Daytona Beach

Introducing Daytona Beach

With big signs and glossy pamphlets, they bill Daytona Beach as ‘The World’s Most Famous Beach.’ But if that sets up some sort of expectation in your head, remember that the title caught on in the 1920s and its accuracy is a matter of (not much) debate.

It certainly hasn’t been the same since Girls Gone Wild left. Most people welcome the change, though some locals lament the decline in spring break party action. (Can’t a girl find a wet T-shirt contest anywhere?) In fact, because of a crackdown in partying, along with efforts to position Daytona as a family destination, the college kids don’t flock in for body shots, all-night dancing and doing tangible harm to their futures the way they used to. Of course, whether families will step in remains to be seen, but the bikers have, roaring into town every March for Bike Week.

One thing that’s not going anywhere (except around in circles) is NASCAR, which was born here in 1947. As early as 1902, pioneers in the auto industry would drag race down the beach’s hard-packed sands to test their inventions. That gave way to stock car racing, which paved the way for Bill France, Sr, who ran the Daytona Beach Race Course, to formalize the event and move it to the Daytona International Speedway.

The Daytona Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (386-255-0415, 800-544-0415; www.daytonabeach.com; 126 E Orange Ave; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) has a visitor center (386-253-8669; 1801 W International Speedway Blvd; 8.30am-7pm) in the lobby of Daytona USA. Information for gay and lesbian travelers is available at www.gaydaytona.com.

Last updated: Mar 24, 2009