From endless activities to calm, quiet days spent sunbathing and beachcombing, visitors are finding just what they’re looking for in a Florida vacation along the 23 miles of world-famous iconic shores of Daytona Beach. With area investments in progress and more hotel, attraction, dining and shopping options than ever, now is the perfect time to (re)experience all that Daytona Beach has to offer, including these new developments:
New Attractions and Renovations
- World-Class Pickleball Complex – Pictona, a premier pickleball facility, opened in 2020 with 24 courts – 8 of them covered with “skybox” viewing – restaurant, clubhouse and more. The facility, which currently hosts national and international competitions, recently expanded to double the number of courts to 49 (16 of them covered) and add a championship 1,200-seat stadium and a 10,000 square foot clubhouse. The $5 million project has made Pictona will be the largest pickleball facility on the east coast of Florida.
- Riverfront Esplanade – Spanning a mile of Intracoastal waterway, the Riverfront Esplanade is a premier gathering space and botanical garden in the heart of Daytona Beach. Composed of more than a mile of waterfront running trail with comfortable benches and swings overlooking the Halifax River, the Riverfront Esplanade also features a dog park with an agility course and a state-of-the-art splash pad. The north end of the Riverfront Esplanade opened in the middle of 2022 with the sound end scheduled for completion this spring.
- Museums – Two museums recently made upgrades. Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens completed a $4 million renovation, expanding the now -10,000 square foot museum by adding 4,000 square feet of classroom and gallery space as well as a new rooftop terrace. The Veterans Museum and Education Center completed their relocation to the S. Cornelia Young Memorial Library to display their extensive military artifacts, collections, memorabilia, and educational materials, which tell the story and honor the U.S. Armed Forces.
New Accommodations and Stunning Renovations
- The 12-story Max Beach Resort in Daytona opened in May 2022 with 72 spacious one-, two-, and three-bedroom residence-style suites with an array of lifestyle features and amenities for a new generation of leisure and business travelers. The oceanfront property will combine the best that a short-term rental has to offer with the amenities of an elevated resort hotel including full-service dining, oceanfront pool with private cabanas, sky-level training center and lifestyle lounge, and a ground-level hospitality suite and deck.
- The Daytona Beach area continues to reinvent itself. The destination boasts nearly 200 accommodations (and 12,000 rooms) for all lifestyles and budgets, ranging from 4-star resorts and hotels to B&Bs and campgrounds, vacation homes, and everything in between. What’s New? The 27-floor, 456-room Daytona Grande, a new oceanfront luxury resort located one-half mile north of the Ocean Center convention complex on AIA. The Daytona Grande offers refined accommodations, exceptional service, a wide variety of dining options and the only infinity pool in Daytona Beach.
- Exciting upscale arrivals to the destination include the 200-room Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach, a 4-star luxury oceanfront resort; and the 133-room oceanfront Delta by Marriott Daytona Beach. ONE DAYTONA, the world-class dining and entertainment complex across from the Daytona International Speedway, launched two new properties: the 105-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Daytona Beach Speedway/Airport and The DAYTONA, an exclusive 4-Diamond 144-room Marriott Autograph Collection® hotel. The area’s largest property, the 744-room Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort completed a $25 million renovation; and the 44-room Streamline Hotel, a historic beachside art deco-style boutique property that once hosted the meeting that launched NASCAR, reopened after a multi-million- dollar renovation. And the 318-room Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center completed a $12 million renovation.
- The 112-room Comfort Inn & Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront and the 93-room Home2 Suites by Hilton Ormond Beach Oceanfront opened in 2020. The oceanfront Grand Seas Resort by Exploria celebrated its grand reopening. Other recent additions include the 107-room Home2 Suites by Hilton Daytona Speedway.
Vacations and Shopping Just Go Together
In addition to ONE DAYTONA, the new shopping, dining and entertainment district across from Daytona International Speedway, explore all the unique markets and boutiques the Daytona Beach area has to offer! Tanger Outlets is an open-air center with 75 of the most popular national brand name and designer outlet stores. The Tomoka Town Center, across from Tanger Outlets, includes new retail and entertainment options including Dave & Busters. On International Speedway Boulevard the long-popular Volusia Mall provides an inviting indoor experience, and the Mediterranean-themed Trails Shopping Center offers a village stroll experience, with popular eateries, shops and more. The area’s thriving downtown districts – located in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, New Smyrna Beach and DeLand – offer eclectic boutiques and eateries. And you can “find your fresh” with exceptional flea and farmers markets, located throughout the area.
‘World Center of Racing’ and Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Following a $400 million “reimagining,” Daytona International Speedway has been transformed into a state-of-the-art motorsports facility. Known as the ‘World Center of Racing,’ it features premium amenities and unparalleled conveniences. In addition to racing, the facility hosts a growing number of events and shows, as well as unique meeting and convention space. Daytona International Speedway daily track tours include a visit to the not-to-be-missed Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Upcoming events include:
- The 61st Rolex 24 At DAYTONA Weekend, the historic sportscar racing event that draws international drivers and fans to Daytona International Speedway’s 3.56-mile road course, is set for Jan. 26-29, 2023 and will feature the return of the iconic IMSA GTP class.
- The 65th DAYTONA 500, the most prestigious event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule and known around the world as “The Great American Race,” will be held on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.
Downtown Districts New Dining Options
The area’s thriving downtown districts in Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach are constantly expanding dining offerings. Here’s a look:
- Ormond Beach Main Street – Pumphouse, a fast casual barbecue restaurant specializing in Texas-style barbecue, and Neighborhood Scoop, a family-owned ice cream shop that offers 24 flavors, join a long list of popular eateries in this district such as Rose Villa, 31 Supper Club, Hull’s Seafood, Grind Gastropub & Kona Tiki Bar and Ormond Garage.
- Downtown Daytona Beach – New to the list of dining options in the area include Madeline’s Wine Bar, which offers a curated selection of wines, champagnes and seltzers paired with a top-tier fare, and Mama Foo Foo, which has craft cocktails and fresh sharable plates from around the world, in an elegant environment. Located beachside along International Speedway Blvd., Beaches Entertainment brings together a restaurant, concert venue, liquor store and car wash for a one-of-a-kind experience.
- At ONE DAYTONA, new eateries include family-owned burger and chicken restaurant BurgerTen and Stoked Poke, which specializes in authentic fresh poke bowls, fresh acai bowls, and a plethora of other fresh healthy eats.
- At Tanger Outlets, burger and beer joint Ford Garage recently opened and Daytona Ale House relocated to this popular shopping destination.
Explore All of Central Florida from Daytona Beach
Direct flights, hundreds of connecting flights, and interstate access (I-95 and I-4) make getting to Daytona Beach easy and convenient. Non-stop flights to Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) are available from Atlanta (Delta), Charlotte (American Airlines), and seasonally from Washington D.C. and Dallas/Ft. Worth (American Airlines). While fully exploring the area could easily take weeks, many visitors find that staying in Daytona Beach provides the perfect jumping off point for visits and daytrips to nearby Kennedy Space Center, Orlando and St. Augustine, all about an hour’s drive away.
What to Know about the Daytona Beach Area
Whether visitors choose thrilling activities or embrace the tranquility of days spent on 23 miles of world-famous white-sand beaches, they’ve weighed in with outstanding reviews. The Daytona Beach area ranked #1 in Travel Channel’s “Top 10 Attractions in Florida” and was named a Tripadvisor Best Weekend Getaway in Northeast Florida. TripAdvisor also named Daytona Beach to its “10 Most Affordable Beach Vacations on Florida’s East Coast” and Tripadvisor travelers named Ormond Beach, the northernmost Daytona Beach area beach, one of the “Top 25 Beaches in the U.S.” Visitors can enjoy experiences beyond the beach by choosing from a surprising list of outdoor adventures, family-friendly attractions, arts and cultural venues and an eclectic culinary scene.
To receive a complimentary Daytona Beach Destination Guide, find a place to stay, or book your next adventure, visit DaytonaBeach.com. #LoveDaytonaBeach.
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