City Guides: Things to do While Boating in Daytona Beach
Between racing, riding waves and driving on the beach, Daytona Beach has a wide array of activities and iconic attractions to its name. The sign even says “world’s most famous beach.” You can’t argue with that.
Photo: Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau via Facebook
Daytona Beach is located in Volusia County between Cape Canaveral to the south and Ormond Beach to the north. Private boat dock rentals along the Halifax River offer convenient access to action-packed fun and things to do while boating in the Daytona Beach area. Let’s check it out now.
Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier
Photo: Unsplash
Daytona Beach sports 23 miles of hard-packed sand that meets up with the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Plus, you can drive on it (for a fee and at a very slow pace, but it’s still super cool). If you tire of swimming, parasailing, fishing and kayaking, take a stroll along the boardwalk and pier area.
Photo: Sandy Allen
Within easy access to private boat lifts for rent, the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier is a great source of entertainment for the whole family. The strip features restaurants, an arcade, gift shops and the Daytona Beach Bandshell, which holds free outdoor concerts during the summer. The nearby Daytona Boardwalk Amusements, built in 1938, has carnival rides, games and other fun activities.
Daytona Lagoon
Photo: Wikimedia
Daytona Lagoon, located just north of the boardwalk and pier area, is a family-friendly waterpark with go-karts, laser tag and an arcade with more than 70 games. Relax as you float along the lazy river, slide down winding water slides, splash around in the wave pool or challenge the kids to a game of 18-hole mini golf. There’s an indoor ropes course, a rock wall and a kids’ water play area with splash zones and dumping buckets filled with gallons of water. This is a great way to let the kids run off some energy before heading back to the boat slip for rent.
Daytona International Speedway
Photo: Sandy Allen
Famous for the Daytona 500 and other NASCAR-related races, Daytona International Speedway is probably the most well-known of Daytona Beach attractions. Indulge your need for speed and get an up-close look at the track (albeit in an open-air tram) by taking a tour of the famous speedway’s 31-degree banks. You can even take a selfie in Victory Lane. Afterward, visit the Motorsports Hall of Fame, which has exhibits on stock cars, sports cars, powerboats, aviation and drag racing.
In addition to NASCAR, the 500-acre motorsports complex hosts supercross, soccer festivals, motorcycle races, Christmas light displays and the sprint triathlon Challenge Daytona. Other events include concerts, car shows, civic events and police motorcycle training.
Museum of Arts & Sciences
Photo: Wikimedia
An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Arts & Sciences is home to more than 30,000 objects and artifacts. Spend an afternoon away from the boat dock rentals perusing permanent and traveling exhibits on Seminole Indian art, the art and evolution of the guitar, local art, wood engravings from the 19th century and Florida weather (sun, rain, clouds, storms and more as captured by artists). There’s also a planetarium, weekly yoga classes, lecture events and a 9,300 square-foot interactive children’s museum with educational exhibits and hands-on play time.
Daytona Flea and Farmers’ Market
If there’s one thing that’s synonymous with Florida, it’s the flea market (well, that and gators, but we prefer the flea market). The Daytona Flea and Farmers Market features more than 1,000 booths and 600 vendors offering items such as fresh fruits and vegetables, arts and crafts, sports memorabilia, palm readings, antiques, collectibles, kettle corn, apparel and household items. There are a couple of restaurants and concession stands as well. Other events include monthly classic car cruise-ins and garage sale weekends.
The market has been voted one of the Top Five Markets in the Country by USA Weekend and the 6th Best Market in the World by the Travel Channel. With indoor and outdoor sections, the flea market is open year-round on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9-5. Parking and admission are free.
Whether you’re in town for spring break, a family vacation or a stop-over on a Great Loop adventure, we hope you’ve found some fun activities to check out the next time you’re in Daytona Beach. Let us know your favorites. Happy travels!
