Florida Travel/Things to do in Daytona Beach
Boardwalks, beaches, racing, dining and more. This awaits you as you look for things to do in Daytona Beach, FL
Why Should You Visit Daytona Beach?
In one word: The Beach. Okay, that’s technically two words and it’s just the beginning of things to do in Daytona Beach; however, miles of soft, sandy beaches and pristine coastline is the background for your trip to Daytona Beach. From there, you fill in the details. And trust us, the details are plenty!
For Racing Enthusiasts
For our automotive enthusiasts, the city is synonymous with the iconic Daytona International Speedway. From its earliest days, cars zoomed up and down the sands along the Atlantic Coast. Today, racing fans travel from near and far to experience the roar and speed of the race track.
For Cultural Travelers
For our cultural travelers, the city is home to galleries, museums, and performances that will expand your mind and entertain your soul. The Halifax Historical Museum, for example, is your space to glimpse the region’s Native American culture from the beginning. While art lovers can enjoy the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, ocean lovers will gravitate to the ECHO Gallery at the Ocean Center.
For Beach Fun
If boardwalk fun is what you’re after, Daytona Beach Boardwalk has that! It’s classic Americana, beach style, as you stroll the lively boardwalk and pier, complete with amusement rides and arcades. Ocean view eats are plenty, and a soothing salt-air breeze is almost certain.
For Nature Lovers
Prefer more natural fun? Then head to Tomoka State Park, just one of the places where you can get into Florida nature with hiking trails and birdwatching. Or drive to Lighthouse Point Park on the tip of Ponce Inlet for stunning views of the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. You can hike the 2+ mile trail at Smyrna Dunes Park or drive the beach up to the jetties.
For Road Trippers
Prefer a little drive? Try the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail. As you drive this 30+ mile double loop of roadways, you’ll see why John D. Rockefeller chose to winter here. It’s beautiful! Come between May and September, and you may see turtle nests on the beach; December to April offers opportunities to see right whales as they migrate off the coast here to birth their calves.
Those are the “normal” things to do in Daytona Beach. Now, let’s see what’s new…
What’s New in Daytona Beach in 2024?
There are plenty of other things to do when you’re done playing in the surf.
According to the Daytona Beach Visitors Bureau, there are many new places to stay, things to do, food to eat, and memories to be made to top off your Florida Bucket List in 2024. Here are a few new things to do in Daytona Beach this year:
*We added a map at the end of this article with the places mentioned. You can use the link for easy navigation and travel planning on your next trip to Daytona Beach Florida.
Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure
Opening in early 2024, Daytona Beach’s first aquarium promises an interactive educational experience with animals from land and sea. Pre-sale tickets and memberships are available now. The 55,000-square-foot Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure will open at International Speedway and Nova Road. Get ready to discover nearly 40 tanks, including a 110,000-gallon shark tank and a 12,000-gallon stingray touch pool. See alligators, crocodiles, frogs, and lizards in their habitats. Phase 2 brings an indoor rainforest, planned to open within 12 months, filled with sloths, armadillos, monkeys, toucans, and exotic birds.
Daytona Beach’s first aquarium promises an interactive educational experience from land and sea.
Stroll over a mile along the riverfront trail.
Riverfront Esplanade
Downtown Daytona’s Riverfront Esplanade is the gathering spot for residents and visitors with a lovely botanical garden. Stroll over a mile of riverfront trail with cozy benches and swings overlooking the Halifax River. Let the kids run through the splash pad while the pups play at the dog park’s agility course. The northern end welcomed visitors in 2022, while the southern end, with its flower gardens, waterfalls, and picnic spots overlooking the water, just opened in October 2023. Wander the creekside paths and enjoy nature’s beauty along Daytona’s glistening riverfront.
Marine Science Center
Volusia County is rich with marine life. Learn about all of it at the Marine Science Center. Located in Ponce Inlet, the Science Center opened a new Raptor Exhibit dedicated to their permanent residents, injured birds who can’t return to the wild. This thoughtfully designed habitat lets these majestic birds live safely and happily. Coming soon: an exhibit on Volusia County’s Artificial Coral Reef program and its vital role in marine conservation. By sinking ships, planes, and concrete structures, artificial reefs create habitats for sea life. Modeled after the 150-foot Lady Philomena ship sunk in 2018, this hands-on display lets you explore the county’s innovative efforts to support undersea ecosystems.
Coming soon: an exhibit on Volusia County’s Artificial Coral Reef program.
This state-of-the-art campus was named a top 25 pickleball destination in the United States by Pickleball Magazine.
Pictona at Holly Hill
Could this be Florida’s East Coast pickleball capital? After a multi-million dollar expansion, Pictona at Holly Hill offers world-class facilities for this fast-growing sport. With 49 courts meeting official dimensions, the state-of-the-art campus was named a top 25 pickleball destination in the United States by Pickleball Magazine. Thirteen covered courts allow play come rain or shine, including a Championship Court seating up to 1,200 spectators for tournaments and 1,500 for entertainment. The latest addition is a nine-hole putting green located by the senior activity center and free for public use. Between tournaments and casual games with friends, Pictona celebrates the soaring popularity of pickleball in style.
The Museum of Arts and Sciences
at The Museum of Arts and Sciences in 2024. Renovation of the state-of-the-art Lowell and Nancy Lohman Planetarium is just the tip of the iceberg. New exhibits at this Smithsonian-affiliated museum kick off with Megalodon: Largest Shark That Ever Lived (Feb. 3-July 21), transporting you back to when this prehistoric behemoth ruled the seas. Then, head to the stars with Planetarium 2.0: Bringing Space Down to Earth (June 29-Sept. 1). Rounding out 2024 is a celebration of Florida’s avian wonders with Audubon’s Birds of Florida at the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art (Sept. 21-March 2). With immersive new exhibits and an upgraded planetarium, the museum promises a year of discovery as you explore things to do in Daytona Beach.
What do a Megladon, the Galaxy, and Florida birds have in common…
Daytona International Speedway
A top ticket for racecar fans is a tour of the track!
A beloved 30-year tradition continues at Daytona International Speedway. On Sunday, Feb. 18, a new DAYTONA 500 champ will roar to victory in NASCAR’s prestigious season opener, then that same care will be on display for the year. Still covered in confetti, dents, and battle scars, racecar fans can see the winning speed machine at the Motorsports Hall of Fame as part of the Daytona International Speedway Track Tour.
Then, whether or not you are a fan of racing, Rockville is landing in May to entertain rock music fans. One of America’s biggest rock fests returns to shake Daytona International Speedway, May 9-12. Expanding in 2024 with a fifth stage and 50 more bands, Welcome to Rockville promises a head-banging lineup with 150 acts over four music-filled days. Get ready to rock with legends like Foo Fighters, Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, and Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath. Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, and Greta Van Fleet also blaze in. Plus The Offspring, Sum 41, Cypress Hill and Stone Temple Pilots. For punk rock fans, they have you covered too, so plan to stay in Daytona Beach for all the fun.
New Places to Stay and Upgraded Lodging in Daytona Beach
You can choose your preferred style of travel and lodging in Daytona Beach.
Marriott does it again. Offering private balconies, a high-end seafood restaurant, a sleek design, and oceanfront event space with Atlantic views, luxury is defined at the Renaissance by Marriott Daytona Beach Oceanfront.
The recently renovated Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach welcomes guests with a fresh vibe. Its $20 million makeover focused on the popular pool deck, refreshed rooms, and revamped memorabilia throughout the hotel.
And that’s not all! New to Daytona Beach is the 12-story oceanfront Max Beach Resort, with residence-style suites that leisure and business travelers will love. Daytona Grande, a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts LVX Collection, has 27 floors and Daytona’s only infinite pool.
One Daytona is a world-class dining and entertainment destination with two lodging choices: Fairfield Inn & Suites Daytona Beach Speedway/Airport and The DAYTONA, an exclusive 4-Diamond 144-room Marriott Autograph Collection® hotel. This is where high thread-count luxury meets the seaside in style.
Getting To Daytona Beach with New Air Options
It’s easier than ever to fly to Daytona Beach with non-stop and seasonal flights from your favorite airports!
Flying into Daytona Beach just got easier with new nonstop flights from Avelo Airlines. The low-cost carrier now connects Daytona International Airport with New Haven, CT (HVN) and Wilmington, DE (ILG) twice weekly.
Delta continues to offer year-round routes to Atlanta (ATL), and American Airlines continues service to Charlotte (CLT). American Airlines seasonal nonstops from Washington D.C. (DCA) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) continue to be popular with Florida travelers.
With quick airport access and crisscrossing interstates I-95 and I-4, the beach is closer than ever before. Make Daytona your base camp to explore Kennedy Space Center, Orlando theme parks, or historic St. Augustine. All these popular destinations are around an hour away. Whether staying in Daytona Beach or venturing out, getting here is a breeze.
New and Re-newed Places to Eat in Daytona Beach
From tap rooms to craft cocktails and more, top restaurants are keeping the Daytona Beach culinary scene interesting!
With so many things to do in Daytona Beach, you’re going to get hungry! Daytona’s legendary Billy’s Tap Room reopens in 2024 under new owners. A local fixture since 1922 and one of Ormond Beach’s original restaurants, diners will enjoy the fresh atmosphere that honors its history, live entertainment, and a menu that includes seafood and steak, beer and wine.
And speaking of history, the 44-room art deco Streamline Hotel that hosted NASCAR’s founding meeting has a new restaurant, Victory Lane. Sip handcrafted cocktails and dive into modern dishes with a nostalgic dash.
The legendary Brickyard Lounge & Grill in Daytona Beach, loved locally for their hamburgers and chicken wings, welcomes guests in 2024 with an updated menu and interior renovations.
Finally, Racing’s North Turn Beach Bar and Grille has some new digs. Located literally where racing history began in the Daytona Beach area, you can enjoy the expansive deck overlooking the beach for dining. Then, get a glimpse of the past with their racing photos and memorabilia collection.
Dive into the Thriving Downtown Districts
If you haven’t visited the downtown districts in Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach lately, you will be pleasantly surprised at what’s new on the dining front:
Ormond Beach Main Street
Pumphouse BBQ, Texas Style
124 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
Soraya Café, Mediterranean
156 East Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
Neighborhood Scoop, Ice Cream and Boba Tea
100 West Granada Blvd., Ormond, Beach, FL
Rose Villa, Southern Fine Dining
43 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
31 Supper Club, Welcome to Yesteryear
31 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
Hull’s Seafood Restaurant and Market, Local Seafood…like, really local!
111 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
Grind Gastropub & Kona Tiki Bar, Outdoor Dining & Live Music
49 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
Ormond Garage, Craft Brewery and American-style food
48 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL
Downtown Daytona Beach
Copperline Coffee and Café
118 W. Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL
Madeline’s Wine Bar, curated wine, champanes, seltzers, and more
200 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL
The Porch Kombucha, Tea & Açaí Café
212 S. Beach St. #110, Daytona, Beach, FL
Mama Foo Foo, upscale dive bar
125 Basin St., Daytona Beach, FL
Beaches Entertainment Eatery
301 East International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL
ONE DAYTONA
BurgerTen, and Chicken too
260 Daytona Blvd., Suite D-400, Daytona Beach, FL
Stoked Poke, food truck gone brick and mortar (acai bowls too)
260 Daytona Blvd., Suite D-440, Daytona Beach, FL
Foxtail Coffee, where coffee meets community
230 Daytona Blvd., Suige G620, Daytona Beach, FL
Crumble Cookies, world-famous cookies in the iconic pink box
1808 W. International Speedway Blvd., Suite 204, Daytona Beach, FL
At Tanger Outlets, you’ll find:
Ford’s Garage, famous burgers and craft beer
1495 Cornerstone Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL
Twin Peaks, sportsbar
1571 Outlet Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL
Miller’s Ale House, sports bar
1564 Outlet Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL
Your Next Daytona Beach Vacation Could Be a Click Away
23 miles of pristine white-sand beaches are just waiting to be explored.
Daytona Beach continues to impress travelers from near and far. Celebrated as the #1 attraction in Florida by Travel Channel and honored as Tripadvisor’s Best Weekend Getaway in Northeast Florida. Recognized as being one of the “10 Most Affordable Beach Vacations on Florida’s East Coast” and having Ormond Beach named among the “Top 25 Beaches in the U.S.,” 23 miles of pristine white-sand beaches are just waiting to be explored.
There’s even more beyond the beach. You can dive into outdoor adventures, family-friendly attractions, vibrant arts, and a diverse culinary scene. Be inspired by the new and improved list of things to do in Daytona Beach in 2024 (we are!). Planning your next vacation (or staycation) is as easy as clicking to make a reservation, maybe at one of the new hotels or resorts, and then letting the fun unfold as you anticipate a Daytona Beach adventure. Where will you go first?
psst..
Save this list for later, and get the link for the map!
![Best Grand Cayman Excursions for Animal Lovers [Part 2]](https://www.vitabellamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VB-Blog-Featured-Image-wText-overlay-NEW-11-2022-3-440x264.jpg)
