Six things to do in . . . Daytona Beach
There’s a sign over the entrance to Daytona Beach that proclaims it as the “World’s Most Famous Beach.” While this may be a stretch, Daytona is a pretty neat place to spend a couple days, even if you’re not interested in the annual Daytona 500 (it runs Feb. 26 this year). Here’s what you should do there: 1. CHECK OUT THE FLEA MARKET Daytona Beach has a quirky underbelly and nowhere is this more evident than at its flea market, which has more than 1,000 stalls. You can get a tattoo pick up a bulletproof vest, organic veggies or antiques. Runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
2. RIDE THE FERRIS WHEEL There’s an old fashioned fairground on the boardwalk. You can ride the Tilt-a-whirl, try go-cart racing, or ride the huge Ferris wheel for glorious views of the beach and city.
3. LEARN TO PADDLEBOARD Before you reach the beach you cross the Halifax River, a serene waterway where you can paddleboard under the bridge through a grotto-like pass where each bridge support has beautiful mosaics with local sea-life images. “On nine out of 10 tours you’ll see a manatee or river dolphins, and they’re both pretty playful so they’ll come up close,” says instructor Brett Wasman from Three Brothers Boards.
4. FINE DINING ON THE BEACH Azure restaurant, housed in the Shores Hotel has delicious steaks and seafood you can eat on a heated patio overlooking the beach. Many tables have their own fire pit. A gorgeous setting for a romantic dinner.
5. GET GREASY AT A BARBECUE JOINT Hog Heaven Real Pit Bar-b- Q serves up perfect ribs and pulled pork with all the necessary Southern sides, such as fried okra and green beans in bacon grease. Out at the flea market, Heli-hogs offers a helicopter ride and BBQ combo deal, which is pretty unique.
6. GET A CULTURE FIX The Daytona Museum is small but impressive, housing the largest collection of pre-revolution Cuban art outside Cuba and the skeleton of a four-metre tall prehistoric ground sloth. There’s also a fabulous interactive children’s area. Lola Augustine Brown is a freelance writer based in Halifax. Her trip was subsidized by the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.