One look at this perfectly planar stretch of sand and you can see why it served as the city's raceway. Today you can drive sections of the beach, tide permitting, to a strictly enforced top speed of 10mph. There are six well-signed beach entrances from Ormond Beach (Granada Blvd) to Ponce Inlet (Beach St); between Seabreeze Blvd and International Speedway Blvd it's traffic-free. Tired of your boring old ride? There are a few transport options from beach-side vendors: rent anything from an ATV tricked out like a '58 'Vette convertible to fat-tired two-wheeled beach cruisers to recumbent trikes. If you're tired of wheels, beach-based vendors rent slick-bottomed boogie boards ($5 per hour) and 8ft surfboards ($10 per hour), and offer banana-boat rides and other types of splashy fun.

For an adrenaline rush that affords a bird's-eye view of the coast, try Daytona Beach Parasail, on the beach to the left of the Silver Beach approach ramp.

Beyond the high-tide mark, looser sand creates a nesting environment for sea turtles to lay eggs at night from May to October. The eggs and hatchlings are monitored carefully by the Marine Science Center, which is a rehabilitation center for turtles.