You may have moved to the Daytona Beach area for any number of reasons. A job change. Long-awaited retirement. To build your dream home.
But you can’t move to the “World’s Most Famous Beach” without enjoying its vast watery playgrounds!
At least we hope you won’t. Daytona Beach is ICI Homes’ hometown, so allow us to give you a quick rundown on how to make a splash here.
Go to the beach
There are 23 miles of beach in greater Daytona Beach. Add those in surrounding towns — Ormond Beach, Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach — and you have more than 47 miles of beaches for relaxing, swimming and surfing.
Speaking of surfing…
Let’s shred
Florida’s Atlantic Coast is renowned for its surfing culture. World-class pros — current pro Ryan Ragan grew up here — have plied local waves for decades.
Surf shops cluster near the beach, but we don’t mean the big-box, chain stores with glowing neon signs. You want the smaller boutique shops where surfer dudes and gals expertly dissect the day’s water condition while they match you to appropriate clothing and boards. Hint: New Smyrna Beach’s Flagler Avenue is home to many of these retail establishments.
Need lessons? Summer surf camps for kids? Head for the surf shops.
Use watercraft
Boats, kayaks, canoes and jet skis. Hmmm. How about paddleboarding? Rowing? Why not?
If you’re new to boating or haven’t purchased watercraft before, visit area marinas and boat dealerships to do your research. Buying a boat is sort of like buying a car, but also requires accessories such as trailers. So make sure you’re ready for all those ownership details.
Alternately, boat rentals, cruises and lessons are a great way to get started. They’re also good options for enjoying the activity without the financial commitment.
Go fishing
It’s as easy as dropping a line in your neighborhood lake or creek, or surfcasting on those beautiful beaches. The Port Orange Causeway just south of Daytona Beach is a popular fishing location thanks to plentiful parking spaces, a nearby bait shop and boat ramps.
Prefer getting on the water to fish? The Halifax Harbor Marina in downtown Daytona Beach is a good first step. Adventure Yacht Harbor in Port Orange and three Ponce Inlet-based marinas — Inlet Harbor Marina, Lighthouse Boatyard & Marina and Inlet Cove Marina — are home ports for many charter captains, party fishing boats and cruises.
But there are many marinas offering myriad resources and services. New Smyrna Beach, located 10 miles south of Daytona Beach, also is home to enthusiastic boating and fishing scenes.
Don’t forget freshwater. Trout and bass fishing, and pontoon-boat cruising are popular activities on area lakes and rivers, particularly the St. Johns River, which flows further inland, west of the beach communities.
Speaking of…
Everything else
Miles of freshwater creeks, streams, swamps and estuaries in Volusia County’s nature preserves await exploration in canoes and kayaks. Check the county’s parks and recreation department for guided trips and routes. Folks at local outfitters and marinas can offer equipment suggestions for non-motorized watercraft too.
Want to scuba-dive? Snorkel? Look for local clubs and organizations geared around those pursuits. Atlantic offshore waters do contain popular dive sites at artificial reefs.
