The miles of endless sandy beaches would surely be the best memory from traveling to Daytona Beach, Florida. But what my kids wouldn’t stop talking about was unlimited cinnamon buns at Aunt Catfish’s!
Every time I go to the Daytona Beach area I’m pleasantly delighted. I’ve had family in the area forever, which started my adventures as a college senior descending upon Bike Week concluding an epic road trip, all the way up to my most recent visit with two young kids and a husband in tow ready for the beach.
Here’s the rundown of my many years in Daytona and all the best highlights to make your experience traveling with loved ones extra special too.
Boston’s new direct flight to Daytona Beach
If you’re flying from Boston, JetBlue just launched a brand new direct flight to Daytona Beach International Airport. We used to have to drive from Orlando (about 90 minutes away) or handle a transfer, so this makes getting to the ocean so much easier.
The airport is super efficient and easy, plus car rentals are right in the arrivals too. We met our BabyQuip rep for our car seat rentals, grabbed the keys from Hertz and off we went. PS: this was my first trip with the kids and carry-on only! The seamless and easy gear rentals and the fully equipped accommodations made my dream a reality.
If you’d like to try BabyQuip, here’s $20 off your first rental of $100 or more.
Daytona hotels and holiday homes: and both together!
It’s always a hotel debate when traveling with my young children: do we handle a potentially uncomfortable hotel room all together, or find an alternative that offers more space? I do love vacation rentals, but I miss the hotel feel too.
Max Beach Resort was a wonderful solution for our family to have all the space we could ever need alongside great hotel amenities. Originally it was designed for long-term condos before converting into an upscale hotel, complete with onsite restaurant, beachside bar and pool, and rooftop lounge space. Our personal condo boasted two bedrooms with ocean views, wrap-around balconies, and a large living space, complete with full kitchen and washer/dryer room too.
There are numerous other options for accommodations in downtown Daytona and farther flung that fit almost any group or budget. Here’s a map with some more top choices:
Classic Daytona beach attractions
Daytona International Speedway
Even if you’re not a die hard racecar fan, it’s well worth taking a tour of this legendary speedway to see its history up close. The tram ride along the track coupled with interesting commentary was a great way to spend the morning. My 5-year-old got a kick out of running over the finish line back and forth! She (and I) also learned in the museum that the Hudson Hornet from the Cars Disney movie was an actual race car.
Check their event schedule too for special happenings: we went back that night for the annual drive-through lights display that happens over the holidays.
Daytona Aquarium
Perfect on a rainy day, you can get up close and personal with some amazing wildlife at the Daytona Aquarium. My toddler really loved the interactive sandbox and the giant fish swimming right by the glass.
They’ve recently added a rainforest creature exhibit, welcoming animals such as colorful frogs, lemurs, and lorikeets, to name a few. That was such an added bonus!
As a little bonus for the adults, there’s some beer and wine (and snacks!) available as you walk around the exhibits for a little pick me up.
Time to eat: Daytona’s best restaurants
Aunt Catfish’s on the River
OK, time for cinnamon bun talk. I will go back to this restaurant every time I visit, hands down. Aunt Catfish’s on the River is in Port Orange and offers Southern-style food that will leave you fully satisfied. It’s well worth the whole experience, as you order a main dish (I had pecan-crusted catfish) then have access to as many sides and sweets as you can handle. My little ones’ eyes widened while they watched rivers of frosting being draped over freshly baked buns up close.
Our Deck Down Under
To kick off our Florida feasting, we had some sweet Pina coladas and fried shrimp on the water as a family in Port Orange. It’s a great casual place for all ages with indoor and outdoor setting.
Your kiddos might get lucky too and meet Kevin the feathered friend, and the unofficial (and supposedly annoying) mascot of the restaurant who hangs out near the dock.
Copperline Coffee + Cafe
I’m a sucker for a hipster coffee shop, and it’s even better when the latte is one of the best I’ve had in Florida. The vibe is immaculate and welcoming. I’ll need to go back to try everything off their made from scratch menu too.
Crabby Joe’s Deck and Grill
Crabby Joe’s is welcomed back to Daytona Beach after a full renovation due to recent storms. The view is impeccable at this laid-back, all-day eatery. The food was fine, but the view is worth a stop for at least a drink and a quick bite.
4 Rivers Smokehouse
We ended up grabbing takeout from this tasty BBQ place and devoured everything back at our hotel. Highlights included the brunt end sandwich and ribs. This 4 Rivers is located inside One Daytona across from the speedway, which is a shopping and dining mecca worth exploring for the afternoon.
Millie’s Restaurant
Tucked into an unassuming strip mall is this delightful spot for an intimate dinner out in Dayton’s outskirts. My fish dish was perfectly prepared and there wasn’t much left on anyone’s plate at the end.
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
The seasoned crowd will revel in a night out (without the kids) at this classic joint. My uncle loves coming here for some of the best steak in the city and meticulously delicious cocktails.
Daytona Beach’s close southern neighbor: Ponce Inlet
My aunt has lived in Ponce Inlet for nearly twenty years, so I’ve been lucky enough to visit many times over the decades. Of course I love the colorful, enthusiastic vibe of Daytona, I also really love the natural beauty and slower pace of Ponce Inlet too. It offers the best of both worlds when it comes to an ideal beach vacation.
Marine Science Center
If you can’t get enough marine life encounters, this place is wonderful for all ages. The Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet just completed a massive $4 million-dollar renovation completed last summer that transformed the space for visitors and rehabbed animals alike.
We had the opportunity to see a live feeding of seahorses, give shrimp bites to baby stingrays, and learn more about the local ecosystems. There’s a great rehabilitation area outside too for lots of falcons and predatory birds, as well as tanks for sea turtles.
Ponce Lighthouse and Museum
It’s an iconic beacon of this area, overlooking the shore to help ships pass in the night. While the lighthouse history dates back to the 1800s, it’s well worth a stroll through the adjoining museum to step back in time. If feeling energized, take the 203 steps to the top for pretty views of the shore below.
Of course the lighthouse itself and its history is the main draw, but I also noticed an interesting exhibit almost off to the side. There’s a small collection of rafts and floats stored outside that were used by people fleeing Cuba and other surrounding nations by water. It is a sobering and powerful contrast to a playful morning spent on the water. Seeing these vessels, fragile frames of welded metal coated in canvas and powered by salvaged car engines, is a visceral reminder of how much people will risk for freedom.
One raft on display, nicknamed “Animal,” actually washed ashore nearby in 2013 after being tracked by the Coast Guard for months. It is one thing to read about the “wet foot, dry foot” policy in a textbook, but it is another thing entirely to stand next to a 16-foot raft and realize it carried families across 90 miles of open ocean. You might want to let the littles skip this part and head for the gift shop, but the grownups should definitely take their time here.
Ponce Inlet Watersports boat tour
If I had to pick the absolute best activity for families with small kids in Florida, a morning with Ponce Inlet Watersports would be at the top of my list. It was easily the highlight of our Daytona Beach trip, offering that perfect “unplugged” family vibe where the girls could scan the horizon for dolphin fins and even take a turn at the captain’s wheel.
Located right by the lighthouse, the tours typically run about 90 minutes to two hours, which is a total “sweet spot” duration that kept my five and two-year-old’s engaged without any mid-river meltdowns. Most tours include a scenic stop at a sandbar or the famous “Disappearing Island” to hunt for shells, but my personal pro-tip is to arrive early and hit Lighthouse Ice Cream right next door before you board; it’s the ultimate way to kick off a day on the water.
Side quest: the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
If there’s any extra time on your trip and you want to check something stellar off your bucket list, you can head to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. This incredible tribute to humankind and their contributions to space exploration is well worth seeing up close. Right from the start, waking through the rocket garden and seeing these feats of engineering up close is awe inspiring.
I will say though, the space center is probably best suited for older children if you’re traveling with family. Most immersive attractions are for kids at least 44 inches tall. There were still some highlights for my five and two year old, but I think the experience will be even better when they’re elementary school age or teens.
I personally loved learning most about the Artemis II, which will be rounding the moon soon, clearing the way for future long-term moon visits and eventual Mars landings. We also had a great time grabbing Dipping Dots (of course!) and seeing the Deep Sky IMAX movie about NASA’s Webb Telescope.
There’s a massive space called Planet Play that covers three floors of tunnels, slides, and interactive games for kiddos to let loose. The colors and design are really fun and especially great to experience on a hot day. Do note, there’s a height requirement on the slide and a small section for babies/toddlers to be contained too.
Here’s a few more highlights we didn’t have the chance to try firsthand, but everything sounded fascinating!
Shuttle Launch Experience: a simulation of the eight-minute shuttle ascent into the air.
Spaceport KSC®: This transports visitors to the future of space travel through an immersive, motion-based cinematic experience that simulates a high-speed launch to distant worlds like Mars or Jupiter’s moons.
Thanks to both the Daytona Beach CVB and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for hosting! As always, my options and reviews are my own.
If you love Florida vacations, I have tons of itineraries and ideas for you and your crew!
