By Stephen M. Wheeler

Summer’s in full swing at Daytona Beach, and sun lovers are reveling in it! Decked out in the latest in swimwear fashions, trendy and colorful flip-flops, wide-brimmed straw hats, and an assortment of lotions and iridescent oxides, you might ask yourself: What could be better than wriggling your toes in the sand while enjoying the warm rays of the bright yellow sun and cool breezes off the emerald green Atlantic Ocean? Add in the cultural events, shopping, dining and accommodations of Daytona Beach, and you’ve got a Florida vacation that’s jam-packed with fun.

Relaxing on the World’s Most Famous Beach. Photo by Daytona Beach CVB.

Many vacationers come to Daytona Beach for the thrill of the wheel (after all, it is the home of NASCAR). But for shoppers, Daytona Beach is the thrill of the deal, and the many beachside shops along Atlantic Avenue do not disappoint. The area’s newest shopping, dining and entertainment district, Ocean Walk Shoppes at Ocean Walk Village, features a variety of apparel and gift stores, curios, souvenir shops and a 10-cinema theater complex along with several casual restaurants.

In the downtown Daytona Beach Historic District, Riverfront Marketplace offers a nostalgic experience as you stroll amid boutique shops and restaurants along palm-tree lined Beach Street. There also are two outdoor markets that are open every weekend. The Farmers Market, located in downtown Daytona Beach on City Island, features fresh produce, citrus fruit and seafood. The Daytona Flea and Farmer’s Market is a bargain hunter’s dream—featuring everything from food to clothing to antiques.

Main Street Pier at Sunset. Photo by Daytona Beach CVB.

If your tastes lay more in line with the arts, then a trip to the Museum of Arts and Sciences is in order. The permanent Cuban exhibit includes the finest example of modern Cuban art in the free world, and the African Wing contains numerous objects from African ethnic groups, including carved commemorative staffs, ritual ornaments and 130 pieces of Ashante gold.

Running through September, the Museum of Arts and Sciences presents “Ink & Blood: Dead Sea Scrolls to the English Bible” that, in part, looks at some of the fact and fiction of The Da Vinci Code. The exhibition includes some of the most rare Bibles in the world, and precious fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Lovers of music and the performing arts can look forward to Labor Day weekend, when the first annual Daytona Beach Jazz Escape will commence. The Jazz Escape is a three-day musical getaway that features world-class jazz icons like Jean-Luc Ponty, Spyro Gyra, and KoKo Taylor and her Blues Machine. Held at the family friendly City Island Park in historic downtown, you can transfer your chairs and blankets from the beach to the park to enjoy the best in jazz and blues music.

One of the Daytona Beach area’s most prestigious performing arts organizations is the Seaside Music Theater. Now in its 30th season, the Seaside Music Theater hosts professional productions year round. Upcoming shows include Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music (early July), The Threepenny Opera (mid-July), and Singin’ In The Rain (August).

There’s free entertainment, too. Built in 1937 by the Federal Works Administration, the historic Daytona Beach Bandshell hosts concerts on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays through October that feature jazz, Dixieland, big band, blues, folk music and more. Many acts feature the local flavor of native Daytona Beachers.

New dining options in Daytona Beach include Rain Supper Club, Chops Restaurant by Martinis, and The Cellar. An old favorite in fine dining with a remodeled twist is Magnolia’s, located in the historic Plaza Resort & Spa. The Plaza Resort & Spa itself recently has completed a $70 million renovation, and is an ideal base for your Daytona Beach vacation, as its upscale accommodations are central to all Daytona activities. The resort also is home to Ocean Waters Spa and Salon, the only full-service European-style spa in central Florida.

The Plaza Resort & Spa is home to the Ocean Waters Spa and Salon. Photo by The Plaza Resort & Spa.

Another option in accommodations is the La Playa Resort & Suites, which offers newly renovated rooms and romantic views of the Atlantic Ocean right from your own private balcony. La Playa Resort & Suites is home to the new Bonkerz Comedy Club, where nationally known acts perform every weekend.

Other great properties to choose from include: the Plaza Ocean Club, home to Atlantic Jack’s on the Beach restaurant; the Boardwalk Inn & Suites, adjacent to historic Bandshell and Ocean Walk Shoppes; the Acapulco Hotel & Resort, ideally located in the southern part of Daytona Beach and home to the Bohemian Bar & Grille; and the Palm Plaza Oceanfront Resort, the “pink sandcastle in the sun.” All are AAA approved and diamond rated.

Can you get too much sun? Perhaps. But in Daytona Beach, you can never get too much fun!

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