Three Fun Ways to Get Your Vitamin D in Daytona Beach
You’re a new Florida resident and you want to get outside and enjoy living in the Sunshine State.
We agree! We at ICI Homes count the Daytona Beach area as our hometown, and we’re here with locals’ tips and tricks to help you do just that.
Here are three fun, easy ways to get outside and soak in that natural Vitamin D.
Get on the water
You now live within minutes of the Atlantic Ocean, plus east central Florida lakes and natural springs. Hint: take at least one winter trip to Blue Springs State Park in Orange City to see the manatees.
Of course you’ll go to the beach. When you do, switch up your beach. Get in the middle of the action near the historic Daytona Pier. Or visit uncrowded beaches in local county and state parks.
Check out the northern portion of the Canaveral National Seashore just south of New Smyrna Beach where palmetto-topped sand dunes are the tallest structures. The shelling’s often stellar here. too.
It won’t take you long to find a new favorite. Or, perhaps a new activity…
Go paddleboarding, surfing or both
There’s probably room to hang both kinds of boards in your new garage!
New Smyrna Beach, only 10 miles south of Daytona Beach, is a longtime surfer hangout, but the activity is ingrained everywhere along Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Local enthusiasts tackle the waves regardless of the time of day, particularly on both sides of Ponce Inlet.
You’ll find historic and new surf shops in New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach. Staffers can guide you on where to find lessons or area surf camps. It’s easy to ferret out where to “hang 10” and the gear to help you look good doing it.
Prefer to paddleboard? Surf shops are a great place to start for that info, too. So are marinas and outfitters who specialize in kayaking rentals, trips and lessons.
Go biking
Start with your new ICI Homes neighborhood. Cycling is a great way to explore those side streets you haven’t ducked into yet, or the surrounding community. Drop in local bike shops for rentals, purchases or referrals for riding groups.
Many public and private schools in the Daytona Beach area offer bike racks for students who commute via cycling. If you’re a parent who has the time, ride your own bike and accompany the kids to make sure they arrive safely. It’s also a great way to sneak in exercise.
Eight nature preserves in Volusia County are a good place to start if you’re into mountain biking or off-road riding. Those conservation lands offer unending miles of natural trails where the only other living thing you might see is a fox peeking from underbrush as you wheel by.
Obviously the peace, quiet and amazing scenery of Daytona Beach-area parks, public lands and preserves is reason enough to air up your bike’s tires or find a rental shop.
But let’s not forget Daytona’s own 23 miles of white sand beaches. Biking the beach is a classic vacationer’s activity. It’s doubly enjoyable as a resident because you now can do it year-round. There’s no cram-it-all-in-before-we-go stress!
