Daytona Beach Beaches

Daytona Beach has been known to label itself as the "World's Most Famous Beach," and for good reason. People have been flocking to the beaches in Daytona Beach for decades on end, partly because of the fact that they are some of the best beaches in the country. When you're not hanging out at the Daytona Beach beaches, there are plenty of other sandy stretches up and down the north-central Florida coastline that you will also do well to visit. The main beach in Daytona Beach actually extends for some 24 miles, connecting with beaches in nearby communities that share the same coastal peninsula. This coastal peninsula is actually a barrier island, which is separated from the Florida mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway.

Whether you're looking for a busy beach with a lot of action or a quiet beach where you can truly relax, the Daytona Beach beaches have you covered. The main beach in Daytona Beach connects with the beach in Ormond Beach to the north and with the beach in Daytona Beach Shores to the south. Wide and flat in most parts, these beaches are conducive to driving on the beach, which you can still do in certain spots. Parking your vehicle on the sand at the beaches in Daytona Beach has its advantages, as you won't have to lug your beach gear from a distant parking area to your spot in the sand.


In Daytona Beach, Main Street and the historic Boardwalk that leads off of it provide excellent beach access. At the end of Main Street is the Daytona Beach Pier, which is the longest pier on the U.S. East Coast. This pier isn't your average pier. It features a cable car ride, a sky tower ride, a restaurant, and a bait and tackle shop if you want to try some fishing. The beaches in Daytona Beach are quite picturesque, and the hard-packed sand that characterizes most of them used to attract car and motorcycle drivers who were more interested in setting land speed records than checking out the views. Eventually, racing on the area beaches became popular, which has a lot to do with Daytona Beach's presence on the modern day racing scene. It's here where you will find the NASCAR headquarters and the Daytona International Speedway. The former is home to the Daytona 500, which is the biggest stock car race there is.

Driving on the beaches in Daytona Beach isn't what it used to be, and going slow is the name of the game. Should you be packing up your vehicle for a trip to one of the Daytona Beach beaches, you might toss a surfboard in there while you're at it. Daytona Beach and the surrounding area is one of the best places to go surfing on the state's eastern coast, especially if you stick to the main beach in Daytona Beach and the beaches in Daytona Beach Shores and the Canaveral National Seashore. When looking for an excellent beach near Daytona Beach to enjoy, both Daytona Beach Shores and the Canaveral National Seashore are good places to start. The beaches at the Canaveral National Seashore are among the most pristine and uncrowded in the area, which lends to their overall attractiveness.

South of Daytona Beach Shores, the small town of Ponce Inlet offers what are also some of the most pristine and relaxing Daytona Beach beaches. While there's not much in the way of facilities or services at the Canaveral National Seashore beaches and the Ponce Inlet beaches, they offer more in the way of scenic beauty, as well as peace and quiet. Should you be looking for a beach near Daytona Beach that is somewhat quiet, yet boasts more in the way of services and facilities, then Ormond Beach might be the destination for you.

For those who are looking to hang out at some of the busier beaches in Daytona Beach, the Main Street area in town is ideal. You can walk along the Boardwalk when you're not hanging out at the beach in this part of the city, and there are some good shopping and dining options at the new Ocean Walk Village. Seabreeze Boulevard, which ends at the main beach in Daytona Beach, also offers an array of shops and restaurants, not to mention some of the livelier bars in the city.

Whether you are thinking of basing yourself in Daytona Beach itself or in nearby communities such as New Smyrna Beach, beach access won't be an issue. Interestingly enough, since Orlando is only about an hour's drive away, Orlando visitors will also find it relatively easy to get to a beach near Daytona Beach. A day with your feet in the sand on the warm and sunny Florida coast can be an ideal complement to time spent in Orlando. After a few days spent visiting theme parks like Disney World and Sea World, a day at the beach is sure to be a welcome diversion.