Renowned for its fantastic, hard-packed, white-sand beaches and yearly sport events, Daytona Beach attracts more than 8 million tourists each year. In addition to that, it is the ideal family escape offering a wide variety of entertainment options and dining spots.
The temperature in the area varies from 59°F in winter to 78°F in summer – the air is warm and the place is relaxed all year round.
Location and Parking
Located about 86 miles southeast of Jacksonville and just 51 miles northeast of Orlando, this popular beach city lies on Florida’s Atlantic coast.
What makes Daytona Beach so special is its hard-packed sand that allows to drive and park vehicles directly on the beach in designated areas ($20 per vehicle). Be sure to respect the speed limit of 10 miles per hour and park perpendicular to the shore. There are also plentiful public parking spaces adjacent to or near the beaches.
Accessibility
The entrance is free of charge and the beach is open to pedestrians 24 hours daily while vehicles are allowed in dedicated areas only from sunrise to sundown. The beach is ADA accessible and there are beach wheelchairs available from Beach Safety on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge.
Beach
Daytona Beach boasts a truly spectacular, 23-mile long, and 500-feet wide (at low tide) shoreline, which is perfect for unplugging, relaxing, and rejuvenating. This long and wide stretch of white sand offers plenty of space for everyone.
There are areas for beach driving as well as areas offering a pristine setting with no motorized vehicles. Swimming at Daytona Beach is pure pleasure and there are staffed lifeguard towers along the beach to keep the beach-goers safe.
Events
Every year, crowds of tourists flock to Daytona Beach for special sports events, like the 24 hours of Daytona race (January), the Daytona 500 race (February), Bike Week (March), the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race (July), or Biketoberfest (October). There is also the Daytona Beach Bandshell, which hosts free summer concerts.
Other Activities
If you happen to spend your day off or vacation on Daytona Beach, you can also visit Daytona Lagoon water park with its waterslides, go-karts, and laser tag. It is located very close to the beach.
Driving Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes from Orlando, FL
- 1 hour 30 minutes from Jacksonville, FL
- 2 hours 30 minutes from Tampa, FL
Hotels and rentals
If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:
- Nearby rentals from VRBO.
- Nearby rooms and properties from Booking.com.
Beaches nearby
Additionally, there's a number of beaches near Daytona Beach which you can visit:
- Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park Beach (8 miles)
- North Peninsula State Park Beach (14 miles)
- New Smyrna Beach (14 miles)
- Flagler Beach Fishing Pier (19 miles)
- Varn Park Beach (24 miles)