Daytona Beach - Spring Break Beach

Daytona Beach having an identity crisis? Indeed - the place we dream has beaches miles long, all-day sunshine, and surf, is going through a makeover. While you can't see it everywhere, this town, after years of being the number one Spring Break destination, is trying to upgrade its image. But leave it to Daytona Beach to find a way to make a beach, driving on the beach, an International race track, and hundreds of retirement style condos a World Class Destination. They'll get it done.

And do they have the beaches. Here we found 23 miles of wide beaches with hard-packed sand - and 18 of those miles are open to automobile traffic. That's what put Daytona on the map - beach driving!

Daytona Beach has become synonymous with Spring Break, so much so that MTV has come here since the '80's to broadcast from the beach and gave us the impression that Daytona Beach was one huge oceanside Animal House. Even though they still come in the thousands, the peak was in 1989, when over 400,000 students showed up. With only 20,000 hotel rooms - you do the math.

The city has done a lot to change the image - trying to turn interest to the major-league baseball spring training and the Daytona Beach NASCAR racing event. Still, 200,000 come here each Spring Break, spaced out over a four to six week period. The most rowdy and wild party animals now call Panama City Beach up in Florida's Panhandle their Spring Break home.

The Beach - The 23 miles of beautiful sand starts at Ormond Beach and runs down to Ponce Inlet. In the middle sits Daytona Beach. This thing is spectacular at low tide. It's almost 500 feet wide! Vehicles, including RV's and trucks under 33' are allowed on 18 of those 23 miles.

We noted the sand here to be very fine. It's of quartz origin and packs tightly. So hard is the sand that cars once raced here! But tourists can still drive (although no more than 10 mph) on the famous beach. On a nice day, you'll see over 10,000 vehicles roaming the beach.

But more than cars, we saw volleyball, jogging, surfing, and bicycling. And swimming here is great. The bank slopes slightly so even little ones will enjoy the shallow water. Watch for the waves - bodysurfing of Daytona Beach is the best in the state.

Riptides do exist during times when the tide is going out. There are over 200 lifeguards watching over the beach - but take care. Rip currents are dangerous.

Learn about surfing at Daytona Beach and the famous Daytona Beach Pier, Next! >>

Daytona Beach Florida Hotels

It wouldn't be right if we didn't recommend a few Daytona Beach Hotels. Especially during Spring Break, getting a hotel room in Daytona Beach can be almost impossible. However, if you do get a room, the rates are fairly affordable. But know that most Daytona Beach hotels carry a minimum-stay requirement.

The hotels here are almost all family owned and operated. The Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau has a brochure called, "Superior Small Lodgings", which includes small motels around Daytona Beach.

If you don't really care about the beach, we recommend the Hilton Garden Inn Daytona Beach Airport, on Midway Ave. You'll be close to the Daytona Race Track - and this hotel has a restaurant.

People in Daytona Beach have come wise about the many beach condos they own. You can rent a beach condominium for a good price. Remember, beach condo rentals contain kitchens, washers and dryers.

We recommend the Ocean Walk Resort on Atlantic Ave. It's near the Main Street Pier and has some sports amenities you may appreciate; a pool, computer-golf, putting green. Daytona Beach condo rentals are worth a check. But check early.

There is a 6% state sales tax and Volusia County tacks on a 4% tax on hotel prices.

We talked about Spring Break, and how it has come and gone in Daytona. More kids visit Panama City Beach than here during the same time. However, we can't dismiss Bike Week. I know it seems like an unlikely group to turn to - after the flood of beer, sex, rap and rock - but businesses embrace this now tradition.

Held the first week of March, as many as half a million bikers roll into Daytona Beach. There's also Biketoberfest, around Halloween, a brewfest that welcomes the Harley crowd and we found when asking - is well, civilized! If you've grown up capturing images of bikers in movies, this is completely opposite.

Motel owners love them as they are some of the most courteous people around. And Harley-Davidson pulled into town with an enormous dealership downtown. To us, it looks like any Mercedes dealership you'd find in Florida, all the shine an glitz you'd expect.

But here's a tip: Hotel and Motel rates get jacked up during the first week of March as locals have found most bikers are affluent and can afford it. Most of their Harleys cost around $20 thousand.

You'll find the prices drop right back down as Spring Breakers come in the next few weeks.