Daytona Beach & New Smyrna Beach
Central Atlantic Coast of Florida

Daytona Beach first found favor with northern tycoons in the latter part of the 1800s when they found the land suitable for investment and it is Matthias Day who is widely credited for being Daytona's founding father, opening the area's first hotel - the Palmetto House - in 1874. Other entrepreneurs including Commodore Charles Burgoyne and John D. Rockefeller soon followed.

MOTOR RACING...
It was over 100 years ago, in 1902, that motor racing started on the beach, becoming established in 1904 with an event called the Winter Speed Carnival. English eccentric Malcolm Campbell arrived in 1928 and between then and 1935 set not one but five new land speed records on the sands, finally reaching 276mph on 3rd September 1935 in Bluebird, his rocket powered car.

Daytona’s position as petrol-head heaven was cemented with the founding of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing in 1947 followed by the opening of the Daytona International Speedway in 1959. Known as the 'World Centre of Racing', Daytona holds eight major weekends of racing throughout the year including the legendry Daytona 500 which is held each February and is the highlight of the racing calendar - the air heady with petrol fumes and the sound of the engines ringing in the spectators' ears as the NASCAR's thunder round the 2.5 mile tri-oval track.

For those unable to make it to the Daytona 500 the Speedway also plays host to the Pepsi 500 during Independence Day Weekend, the Rolex 24 in February and - not forgetting the bikers - Biketoberfest.

MAGNIFICENT GREEN TURTLES...
Driving on the beach - where the speed limit is 10mph - is still permitted during daylight hours for a $5.00 fee. The location is particularly useful for disabled drivers as they can park directly on the beach, allowing them to have everything to hand. However, it should be noted that driving is restricted from May - October when the green turtles come ashore to lay their eggs, leaving the surf at night and laying their eggs in nests dug in the dry sand before hurriedly returning to the sea. The hatchlings emerge eight weeks later and make their way across the beach into the ocean, hopefully to return one day to continue the circle of life.

HISTORICAL INTEREST...
Memorabilia from the early days when the beach was used for racing can be found in the Halifax Historical Museum. The museum is housed in a former 1910 merchants' banking building and charts the history of the greater Daytona area, guiding visitors through the colonial and pioneer era's right through to modern times. It also doubles as a research facility housing old city directories, documents, maps and an extensive collection of postcards and photographs.

STUNNING VIEWS FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE...
Located 12 miles south of Daytona Beach is the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station, a National Historic Landmark. Completed in 1887, the lighthouse is the second tallest in the nation at 175 feet and is open to visitors throughout the year. It is well worth the effort in climbing to the top to be rewarded with stunning views of the Florida coastline.

THE WORLD'S SAFEST BATHING BEACH...
Just north of Cape Canaveral and known as one of the world's safest bathing beaches is New Smyrna Beach. It is home to the Turtle Mound, a 50 foot high mound containing 33,000 cubic yards of oyster shells, created by the Timucuan Indians. Used as a look out point for enemies and approaching storms the mound, visible 7 miles out at sea has also been used as a navigational aid.

SEE THE RARE SPECIES...
The beach merges into the Canaveral National Seashore at its southern point and is an ideal place to look out for the many endangered species that call the seashore home. Lucky visitors can see loggerhead, green and leatherback sea turtles, West Indian manatee, southern bald eagles, wood storks, peregrine falcons, eastern indigo snakes, and Florida scrub jays.

Browse rental properties available in Daytona Beach & New Smyrna Beach: