Start here
Daytona Beach
The wide, driveable Atlantic beach is the town's first fact. Go early for a long walk or swim; by midday, heat, sand glare, and vehicle lanes make it more of a scene than a reset.
Best for: Beach, Atlantic, Essential
Destination guide
Things to do in Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach has enough to fill a trip without trying to cover every corner. Start with the places that fit the way you want to spend the day, then keep nearby choices together.
Places to put on the list in Daytona Beach
Build around a few anchors, then choose nearby additions that match your pace. The main Daytona Beach guide has itinerary ideas if you want help putting those pieces in order.
Start here
Daytona International Speedway
Even travelers who do not follow racing should see the enormous, oddly theatrical scale of Daytona's signature landmark. Take a tour for the real payoff; the exterior alone is not the story.
Best for: Racing, Landmark, Tours
Start here
Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier
A compact blast of arcade, rides, salt air, and old beach-town noise. It is worth a walk at dusk; do not build an entire day around it unless the family specifically wants the midway.
Best for: Boardwalk, Family, Oceanfront
Beachside and Boardwalk
Daytona Beach
The wide, driveable Atlantic beach is the town's first fact. Go early for a long walk or swim; by midday, heat, sand glare, and vehicle lanes make it more of a scene than a reset.
Best for: Beach, Atlantic, Essential
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Early Morning$
Visit official site Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier
A compact blast of arcade, rides, salt air, and old beach-town noise. It is worth a walk at dusk; do not build an entire day around it unless the family specifically wants the midway.
Best for: Boardwalk, Family, Oceanfront
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Late Afternoon$
Visit official site 
Daytona Lagoon
A reliable family-friendly experience that gives visitors a different pace and weather-flexible option. Build it into the day when this is the part of Daytona Beach visitors would otherwise miss.
Best for: Families, Rain-safe
Before you go: Check the official details before you commit the day.
Morning$$Plan ahead
Visit official site 
Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory
A strong food and drink addition that fills a genuine gap in Daytona Beach's current top-attractions mix and works naturally in guides, itineraries, and map recommendations.
Best for: Food and drink, Local favorite
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$$
Visit official site Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Even travelers who do not follow racing should see the enormous, oddly theatrical scale of Daytona's signature landmark. Take a tour for the real payoff; the exterior alone is not the story.
Best for: Racing, Landmark, Tours
Before you go: Check the official details before you commit the day.
Morning$$$Plan ahead
Visit official site Ponce Inlet
Ponce Inlet and Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse
A quieter, more maritime south-end outing with Florida's tallest lighthouse, fishing boats, and a real change of mood from the central strip. Climb only if the stairs sound like fun, not duty.
Best for: Lighthouse, Maritime, Views
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$$
Visit official site 
Marine Science Center
A small, focused rescue-and-rehabilitation stop near Ponce Inlet that gives a rainy or blazing afternoon some purpose. It is more satisfying than another generic souvenir lap.
Best for: Wildlife, Education, Rainy day
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$$
Visit official site New Smyrna Beach
Smyrna Dunes Park
Boardwalks through maritime scrub lead to a wilder beach and inlet views at New Smyrna's north end. It is the right escape when the central beach feels too built-up.
Best for: Nature, Dunes, Beach
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$
Visit official site Midtown and Riverfront
Museum of Arts & Sciences
A genuinely handy indoor anchor with Florida art, Cuban pieces, a planetarium, and enough range to rescue a wet afternoon. Pick a gallery or two; trying to conquer the building can flatten the visit.
Best for: Museum, Art, Rainy day
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$$
Visit official site Ormond Beach
Tomoka State Park
Mossy oaks, salt-marsh water, and paddling just north of town offer the Old Florida counterweight the oceanfront cannot. Bring bug spray and expectations for a quiet half-day, not an attraction parade.
Best for: State park, Paddling, Old Florida
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$
Visit official site 
Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail
A slow drive through live oaks, river edges, and quiet north-coast stretches that makes the area feel larger and older than the raceway and condos suggest. It needs a car and a willingness to stop.
Best for: Scenic drive, Nature, Road trip
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$
Visit official site 
The Casements
John D. Rockefeller's winter home gives Ormond Beach a low-key historic pause, with riverfront grounds that reward a stroll. Pair it with the scenic loop rather than treating it as a cross-town mission.
Best for: History, Riverfront, Gardens
Before you go: Check current hours and access before you go.
Morning$
Visit official site Plan the rest of your Daytona Beach trip
See neighborhoods, trip ideas, and the full destination planner in one place.
Hours, tickets, seasonal access, and reservation policies can change. Check the official source before you go. Last destination review: 2026-08-04.