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Daytona Beach Fall Season Travel Planner - Beach Like A Local!

Increasingly, family travelers are looking beyond guidebooks and travel websites to find local hangouts and discover new, lesser-known attractions and restaurants. One would think such locations would be hard to find in a destination known as the ‘World’s Most Famous Beach,’ but the Daytona Beach area is home to a thriving and cool community with a number of local treasures that are only now becoming known to visitors.

Explore these authentic area attractions and restaurants and discover the “Top 10 Ways to Beach Like a Local”:

Daytona Beach Downtown Farmers’ Market

With a number of hotels and rental properties offering in-room kitchens and kitchenettes, visitors are increasingly looking to stock up on fresh food for the family. The Daytona Beach Downtown Farmers’ Market offers fresh and organic fruits and vegetables, baked goods and seafood every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. More than a dozen local food vendors and live music welcome you next to historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark, just across the Halifax River from scenic Beach Street.

Sun Splash Park

Local families have come to enjoy this four-acre splash park at the southern end of Daytona Beach. Beat the heat with an interactive water fountain, shaded playground, picnic areas, Coca Cola-sponsored “cool zone” and more. Located at 611 S. Atlantic Ave., Sun Splash Park is FREE and open from sunrise to sunset.

Dancing Avocado Kitchen

Those looking for a fun, offbeat location for breakfast and lunch are sure to have a great experience at Dancing Avocado, known to be “where herbivore and carnivore eat together in harmony.” An eclectic atmosphere, farm-fresh menu, and nearly every item offered with the favorite fruit, this locale is a mustvisit.

Ormond Brewing Company

The first craft brewer in the Daytona Beach area, the Ormond Brewing Company opened its doors in November 2013, offering a variety of delicious and unique brews and fun brewery tours. The company’s Tap Room is open 4 to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own food while enjoying artisan beers (nearby restaurants offer delivery direct to the Tap Room!).

Cracker Creek

Cracker Creek is an environmental and historical treasure just south of Daytona Beach in Port Orange. Located on the western side of scenic Spruce Creek, this 20-acre sanctuary is a natural home for a variety of endangered plants and animals best seen by boat or on foot. Visitors can paddle or tour the Creek on a variety of boat tours and sunset cruises, or via hydro bike, canoe and kayak rentals.

Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grill on Ponce Inlet

Hidden Treasure Rum Bar is a great place to unwind after trekking to the top of the lighthouse, boating or paddle boarding on the Intracoastal Waterway. Serving fresh seafood daily, a happy hour from 4 – 7pm, and live music every night, this Old Florida locale offers visitors a slice of the Daytona Beach life.

Dunn’s Attic & Auction House

When on the hunt for one-of-a-kind finds, visit Dunn’s Attic & Auction House. Newly opened by one of the Daytona Beach area’s staple retailers, the Dunn Family welcomes you to 12,000 square feet of shopping excitement featuring everything from furniture and jewelry to handmade gifts and collectibles. Make sure to visit Rosie’s Café brimming with breakfast and lunch items, old fashioned sodas, beer and wine. And, stop by on Saturday for Mimosa Saturdays – all mimosas just $1. Dunn’s also includes a special Artist’s Corner, featuring local artists year-round. It’s a great way to find a truly special piece to remember a vacation.

Bonfires on the Beach

If you are a true beach bum, sunset should not automatically halt fun on the sand. Bonfires on the beach offer an alternative to family bonding in a hotel room. Open to residents and visitors, Volusia County provides fire rings for bonfires free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Wood for the fire is not provided. Beach visitors are also allowed to bring their own bonfire pit. Fire rings are available November through April 28 during non-sea turtle nesting seasons.

Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail

Interested in exploring some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Florida? The Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail is a must-do experience – ride, cycle or hike along 30 miles of roadways with direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway, Atlantic Ocean, Tomoka State Park and Bulow Creek State Park. The Loop also includes museums, historic public buildings and private homes.

Cinematique Theater

For a cultural night out, follow the locals to Daytona Beach’s only art-house cinema, the Cinematique Theater of Daytona. This unique cinema serves food, beer and wine while movie-goers enjoy “hard-tofind” foreign and/or independent films. As a non-profit organization, their mission is to bring the best international, national and local independent films to Daytona Beach.

 

FALL EVENTS .

2nd Annual Wine and Food Festival September 19, 2015

Enjoy a day at the Riverfront on Beach Street! Taste a variety of wines and delicious tapas and lite bites. Stroll the beautiful Riverfront Shops of Daytona Beach and enjoy live music.

Craft Beer & BBQ Festival October 23-24, 2015

Step back in time along Riverfront Park during the 8th Annual Daytona Beach Dream Cruise! Check out hundreds of classic cars from years past and some modern day cars, too. The 2nd Annual Craft Beer & BBQ Festival is a celebration of microbreweries, craft beer, local artisans, live entertainment, tasty food, and beer samplings.

Food, Wine & Brew Fest November 14, 2015

Sample food from 30 of the best restaurants in the area along with 100 craft beers and 30 wines from around the country. Enjoy the night in the sports bar with college football games, live entertainment featuring live music and a Cigar Lounge. It all takes place in beautiful downtown Daytona Beach at The News-Journal Center

 

RELEASING THE INNER BIKER: DAYTONA BEACH BIKETOBERFEST® 2015 IS THE PLACE TO ROAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 6, 2015) – It’s hard to overestimate the cool factor when it comes to motorcycle events in Daytona Beach. The beaches beckon, the bikes are works of art, the crowds come from around the world, and the fashion is, well leather-clad cool.

October 15-18, The Original American Beach will host more than 100,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and casual observers for the 23 rd Annual Biketoberfest® motorcycle rally and festival. Sponsors Amsoil, Geico and Sweet Ride Wine will have strong presence throughout the four-day event in which attendees soak up the sun and live music, visit iconic watering holes, and eat at some of the area’s trendy new restaurants.

As for the roar, fans will watch the pros compete in Daytona International Speedway’s world-famous motorcycle races – and they’ll also get a sneak peek at the Speedway’s $400 million “re-imagining” project.

Multiple locations throughout the Daytona Beach area -- including Main Street, Riverfront Park and Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard – will host events, with plenty of music, foods and vendors.

What’s New?

Lively Main Street has just added Sunsetters Riverfront Bar and Grill to its mix. Located on the banks of the scenic Intracoastal Waterway, the location is already a locals’ fave.

If you love all things Florida – and who doesn’t? – don’t miss the new Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, the largest collection of art depicting Florida scenes. Next door, check out the Museum of Arts & Sciences’ new planetarium, with its laser light and music shows.

Love music?

Four solid days of live music in dozens of indoor and outdoor venues will celebrate the cooler riding weather and energetic fall vibe. Enjoy a free concert by Jackyl October 17 in the Coca Cola Pavilion at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona. Home of Daytona Harley-Davidson, this motorcycle mecca features a 109,000-square-foot showroom, an impressive selection of retail and specialty shops, restaurants and bars.

We’ve Got Your Blues.

Start your Daytona Beach getaway a few days early and enjoy the ever-popular Daytona Blues Fest, a Southest Tourism Society Top 20 award winner. This year’s Oct. 9-11 event at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark is the perfect way to kick off your Biketoberfest® experience, with artists including Janiva Magness and Eddie Cotton, Jr.

Who Wore it Best?

People watching is always a popular attraction at Biketoberfest®. Attendees come from all over the world, and with dozens of event venues scattered throughout the area, there are plenty of places to go, plenty of people to meet and more photo ops than your smart phone can store.

Growing the Fun.

Biketoberfest® is exceeding expectations, both in social media fans and attendees. Digital marketing efforts have helped increase the event’s fan base amongst both younger riders and women. Over the past year, the event has seen its Facebook fans increase from 87,000 to more than 103,000, reinforcing event organizers’ strategy of retaining and enriching current markets while cultivating and growing new markets.

The Perfectly Placed Event.

Bikers who attended Sturgis’ 75th rally in August are well on their way to achieving the Triple Crown of motorcycle rallies. With Daytona Beach Bike Week’s 75th coming up March 4-13, Biketoberfest® makes for the perfect middle stop, for a truly historical motorcycle rally season. Plus, it’s the pivotal event for Daytona Beach’s Festival Capital of Florida fall round-up.

Biketoberfest.org is the official site for this year’s event. The Biketoberfest® site is mobile friendly and includes a social pitstop to help riders connect and get revved up with other riders on Facebook and Twitter.

So, make you plans now for an exciting family outing and enjoy one of our great savings offers below!

October 15 to October 18, 2015 (Biketoberfest)

All Rooms

Discounts up to 25% (3 Nights or more). Use Promo Code: ni2015

 

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