll the aisles of this huge consignment shop, $1 mimosa in hand if you choose.
To take in the natural beauty of the area, drive the Ormond Loop, a 34-mile stretch of roads with views of marshes, rivers and beaches. One of the stops is Tomoka State Park, where Native Americans once fished and a mecca for birdwatchers, with 160 species sighted.
Visit the “Athens of Florida”
Just a short drive from Daytona Beach is West Volusia County, 14 communities on the St Johns River. With one day to explore, we spent most of our time in DeLand where we were charmed by its Main Street lined with shops, galleries and boutiques.
Henry DeLand moved to the area with dreams of making it the “Athens of Florida.” While he may not have achieved that goal, the city does have nine museums, theater companies and several murals.
We strolled down Main Street, grabbed a beer at Persimmon Hollow and enjoyed a delicious meal at Hunters & Gatherers where stuffed zucchini blossoms and coconut shrimp were highlights.
Our room at the Courtyard by Marriott was lovely and we had a partial view of the nearby campus of Stetson University, which we took a walk through before our morning departure from DeLand.
Our tour of state parks continued in West Volusia with two more stunning parks.
The Blue Spring in Blue Spring State Park is always a lovely 72 degrees, making it ideal for the manatees that flock there from the colder waters of the river in the winter.
After a walk along the path at the park, we hopped aboard a boat for the St. Johns River Nature Cruise, a relaxing 2-hour guided cruise to take in the scenery and spot some wildlife.
Our last stop in West Volusia was at DeLeon Springs State Park, where the water is also 72 degrees, making it a popular destination in the warmer months. There’s plenty to do here – fishing, snorkeling, hiking and boating.
A big draw is the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House where people wait hours for a chance to make their own pancakes and eggs on the griddles on the table. I did my best but couldn’t make much of a dent in the blue-speckled pitcher that contained the all-you-can-eat pancake batter.
For more on Daytona Beach, visit Daytona Beach Visitor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
For more on West Volusia County, check out Visit West Volusia