Daytona Beach: Festival Town USA
Daytona Beach holds a special place in my heart as it was the first trip that I ever took! Sophomore year in college I managed to scavenge a few bucks together to go on spring break with three other girlfriends. We all agreed we could afford to go to Daytona Beach and set out for Florida in a cramped Honda Civic from East Lansing Michigan on a 26 hour journey. We arrived just over a day later to a crowded beach town and a warm breeze. The town was bustling with young teens, families and bikers. There were long lines of Harleys, crotch rockets and specialty motorbikes on display. It was bike week! I had never heard of that but was thrilled to find out what that was all about. We arrived to our hotel, our temporary home for 5 days and stocked the fridge with enough booze and ramen to last us the entire trip. Ansy to get to the beach we changed and headed toward the live music and white sand we could see from our balcony suite. We could hear a collaboration of loud live music playing in the distance as the warm breeze and sun caressed our skin. We walked along what seemed like miles of beach until we reached the pier and boardwalk area. As we people watched and mingled with people from all over the US, I realized what I had been missing all those years: a real break from everyday life.
Daytona Beach is known as festival town of the United States holding more than 60 per year (including Bike Week). They are known for award winning golf, water parks, Daytona Beach International Speedway (NASCAR), Live Music and roughly 25 miles of beautiful beach with public access. It is one of Florida’s less popular destinations but also less costly and yet still entertaining. It has something for everyone. If you are looking for a budget friendly good time, Daytona Beach is your spot. Just choose your festival week wisely.
