Racing for the Checkered Flag in Daytona Beach, Florida

I’m really excited to interview my friend Clint Proctor of Wallet Wise Guy about Daytona Beach, Florida. The city has a long history of racing and motorcycles, but there’s so much more to see and do when traveling here. Clint says that the beaches are amazing and that he wears a jacket less than 30 days a year!

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Daytona Beach, Florida

Daytona Beach is on the coast of Florida about 90 minutes northeast of Orlando. The weather is warm year-round and the beach is always a top attraction. However, there is so much more to do in Daytona. Daytona is known as the festival capital of Florida, with legendary events like Bike Week, Biketoberfest, Halifax Art Festival, and the Turkey Run. You can also catch a race at Daytona International Speedway or visit the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out DaytonaBeach.com, the local convention and visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.

Best things to do in Daytona Beach

• Boardwalk Main St. Pier (reviews) – Cruise the boardwalk and walk the pier to soak up the sun and breath in the salty ocean air
• Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitor Bureau
• Daytona Beach Zipline Adventure (reviews) – A cool ropes course for families
• Daytona International Speedway (reviews) – They have track tours as well as a ride along experience called the “Nascar Racing Experience.” You can save a few bucks on the Nascar Racing Experience by using Groupon or LivingSocial.
• Daytona Lagoon (reviews) – We also have a water park in town called Daytona Lagoon (it also has an arcade, mini golf, and go-karts). If you go after 3 pm, the cost is only $16.99. On Wednesdays, families can get in after 4 pm for $13.99, and on Fridays over the summer they show a movie for free in the wave pool.
• Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens (reviews) – connect with nature and walk among the flowers in this gorgeous botanic garden
• LPGA International (reviews) – One of two four-star golf courses in the Daytona Beach area. Bring your clubs and hit the links during your visit.
• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America – Discover the rich history of auto racing and learn about how racing has progressed over the years.
• Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail (reviews) – Take the family for a leisurely walk on “the loop” to explore Daytona Beach and its natural scenery. The loop offers over 30 miles of paths to discover.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum (reviews) – Explore the museum and climb the lighthouse for spectacular views at Florida’s tallest lighthouse
• One Daytona (reviews) – There are tons of restaurants, a theater, and a GameTime entertainment center.
• Tanger Outlets Daytona Beach (reviews) – The only Tanger outlets in Florida. Dave and Buster’s just went in here.

Best places to eat in Daytona Beach

• Aunt Catfish’s On the River (reviews) – Early Bird – 8 shrimp made any way (comes w/salad and hot bar).
• C’s Waffles South Daytona (reviews) – The Hungry Jack
• Houligan’s (reviews) – 10 wings made “Wally” style
• Leanh’s Chinese Restaurant (reviews) – Try the Pepper Steak
• Pagano’s Pizzeria (reviews) – Family owned restaurant that makes their own sauce. Try the garlic knots and the pinwheels.
• Ritter’s Frozen Custard (reviews) – Order the Reese’s Glacier. You’ll thank me later!
• Tia Cori’s Tacos (reviews) – Mexican style tacos are $1 on Taco Tuesdays

Best places to stay in Daytona Beach

Here are the best places to stay in Daytona Beach.

• Courtyard by Marriott Daytona Beach Speedway/Airport (reviews) – This is located right next to everything on International Speedway Blvd
• Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort (reviews) – Located right on the beach
• Hyatt Place Daytona Beach-Oceanfront (reviews) – I have stayed for a couple of nights at the Hyatt Place right on the beach using Hyatt points and it was fantastic.
• The Plaza Resort & Spa (reviews) – A friend of mine worked here for years and I’ve had friends stay here several times.
• Best Western Aku Tiki Inn (reviews) – Located along the beach with breath taking views.
• Holiday Inn Resort : Daytona Beach Oceanfront (reviews) – This hotel offers a great view of the beach and a great pool. The view of the sunrises here are amazing too.
• Days Inn Daytona Oceanfront (reviews) – Located right on the beach and close to many things to do in Daytona.

Getting around Daytona Beach

The local airport is Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), which is only 4 miles to the beach and all of the fun of Daytona. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.

Clint says that you’ll want to rent a car during your visit. The public transportation isn’t as robust as he would like. Click here for the best offers from Avis, Budget, or Hertz.

If you don’t want to rent a car, Uber and Lyft are excellent ways to get around.

If you only need a car for a couple of hours, you can rent by the hour with Zipcar. Join now to get $25 loaded into your account.

Places we talked about on the podcast

Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Clint Proctor about Daytona Beach, Florida. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.

• Red dots = best places to eat in Daytona Beach, Florida
• Green dots = best things to do in Daytona Beach, Florida
• Yellow dots = best places to stay in Daytona Beach, Florida

Who is Clint Proctor?

Clint Proctor first became interested in personal finance as a high school senior when a speaker talked about the importance of saving for retirement. On WalletWiseGuy.com, he loves to show families that staying out of debt while having fun today and saving for tomorrow is possible on a middle-class income. Many of his readers are in the under-30 crowd, but the lessons he shares are valuable for people of any age.

Here are a few articles that he’s written:

• 10 Tips For Buying Your First Home the Smart Way
• We’ve Traveled Free for 5 Years Using These Credit Cards
• The 3 Biggest Pros and Cons of Airbnb Hosting

As you can tell, his writing helps people use their money better and get more out of life.

You can connect with Clint Proctor at his website and on Twitter or Facebook.

Big thanks to our affiliate partner – Nectar Sleep

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Stay tuned for our next episode

Listen to the next episode when Kathy Mills of Wall Street Is Waiting shares where to get the best breakfast tacos in Manila, Philippines. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.

What’s your favorite part of Daytona Beach, Florida? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!

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To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit WeTravelThere.com/map. If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at WeTravelThere.com/guest.

Related episodes

To learn more about awesome Florida destinations, please listen to our other episodes:

• Cape Canaveral, Mangrove Tunnels & Gator Bites in Cocoa Beach, Florida
• Mardi Gras, Shell Island & Annual Blessing of the Fleet in Panama City, Florida
• Best Things to Do in Orlando, Florida with Josh Elledge
• Pirate Festival, Dali Museum & Mermaids in Tampa Bay, Florida
• Sandcastle Competition, Chihuly Museum & RibFest in St Petersburg, Florida
• Jacksonville, Florida is The River City by the Sea