Daytona Beach, Florida
Encyclopedia
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County
, Florida
, USA
. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had a 2006 population of 496,575. Daytona Beach is a principal city in the Fun Coast
region of the state of Florida.
The city is historically known as having a beach where the hard packed sand allows motorized vehicles to drive on the beach in restricted areas. This hard packed sand made Daytona Beach a mecca for motorsports, with the old Daytona Beach Road Course
having hosted races for over 50 years. This course was replaced in 1959 by the Daytona International Speedway
. The city is also the headquarters for NASCAR
and the Grand American Road Racing Association
.
Daytona Beach is a year-round family-friendly resort area, but could also accurately be called a seasonal town, with large groups of out-of-towners descending upon the city for various events, most notably Speedweeks
in early February when over 200,000 NASCAR
fans come to attend the season-opening Daytona 500
. Other events include the NASCAR Coke Zero 400
race in July, Bike Week
in early March, Biketoberfest in late October, and the Rolex
24 Hours of Daytona
endurance race in January.
The area where Daytona Beach is today was once inhabited by the indigenous, Timucuan Indians
, who lived in fortified villages. The Timucuas were nearly exterminated by contact with Europeans through war, enslavement and disease and became extinct as a racial entity through assimilation and attrition during the 18th century. The Seminole
Indians, descendants of Creek Indians from Georgia and Alabama frequented the area prior to the Second Seminole War
.
During the era of British rule of Florida between 1763–1783, the King's Road passed through present day Daytona Beach. The road extended from St. Augustine, the capital of East Florida, to Andrew Turnbull's experimental colony in New Smyrna
. In 1804 Samuel Williams received a land grant of 3000 acres (12.1 km²) from the Spanish Crown which had regained Florida from the British after the American Revolution. This land grant encompassed the area that would become Daytona Beach. Williams built a slave labor based plantation to grow cotton, rice and sugar cane. His son Samuel Hill Williams would abandon the planatation during the Second Seminole War when the Seminoles burned it to the ground.
In 1871, Mathias Day, Jr., from Mansfield, Ohio, purchased a 2.144.5 acre tract of the former William's Plantation, on the west bank of the tidal channel known as the Halifax River
. He built a hotel around which the town arose, which is today the Daytona Beach Historic District. In 1872 due to financial troubles he lost title to his land, residents decide to name the city Daytona in honor of Day as its founder, and incorporated the town in 1876.
In 1886, the St. Johns & Halifax River Railway arrived in Daytona. The line would be purchased in 1889 by Henry M. Flagler, who made it part of his Florida East Coast Railway
. The separate towns of Daytona, Daytona Beach and Seabreeze
merged as "Daytona Beach" in 1926, at the urging of civic leader J.B. Kahn and others. By the 1920s, it was dubbed "The World's Most Famous Beach".
Daytona's wide beach of smooth, compacted sand attracted automobile and motorcycle races beginning in 1902, as pioneers in the industry tested their inventions. On March 8, 1936, the first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course
. In 1959, William France created NASCAR and the Daytona International Speedway
to replace the beach course. Automobiles are still permitted on certain areas of the beach, at a maximum speed of 10 mi/h.
The city attracts over 8,000,000 tourists each year. It is one of the few places in the world where it is permitted for one to drive a car on the ocean beach.
During motorcycle events (Bike Week and Biketoberfest), several hundred thousand bikers from all over the world visit the greater Daytona Beach area. While the city is often associated with spring break
, the efforts of the local government to discourage rowdiness, combined with the rise of other spring break destinations, have nearly ended Daytona's former preeminence as a spring break destination.
Special events that draw visitors to Daytona Beach include:
Daytona Beach is also home to the headquarters of NASCAR
, Grand-Am
, International Speedway Corporation
, United States Tennis Association
in Florida, and the LPGA
.
, the city has a total area of 64.93 sq mi (168 km²). of which 58.68 sq mi (152 km²) is land and 6.25 sq mi (16 km²) is water. Water is 9.6% of the total area.
The city of Daytona Beach is split in two by the Halifax River
lagoon
, part of the Intracoastal Waterway
, and sits on the Atlantic Ocean
. It is bordered on the north by Holly Hill
and Ormond Beach
and on the south by Daytona Beach Shores
, South Daytona
and Port Orange
.
Daytona Beach has a humid subtropical climate
, typical of the southeastern United States. Summers are hot and humid with highs usually in the 90s and a heat index
often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer afternoons and the hot, humid weather can last right through the fall months. Winters are dry and mild, marked by a constant series of cold front
s and warm-ups. Temperatures dip into the low 30s and upper 20s Fahrenheit on rare occasion, and freezes are not common. Frost occurs a few times a year mainly in the inland areas, but is rare along the beaches; snowfall is extremely rare. Temperatures in spring are famously pleasant with warm afternoons, cool evenings, and far less humidity. This beach-going weather attracts tourists back to the beaches usually by early March.
Despite its warm location, there were a few catastrophic freezes in the area's history. Early settlers only left vague records, but severe freezes were indicated on: January 2–3, 1766; February 7–8, 1835; and January 16, 1857. The cold weather was so severe that crops such as orange trees were killed and several plantation owners abandoned the area as a result.
Because of Daytona Beach's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the city has a significant chance of receiving hurricanes and tropical storms every hurricane season. However, prior to 2004, major hurricanes are only recorded as skirting by the coast of Daytona Beach without any direct hits.
Hurricane Floyd
passed along the Florida
coast in September 1999, which caused significant beach erosion and collapsed about 200 ft (61 m). section of the Daytona Beach Pier.
The 2004 Hurricane season
was particularly tumultuous in the Daytona Beach area. Hurricane Charley
was a very fast-moving, compact storm, which made landfall near Port Charlotte, Florida
on the Gulf Coast of Florida, on August 13, swept northeast across the state, and hit Daytona Beach from the inland side before reentering the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Frances
was a very large storm in size, which moved made landfall at Hutchinson Island South, Florida
(near Port St. Lucie, Florida
) in the early hours of September 5, and caused a significant amount of collateral damage. Portions of Daytona Beach were without electricity or phone service for ten days following Frances due to downed lines or shorted transformers. Just three weeks later, Hurricane Jeanne
formed in the Atlantic Ocean and made landfall only six miles from the same spot Frances hit, at Hutchinson Island South, Florida
, on September 26. Following the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, the names Charley, Frances, and Jeanne were all retired from use.
es. Historical tornado activity is about 33% above the national average. On February 22, 1998 a tornado killed 13 people, injured 36 people, and caused $31 million in damages. Tornadoes also hit the city on Christmas Day, 2006. Some people were injured, but no fatalities were reported. Very significant damage was done to Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University's campus as the F2 tornado that touched down in Daytona Beach cut through the heart of the campus. It destroyed 50 of the school's 75 aircraft, mostly Cessna
s. More info can be found: tornadoes of 2006
, and at.
is elected city-wide.
The City Commission establishes ordinances and policies for the city. It also reviews and approves the city budget annually. The Commission appoints a City Manager
, who carries out the will of the Commission and handles day-to-day business.
(DBPD) headed by police chief Mike Chitwood. In a unique and controversial program to help fund the Police Explorer program, run by a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America
, T-shirts with the words Scumbag Eradication Team: Not In Our Town are sold at the police headquarters.
The T-shirts contain a caricature of Chief Chitwood standing next to a toilet bowl with the legs of multiple individuals sticking out. The T-shirt has been cited in at least one lawsuit against the DBPD alleging police brutality
, the lawyer in the case in which the client sustained broken ribs and a fractured eye socket during an arrest for an open container of beer, claims the T-shirt shows the DBPD condones violence.
The Volusia County Sheriff's department, headed by Ben E. Johnson is a countywide law enforcement agency with 446 sworn positions, 438 civilian employees, 300 volunteers and an annual operating budget of $73 million that has jurisdiction in unincorporated areas of Volusia County and provides additional law enforcement support to Daytona Beach during such events as the Daytona 500 and aids in joint investigations of certain crimes.
The Volusia County Beach Patrol provides law enforcement as well as EMT
services along Volusia County beaches including the beaches in the city of Daytona Beach.
portion of the city as a blighted area and has targeted it for redevelopment by private developers. This follows the Supreme Court
decision of the eminent domain
case in Kelo v. City of New London
, which upheld the right of municipalities the right to use eminent domain to take private property for redevelopment by private entities.
and is part of Florida
's 27th Legislative District.
of 2000, there were 64,112 people, 28,605 households, and 13,844 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,092.6 per square mile (421.8/km2). There were 33,345 housing units at an average density of 568.3 per square mile (219.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.33% White, 32.75% African American, 1.73% Asian, 0.32% Native American
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
, 1.05% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 3.48% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 28,605 households out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.1% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.6% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the city the population was spread out with 17.6% under the age of 18, 16.6% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,439, and the median income for a family was $33,514. Males had a median income of $25,705 versus $20,261 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,530. 23.6% of the population and 16.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 34.9% of those under the age of 18 and 12.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
The Museum of Arts and Sciences
is the primary cultural facility for Daytona Beach and Volusia County. Other museums located in the city include the Southeast Museum of Photography
and the Halifax Historical Museum
. The Museum of Arts and Sciences is actually a collection of museums and galleries and includes the Klancke Environmental Complex, the Cuban Museum, Root Family Museum featuring one of the largest Coca-Cola(R) collections in the world, the Dow American Gallery and the Bouchelle Center for Decorative Arts which together form what is probably one of the finest collections of furniture and decorative arts in the Southeast
. There are also changing exhibitions and a new children's science center opened in 2008.
There have been a number of movies based on Daytona Beach, usually with a racing theme. The most recent example was the 1990 hit Days of Thunder
, parts of which were filmed in Daytona Beach and nearby DeLand
.
Chris Rea
wrote the song Daytona which was in his 1989 album The Road to Hell
Daytona Beach was also the destination of a group of plagued teenagers in the movie Final Destination 2
.
In addition to motorsports, Daytona is also the home of the Daytona Cubs
, a minor league baseball
team of the Florida State League
and the Daytona Beach ThunderBirds, an arena football
team of the AF2
.
There are a number of golf courses in Daytona Beach.
FM
is involved in the tourist industry. Over 8 million visitors came to the Daytona Beach area in 2004.
The area's economy
includes other industries besides tourism
, such as manufacturing
. Daytona Beach has industrial sites within an enterprise zone and sites within a foreign trade zone
adjacent to Daytona Beach International Airport
. Prime Interstate 4
and Interstate 95
sites are available with access to road
, air, rail
and water transportation
.
Companies and organizations that have their corporate headquarters
or a major presence in the area:
. Daytona Beach has two public traditional high schools, two middle schools and six elementary schools. Some of the larger private schools include Father Lopez Catholic High School
.
Elementary Schools
Middle Schools
High Schools
Vocational schools
(and Intracoastal Waterway
) at Daytona Beach. They include (starting from furthest downstream) the Veterans Memorial Bridge (which carries CR 4050
traffic), the Broadway Bridge
(which carries US-92
traffic), the Main Street Bridge (which carries CR 4040
traffic), and the Seabreeze Bridge (which carries SR-430 traffic). All four bridges are free to traffic.
The city has a successful recycling
program with separate pickups for garbage, yard waste and recycling. Collection is provided by several private companies under contract to Volusia County, Florida
.
(DAB), which is centrally located within the city adjacent to Daytona International Speedway
. The site was first used as an airport
with terminals being constructed in 1952 and 1958. The present facility was constructed in 1992 at the cost of $46 million, and includes both a domestic terminal and an International terminal. Despite the new facilities, DAB has found difficulty in attracting and retaining carriers; Continental Airlines
, AirTran Airways
, and United Airlines
discontinued flights to Daytona in 2007 and 2008. LTU & American Airlines also serviced Daytona Beach during the 1980s and 1990s, both of which ended all flights in 1994 & 1997.
Current passenger airlines serving DAB include Delta Air Lines
(with nonstop service to Atlanta) and US Airways
(with non-stop service to Charlotte
). Both carriers offer connecting service from those cities to destinations worldwide. International flights from DAB fly to destinations in the Bahamas
through air taxi
and charter services Airgate Aviation and IslandPass; non-stop flights are available from DAB to Marsh Harbour
, Treasure Cay
, and North Eleuthera. DAB is also heavily used for general aviation
, largely due to Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, whose campus is located at the airport.
Larger airports nearby are Orlando International Airport
and Jacksonville International Airport
, both of which are approximately one and one half hours away.
that runs North and South and I-4
connecting Daytona Beach with Orlando
and Tampa
. U.S. 1
(Ridgewood Avenue) also passes through Daytona Beach. A1A is a scenic North/South route along the beach.
The Volusia County Parking Garage is located at 701 Earl Street at North Atlantic Avenue (A1A). The garage is strategically located, next to the Ocean Center
, Daytona Lagoon
, and across the street from the Hilton Hotel and Ocean Walk Shoppes
. Over one thousand parking spaces are available inside the garage, which also houses an intermodal transfer station for VoTran.
, predecessor of the Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC). Passenger trains continued calling at Daytona Beach till 1968, when the FEC terminated passenger operations system-wide.
Daytona Beach is served by Amtrak
by way of a Thruway Motorcoach connection between the beachside and Amtrak
's DeLand Station
, 28 miles (45.1 km) to the west. There, the service connects northbound with train 92, the Silver Star, and train 98, the Silver Meteor
. Southbound connections from Daytona Beach are limited to the Silver Meteor
s southbound train 97. The DeLand
- Daytona Beach service is Amtrak's only Florida Thruway Motorcoach route provided by a taxi-cab, rather than a bus.
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had a 2006 population of 496,575. Daytona Beach is a principal city in the Fun Coast
Fun Coast
The Fun Coast is a region of Florida, in the United States. It extends along the Atlantic, or eastern, coast of the state, from Marineland to Canaveral National Seashore, and includes all of Flagler County and Volusia County. It is bounded by the Space Coast on the south and by the First Coast on...
region of the state of Florida.
The city is historically known as having a beach where the hard packed sand allows motorized vehicles to drive on the beach in restricted areas. This hard packed sand made Daytona Beach a mecca for motorsports, with the old Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
having hosted races for over 50 years. This course was replaced in 1959 by the Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. The city is also the headquarters for NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
and the Grand American Road Racing Association
Grand American Road Racing Association
GRAND-AM Road Racing or GRAND-AM is an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America...
.
Daytona Beach is a year-round family-friendly resort area, but could also accurately be called a seasonal town, with large groups of out-of-towners descending upon the city for various events, most notably Speedweeks
Speedweeks
Hershey's Milk & Milkshake Speedweeks is a name given to a three-week series of auto races held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America in early February...
in early February when over 200,000 NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
fans come to attend the season-opening Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
. Other events include the NASCAR Coke Zero 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
race in July, Bike Week
Daytona Beach Bike Week
Daytona Beach Bike Week, also called Daytona Bike Week, is a motorcycle event and rally held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida. Approximately 500,000 people make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event. The festivities include motorcycle racing, concerts, parties, and street festivals...
in early March, Biketoberfest in late October, and the Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
endurance race in January.
History
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, who lived in fortified villages. The Timucuas were nearly exterminated by contact with Europeans through war, enslavement and disease and became extinct as a racial entity through assimilation and attrition during the 18th century. The Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
Indians, descendants of Creek Indians from Georgia and Alabama frequented the area prior to the Second Seminole War
Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
.
During the era of British rule of Florida between 1763–1783, the King's Road passed through present day Daytona Beach. The road extended from St. Augustine, the capital of East Florida, to Andrew Turnbull's experimental colony in New Smyrna
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,048 according to the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 23,161.-History:...
. In 1804 Samuel Williams received a land grant of 3000 acres (12.1 km²) from the Spanish Crown which had regained Florida from the British after the American Revolution. This land grant encompassed the area that would become Daytona Beach. Williams built a slave labor based plantation to grow cotton, rice and sugar cane. His son Samuel Hill Williams would abandon the planatation during the Second Seminole War when the Seminoles burned it to the ground.
In 1871, Mathias Day, Jr., from Mansfield, Ohio, purchased a 2.144.5 acre tract of the former William's Plantation, on the west bank of the tidal channel known as the Halifax River
Halifax River
The Halifax River is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, located in northeast Volusia County, Florida. The waterway was originally known as the North Mosquito River, but was renamed after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, during the British occupation of Florida .-Geography:The...
. He built a hotel around which the town arose, which is today the Daytona Beach Historic District. In 1872 due to financial troubles he lost title to his land, residents decide to name the city Daytona in honor of Day as its founder, and incorporated the town in 1876.
In 1886, the St. Johns & Halifax River Railway arrived in Daytona. The line would be purchased in 1889 by Henry M. Flagler, who made it part of his Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
. The separate towns of Daytona, Daytona Beach and Seabreeze
Seabreeze, Florida
Seabreeze is a beachside neighborhood in Daytona Beach, Florida, which existed as an independent city from May 24, 1901 until January 1, 1926, when it merged with Daytona and Daytona Beach to become one consolidated city....
merged as "Daytona Beach" in 1926, at the urging of civic leader J.B. Kahn and others. By the 1920s, it was dubbed "The World's Most Famous Beach".
Daytona's wide beach of smooth, compacted sand attracted automobile and motorcycle races beginning in 1902, as pioneers in the industry tested their inventions. On March 8, 1936, the first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
. In 1959, William France created NASCAR and the Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
to replace the beach course. Automobiles are still permitted on certain areas of the beach, at a maximum speed of 10 mi/h.
Special Events
During motorcycle events (Bike Week and Biketoberfest), several hundred thousand bikers from all over the world visit the greater Daytona Beach area. While the city is often associated with spring break
Spring break
Spring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
, the efforts of the local government to discourage rowdiness, combined with the rise of other spring break destinations, have nearly ended Daytona's former preeminence as a spring break destination.
Special events that draw visitors to Daytona Beach include:
- SpeedweeksSpeedweeksHershey's Milk & Milkshake Speedweeks is a name given to a three-week series of auto races held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America in early February...
(Daytona 500Daytona 500The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
race, Rolex 2424 Hours of DaytonaThe 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
sports car race, and others) - Coke Zero 400Coke Zero 400The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
, NASCAR race on or around July 4 (Traditionally called the Pepsi 400 or Firecracker 400) - Daytona Beach Bike WeekDaytona Beach Bike WeekDaytona Beach Bike Week, also called Daytona Bike Week, is a motorcycle event and rally held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida. Approximately 500,000 people make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event. The festivities include motorcycle racing, concerts, parties, and street festivals...
Daytona 200Daytona 200The Daytona 200 is a 68-lap, motorcycle race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.-History:The race evolved from a beach racing venue in 1937 to the Daytona International Speedway course in 1961....
motorcycle races, bike shows and biker reunion in March - Biketoberfest in October
- Turkey Run car show and events during Thanksgiving weekend (Traditionally called the Turkey Rod Run)
- Spring breakSpring breakSpring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
(date varies, usually the first and second week of March)
Daytona Beach is also home to the headquarters of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, Grand-Am
Grand American Road Racing Association
GRAND-AM Road Racing or GRAND-AM is an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America...
, International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation is a corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International Speedway and in 1999 they merged with Penske Motorsports to...
, United States Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
in Florida, and the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
.
Geography and climate
Daytona Beach is located at 29.207309°N 81.037900°W. According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 64.93 sq mi (168 km²). of which 58.68 sq mi (152 km²) is land and 6.25 sq mi (16 km²) is water. Water is 9.6% of the total area.
The city of Daytona Beach is split in two by the Halifax River
Halifax River
The Halifax River is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, located in northeast Volusia County, Florida. The waterway was originally known as the North Mosquito River, but was renamed after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, during the British occupation of Florida .-Geography:The...
lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
, part of the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
, and sits on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. It is bordered on the north by Holly Hill
Holly Hill, Florida
Holly Hill is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,119 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 12,586...
and Ormond Beach
Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 36,301 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 37,929. Ormond Beach is the northern neighbor of Daytona Beach and is home to Tomoka State Park.-History:Ormond Beach was...
and on the south by Daytona Beach Shores
Daytona Beach Shores, Florida
Daytona Beach Shores is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,299 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 4,586.-History:...
, South Daytona
South Daytona, Florida
South Daytona is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,177 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
and Port Orange
Port Orange, Florida
Port Orange is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 52,793. The city is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area; the metropolitan area's 2006 population was estimated at...
.
Daytona Beach has a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, typical of the southeastern United States. Summers are hot and humid with highs usually in the 90s and a heat index
Heat index
The heat index is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature. The human body normally cools itself by perspiration, or sweating, which evaporates and carries...
often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer afternoons and the hot, humid weather can last right through the fall months. Winters are dry and mild, marked by a constant series of cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
s and warm-ups. Temperatures dip into the low 30s and upper 20s Fahrenheit on rare occasion, and freezes are not common. Frost occurs a few times a year mainly in the inland areas, but is rare along the beaches; snowfall is extremely rare. Temperatures in spring are famously pleasant with warm afternoons, cool evenings, and far less humidity. This beach-going weather attracts tourists back to the beaches usually by early March.
Despite its warm location, there were a few catastrophic freezes in the area's history. Early settlers only left vague records, but severe freezes were indicated on: January 2–3, 1766; February 7–8, 1835; and January 16, 1857. The cold weather was so severe that crops such as orange trees were killed and several plantation owners abandoned the area as a result.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
passed along the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
coast in September 1999, which caused significant beach erosion and collapsed about 200 ft (61 m). section of the Daytona Beach Pier.
The 2004 Hurricane season
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
was particularly tumultuous in the Daytona Beach area. Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the...
was a very fast-moving, compact storm, which made landfall near Port Charlotte, Florida
Port Charlotte, Florida
Port Charlotte is a census-designated place in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. The population was 46,451 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
on the Gulf Coast of Florida, on August 13, swept northeast across the state, and hit Daytona Beach from the inland side before reentering the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto...
was a very large storm in size, which moved made landfall at Hutchinson Island South, Florida
Hutchinson Island South, Florida
Hutchinson Island South is a census-designated place on the barrier island of Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The South in its name refers to its location in the southern part of St. Lucie County. It is actually in the central or middle part of the island as a...
(near Port St. Lucie, Florida
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The population of Port St. Lucie was 88,769 at the 2000 census but grew rapidly during the 2000s. In 2009 the State of Florida estimated the City's population at 155,251. Port St. Lucie forms part of a metropolitan area called...
) in the early hours of September 5, and caused a significant amount of collateral damage. Portions of Daytona Beach were without electricity or phone service for ten days following Frances due to downed lines or shorted transformers. Just three weeks later, Hurricane Jeanne
Hurricane Jeanne
Hurricane Jeanne was the deadliest hurricane in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the tenth named storm, the seventh hurricane, and the fifth major hurricane of the season, as well as the third hurricane and fourth named storm of the season to make landfall in Florida...
formed in the Atlantic Ocean and made landfall only six miles from the same spot Frances hit, at Hutchinson Island South, Florida
Hutchinson Island South, Florida
Hutchinson Island South is a census-designated place on the barrier island of Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The South in its name refers to its location in the southern part of St. Lucie County. It is actually in the central or middle part of the island as a...
, on September 26. Following the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, the names Charley, Frances, and Jeanne were all retired from use.
Tornadoes
Daytona Beach is not immune to the threat of tornadoTornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es. Historical tornado activity is about 33% above the national average. On February 22, 1998 a tornado killed 13 people, injured 36 people, and caused $31 million in damages. Tornadoes also hit the city on Christmas Day, 2006. Some people were injured, but no fatalities were reported. Very significant damage was done to Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University's campus as the F2 tornado that touched down in Daytona Beach cut through the heart of the campus. It destroyed 50 of the school's 75 aircraft, mostly Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
s. More info can be found: tornadoes of 2006
Tornadoes of 2006
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2006. Since the greatest coverage is in the United States, most of these events listed were primarily in the US...
, and at.
Rogue wave
On July 3, 1992, a 27 miles (43.5 km) long rogue wave hit the Volusia County beaches. The wave's range was from Ormond Beach in the north, to New Smyrna Beach on the south. The crest was 9 feet (2.7 m) high and centered at Daytona Beach. Sailboats crashed ashore onto cars and many people suffered cuts and bruises from glass and debris. Two people required hospitalization and 200 vehicles were damaged. 75 injuries were reported. The prevailing theory is that an underwater landslide caused the rogue wave, although others have theorized that it was the result of a squall line.Local Government
Under Daytona Beach's commission-manager form of government, voters elect a City commission which consists of seven members who serve four-year, staggered terms. Six are elected by district, the MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is elected city-wide.
The City Commission establishes ordinances and policies for the city. It also reviews and approves the city budget annually. The Commission appoints a City Manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
, who carries out the will of the Commission and handles day-to-day business.
Law Enforcement
Law enforcement in Daytona Beach is provided by the 241 member, Daytona Beach Police DepartmentDaytona Beach Police Department
The Daytona Beach Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for Daytona Beach, Florida. There are 241 sworn full-time police officers, 105 sworn part-time officers and 81 civilians on the force which is headed by Michael Chitwood who serves as the chief, with Deputy Police Chief Ben...
(DBPD) headed by police chief Mike Chitwood. In a unique and controversial program to help fund the Police Explorer program, run by a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, T-shirts with the words Scumbag Eradication Team: Not In Our Town are sold at the police headquarters.
The T-shirts contain a caricature of Chief Chitwood standing next to a toilet bowl with the legs of multiple individuals sticking out. The T-shirt has been cited in at least one lawsuit against the DBPD alleging police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
, the lawyer in the case in which the client sustained broken ribs and a fractured eye socket during an arrest for an open container of beer, claims the T-shirt shows the DBPD condones violence.
The Volusia County Sheriff's department, headed by Ben E. Johnson is a countywide law enforcement agency with 446 sworn positions, 438 civilian employees, 300 volunteers and an annual operating budget of $73 million that has jurisdiction in unincorporated areas of Volusia County and provides additional law enforcement support to Daytona Beach during such events as the Daytona 500 and aids in joint investigations of certain crimes.
The Volusia County Beach Patrol provides law enforcement as well as EMT
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
services along Volusia County beaches including the beaches in the city of Daytona Beach.
Eminent domain case
The city of Daytona Beach made national headlines when it designated the several mile radius around Main Street on the barrier islandBarrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
portion of the city as a blighted area and has targeted it for redevelopment by private developers. This follows the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
decision of the eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
case in Kelo v. City of New London
Kelo v. City of New London
Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States involving the use of eminent domain to transfer land from one private owner to another to further economic development...
, which upheld the right of municipalities the right to use eminent domain to take private property for redevelopment by private entities.
Local elected officials
- MayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
- Glenn Ritchey - Zone 1 Commissioner - Rick Shiver
- Zone 2 Commissioner - Pamela Woods
- Zone 3 Commissioner - Kelly White
- Zone 4 Commissioner - Robert A. Gilliland
- Zone 5 Commissioner - Derrick L. Henry
- Zone 6 Commissioner - Cassandra G. Reynolds
- City ManagerCity managerA city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
(appointed) - James Chisholm - Zone Commissioner - Cescely Swindle
Federal, state and county representation
Daytona Beach is part of Florida's 7th congressional districtFlorida's 7th congressional district
Florida's 7th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. The district consists of the suburban area between Orlando and Daytona Beach and includes St. Augustine, the first settlement in the United States. The district includes all of Flagler and St...
and is part of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
's 27th Legislative District.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 64,112 people, 28,605 households, and 13,844 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,092.6 per square mile (421.8/km2). There were 33,345 housing units at an average density of 568.3 per square mile (219.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.33% White, 32.75% African American, 1.73% Asian, 0.32% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
, 1.05% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 3.48% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 28,605 households out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.1% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.6% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the city the population was spread out with 17.6% under the age of 18, 16.6% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,439, and the median income for a family was $33,514. Males had a median income of $25,705 versus $20,261 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,530. 23.6% of the population and 16.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 34.9% of those under the age of 18 and 12.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Culture
Museum of Arts and Sciences (Daytona Beach)
The Museum of Arts and Sciences, often referred to as the MOAS, is a museum in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. The museum a member of the American Association of Museums and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution...
is the primary cultural facility for Daytona Beach and Volusia County. Other museums located in the city include the Southeast Museum of Photography
Southeast Museum of Photography
The Southeast Museum of Photography is located in Daytona Beach, Florida, on the campus of Daytona State College. It opened in 1992, and moved to a new facility in 2007....
and the Halifax Historical Museum
Halifax Historical Museum
The Halifax Historical Museum is located at 252 South Beach Street, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, displaying local history from 5000 BC to the present day. The museum is housed in the former Merchants Bank building , that was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on...
. The Museum of Arts and Sciences is actually a collection of museums and galleries and includes the Klancke Environmental Complex, the Cuban Museum, Root Family Museum featuring one of the largest Coca-Cola(R) collections in the world, the Dow American Gallery and the Bouchelle Center for Decorative Arts which together form what is probably one of the finest collections of furniture and decorative arts in the Southeast
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. There are also changing exhibitions and a new children's science center opened in 2008.
Daytona Beach in popular culture
Novels set in Daytona Beach include:- Day Number 142 (1974) by Edgar A. Anderson
- Last Cruise of the Nightwatch (1956) by Howard Broomfield
- Kick of the Wheel (1957) by Stewart Sterling
There have been a number of movies based on Daytona Beach, usually with a racing theme. The most recent example was the 1990 hit Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...
, parts of which were filmed in Daytona Beach and nearby DeLand
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006...
.
Chris Rea
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
wrote the song Daytona which was in his 1989 album The Road to Hell
The Road to Hell
The Road to Hell is a 1989 album by Chris Rea, and is one of Rea's most famous albums. The second part of the two part title track, "The Road to Hell ," is also one of Rea's most famous songs...
Daytona Beach was also the destination of a group of plagued teenagers in the movie Final Destination 2
Final Destination 2
Final Destination 2 is a 2003 supernatural horror film and the sequel to the 2000 film Final Destination and was directed by David R. Ellis. It was written by Jeffrey Reddick, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ali Larter, A. J. Cook, Michael Landes and Tony Todd...
.
Sports
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daytona Cubs Daytona Cubs The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The... |
FSL Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... , Baseball |
Jackie Robinson Ballpark | 1993 | 4 |
| Daytona Beach ThunderBirds | AF2 AF2 AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup... , Arena football |
Ocean Center Ocean Center The Ocean Center is a multi-purpose facility, in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. It was built in 1985 and expanded in 2009, doubling the facility's size... |
2006 | 0 |
In addition to motorsports, Daytona is also the home of the Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...
, a minor league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
and the Daytona Beach ThunderBirds, an arena football
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
team of the AF2
AF2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
.
Golf
- Club at Pelican Bay:Two courses, North and South Courses
- Daytona Beach Golf CourseDaytona Beach Golf CourseThe Daytona Beach Golf Course is a municipal golf course, located at 600 Wilder Blvd. in Daytona Beach, Florida. The facility is owned and operated by the City of Daytona Beach, and offers two courses, the North Course and the South Course.-Overview:...
:Two courses, North and South Courses designed in 1922. - Indigo Lakes Golf Club
- LPGA InternationalLPGA InternationalLPGA International is a golf community, located in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida. The golf facilities are owned by the City of Daytona Beach and operated under agreement with the LPGA. The golf club offers two 18-hole courses, Champions and Legends...
: The headquarters of the LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
are located in Daytona Beach. The golf club offers two 18-hole courses, Champions and Legends. The golf facilities are owned by the City of Daytona Beach and operated under agreement with the LPGA.
Newspapers
- The Daytona Beach News-Journal - Daily newspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
covering the Greater Daytona Beach Area. - Hometown News - Weekly newspaper covering Daytona Beach, Holly Hill and Ormond Beach.
- Orlando SentinelOrlando SentinelThe Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
- Newspaper and news site based in OrlandoOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
with a bureau covering Daytona Beach and Volusia County. - The Avion NewspaperThe Avion NewspaperThe Avion Newspaper is the college newspaper of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. The newspaper publishes weekly, and has a print circulation of approximately 4,000...
- Student college publicationStudent newspaperA student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. - The Daytona Times - Black Newspaper covering Daytona Beach
Radio
AM- WNDBWNDBWNDB is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, the station is owned by Black Crow Radio....
, 1150 AMAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
, Daytona Beach, NewsNews RadioNews Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/TalkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
/SportsSports radioSports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and... - WRODWRODWROD is a radio station broadcasting an Adult Standards/MOR format.Licensed to Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, the station serves the Daytona Beach area. As of December 2008, WROD is owned by Volusia Broadcasting LLC....
, 1340 AMAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
, Daytona Beach, OLDIESOldiesOldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day.... - WMFJ, 1450 AMAM broadcastingAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
, Daytona Beach, Religious - WPUL, AM 1590 [AM broadcastinglAM, Daytona Beach, Adult Contemporary/Newstalk
FM
- WHOGWHOG-FMWHOG-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Classic rock format. Licensed to Ormond-By-The-Sea, Florida, USA, the station serves the Daytona Beach area. The station is currently owned by Black Crow Radio....
, 95.7 FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, Daytona Beach, Classic RockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
, "The HOG". - WJLU, 89.7 FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, Daytona Beach, Religious - WCFBWCFBWCFB is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio station that is licensed to Daytona Beach, Florida that serves the Greater Orlando area. Its signal can be heard as...
, 94.5 FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, Daytona Beach, Urban Adult ContemporaryUrban Adult ContemporaryUrban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast... - WIKD-LPWIKD-LPWIKD-LP is the campus radio station of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the U.S. state of Florida. The station broadcasts in the Daytona Beach area as a LPFM, the range coverage of Eagles FM is about 8 to 10 miles from the broadcast facility covering roughly 125,000 people...
, 99.1 FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, Daytona Beach, Campus Radio of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University - WJHMWJHMWJHM is a radio station that is licensed to Daytona Beach but primarily serves the Orlando and Space Coast areas of Central Florida. It is owned by CBS Radio. It was a urban-leaning rhythmic contemporary hit station with a playlist consisting of a heavy-emphasis on hip-hop and R&B...
, 101.9 FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, Daytona Beach, Mainstream UrbanMainstream UrbanMainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
"102 JAMZ" - WVYBWVYBWVYB is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format.Licensed to Holly Hill, Florida, USA, the station serves the Daytona Beach area. The station is currently owned by Black Crow Media, LLC.-History:...
, 103.3 FMFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, Daytona Beach & Holly Hill, Top 40 "1033 The Vyb"
Television
- WESHWESHWESH is the NBC affiliate in Orlando, Florida. It is licensed to Daytona Beach, with studio facilities in Winter Park. It transmits its digital signal on VHF channel 11, which redirects to virtual channel 2.1, reflecting its former analog channel assignment, through PSIP. It is currently owned by...
, Channel 2, digitalDigital terrestrial televisionDigital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
channel 11, NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... - WDSC-TV, analogAnalog televisionAnalog television is the analog transmission that involves the broadcasting of encoded analog audio and analog video signal: one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal...
channel 15, digitalDigital terrestrial televisionDigital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
channel 33, PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia.... - Central Florida News 13Central Florida News 13Central Florida News 13 is a cable news television station located in Orlando, Florida. It currently serves the greater Central Florida areas including Volusia County, Seminole County, Orange County, Osceola County, Lake County, Marion County, Flagler County, and Brevard County...
, Bright House NetworksBright House NetworksBright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
cable channel 13
Economy
A major part of the Daytona Beach area economyEconomy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
is involved in the tourist industry. Over 8 million visitors came to the Daytona Beach area in 2004.
The area's economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
includes other industries besides tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, such as manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
. Daytona Beach has industrial sites within an enterprise zone and sites within a foreign trade zone
Foreign trade zone
A foreign-trade zone in the United States is a geographical area, in United States Ports of Entry Ports of Entry, where commercial merchandise, both domestic and foreign receives the same Customs treatment it would if it were outside the commerce of the United States...
adjacent to Daytona Beach International Airport
Daytona Beach International Airport
Daytona Beach International Airport is a public county-owned airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Daytona Beach, adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway, in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The airport has 3 runways, a six-gate domestic terminal,...
. Prime Interstate 4
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 is a intrastate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. It goes from Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida to Interstate 95 at Daytona Beach, Florida . It also has the Florida Department of Transportation designation of State Road 400, but only a small...
and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
sites are available with access to road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
, air, rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and water transportation
Water transportation
Water transportation is the intentional movement of water over large distances. Methods of transportation fall into three categories:* Aqueducts, which include pipelines, canals, and tunnels,...
.
Companies and organizations that have their corporate headquarters
Corporate headquarters
Corporate headquarters is a term used to describe the entity at the top of a corporation to take full responsibility for the overall success of the corporation, ensures Corporate Governance...
or a major presence in the area:
- Halifax Health
- International Speedway CorporationInternational Speedway CorporationInternational Speedway Corporation is a corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International Speedway and in 1999 they merged with Penske Motorsports to...
- Gambro-Renal ProductsGambroGambro is a global medical technology companythat manufactures products for Dialysis treatment.The company is a global leader in developing, manufacturing andsupplying products and therapies for Kidneyand Liver Dialysis, Myeloma Kidney Therapy, and other...
- Ladies Professional Golf AssociationLPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
- NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
- SunTrust Bank
Shopping
- Volusia MallVolusia MallVolusia Mall is a super-regional shopping mall located in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the largest retail shopping center in the Volusia-Flagler market. Opened October 15, 1974, the mall comprises more than 120 stores on one level, as well as a food court. Anchor stores are JCPenney, Macy's, Sears...
, 1700 West International Speedway Blvd. The largest shopping mall in Daytona Beach. Anchored by Sears, J. C. PenneyJ. C. Penney-External links:*...
, Macy'sMacy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, and Dillard'sDillard'sDillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
. - Ocean Walk ShoppesOcean Walk ShoppesOcean Walk Shoppes, is a open air shopping mall located in Daytona Beach, Florida.-Major Retailers:Major retailers within the centre include:** Ocean Walk 10 Movies* Wyndham Resorts* Maui Nix Surf Shop* Point Break* Caribongo-Major Restaurants:...
, 250 North Atlantic Ave. Open-air shopping center, located in the heart of the beach area. - Promenade Shopping Center
Education
Public primary and secondary education is handled by Volusia County SchoolsVolusia County Schools
Volusia County Schools is the public school district for Volusia County, Florida. The district serves the 16 cities of Daytona Beach, DeBary, Deland, DeLeon Springs, Deltona, Edgewater, Enterprise, Holly Hill, Lake Helen, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Whorange City, Ormond Beach, Osteen, Pierson, and...
. Daytona Beach has two public traditional high schools, two middle schools and six elementary schools. Some of the larger private schools include Father Lopez Catholic High School
Father Lopez Catholic High School
Father Lopez Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando. 265 students are enrolled.- History :...
.
- Ortona Elementary
- Champion Elementary
- Palm Terrace Elementary
- R.J. Longstreet Elementary
- Turie T. Small Elementary
- Westside Elementary
Middle Schools
- David C. Hinson Middle
- Campbell Middle
High Schools
- Seabreeze HighSeabreeze High SchoolSeabreeze High School is a high school located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.- Notable alumni :...
- Mainland HighMainland High SchoolMainland High School is a public high school located in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is attended by 1,979 students of grades nine through twelve. The mascot is a Buccaneer and strongly resembles the old logo of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-Daytona Public School:...
Colleges and universities
- Bethune–Cookman University
- Daytona State College
- Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
- University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central FloridaThe University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
, Daytona Beach Campus
Vocational schools
- The Airline Academy - Offers flight training for pilots and other airline professionals.
- Keiser College
- WyoTech (formerly AMI) Offers automotive repair, motorcycle repair, and marine repair training.
- Phoenix East Aviation - Offers flight training for pilots.
Health systems
Healthcare in Daytona Beach is dominated by Halifax Health (formerly known as Halifax Hospital). The Halifax Hospital Taxing District was established in 1927 by an Act of the Florida Legislature as a public hospital district. There are dozens of individual practitioners and Professional Associations (PA) in the Daytona Beach area.Bridges
There are four bridges over the Halifax RiverHalifax River
The Halifax River is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, located in northeast Volusia County, Florida. The waterway was originally known as the North Mosquito River, but was renamed after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, during the British occupation of Florida .-Geography:The...
(and Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
) at Daytona Beach. They include (starting from furthest downstream) the Veterans Memorial Bridge (which carries CR 4050
County Road 4050 (Volusia County, Florida)
Volusia County Road 4050 is a county road located entirely within Daytona Beach, Florida. It is long, from SR 5A to SR A1A...
traffic), the Broadway Bridge
Broadway Bridge (Daytona Beach)
The Broadway Bridge is a segmental bridge that spans the Halifax River and Intracoastal Waterway in downtown Daytona Beach, Florida, carrying U.S. Route 92....
(which carries US-92
U.S. Route 92
U.S. Route 92 is a 177 mile intrastate U.S. Route in the U.S. state of Florida. The western terminus is at Alt US 19, SR 595, and SR 687 in downtown St. Petersburg. The eastern terminus is at SR A1A in Daytona Beach. Most of US 92 is designated unsigned State Road 600.-Route description:US 92...
traffic), the Main Street Bridge (which carries CR 4040
County Road 4040 (Volusia County, Florida)
Volusia County Road 4040 is a county road located entirely within Daytona Beach, Florida. It is long, from SR 5A to SR A1A...
traffic), and the Seabreeze Bridge (which carries SR-430 traffic). All four bridges are free to traffic.
Utilities
Basic utilities in Daytona Beach (water and sewer) are provided by the City Government.- Florida Power & LightFlorida Power & LightFlorida Power & Light Company, the principal subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. , commonly referred to by its initials, FPL, is a Juno Beach, Florida-based power utility which serves roughly 4.4 million customers in Florida. FPL Group holds power generation assets in more than 20 U.S...
is Daytona Beach's local electric power provider. - TECO/People's Gas is Daytona Beach's natural gas provider. http://www.peoplesgas.com/
- Bright House NetworksBright House NetworksBright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
is Daytona Beach's local cable provider. - AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
(formerly BellSouthBellSouth TelecommunicationsBellSouth Telecommunications, LLC is the Bell Operating Company of AT&T that serves the southeastern United States. It absorbed the operations of South Central Bell in 1992....
) is Daytona Beach's local phone provider.
The city has a successful recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
program with separate pickups for garbage, yard waste and recycling. Collection is provided by several private companies under contract to Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
.
Airports
Passenger airline services are located at Daytona Beach International AirportDaytona Beach International Airport
Daytona Beach International Airport is a public county-owned airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Daytona Beach, adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway, in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The airport has 3 runways, a six-gate domestic terminal,...
(DAB), which is centrally located within the city adjacent to Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. The site was first used as an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
with terminals being constructed in 1952 and 1958. The present facility was constructed in 1992 at the cost of $46 million, and includes both a domestic terminal and an International terminal. Despite the new facilities, DAB has found difficulty in attracting and retaining carriers; Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
, AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
, and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
discontinued flights to Daytona in 2007 and 2008. LTU & American Airlines also serviced Daytona Beach during the 1980s and 1990s, both of which ended all flights in 1994 & 1997.
Current passenger airlines serving DAB include Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
(with nonstop service to Atlanta) and US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
(with non-stop service to Charlotte
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
). Both carriers offer connecting service from those cities to destinations worldwide. International flights from DAB fly to destinations in the Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
through air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
and charter services Airgate Aviation and IslandPass; non-stop flights are available from DAB to Marsh Harbour
Marsh Harbour Airport
Marsh Harbour Airport is an airport serving Marsh Harbour, a town in the Abaco Islands in The Bahamas.Marsh Harbour is a major tourist attraction in the Bahamas. The airport serves Nassau and a few Florida cities...
, Treasure Cay
Treasure Cay Airport
Treasure Cay Airport is an airport serving Treasure Cay, in the Abaco Islands in The Bahamas.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 14/32 with an asphalt surface measuring ....
, and North Eleuthera. DAB is also heavily used for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, largely due to Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, whose campus is located at the airport.
Larger airports nearby are Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
and Jacksonville International Airport
Jacksonville International Airport
Jacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...
, both of which are approximately one and one half hours away.
Buses
- Daytona Beach is served by Greyhound Bus Lines, which has a terminal located at 138 South Ridgewood Avenue (US-1). The Greyhound routes from Daytona Beach connect with hubs in JacksonvilleJacksonville, FloridaJacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and OrlandoOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. - VoTran is the local bus service provided by Volusia County. It is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. A one-day VoTran bus pass costs $3.
- A1A Beachside Trolley operates from January to Labor Day (September) along Atlantic Avenue on the beachside. They are air-conditioned and handicapped accessible.
Auto
Daytona Beach is easily accessible by I-95Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
that runs North and South and I-4
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 is a intrastate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. It goes from Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida to Interstate 95 at Daytona Beach, Florida . It also has the Florida Department of Transportation designation of State Road 400, but only a small...
connecting Daytona Beach with Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
. U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
(Ridgewood Avenue) also passes through Daytona Beach. A1A is a scenic North/South route along the beach.
The Volusia County Parking Garage is located at 701 Earl Street at North Atlantic Avenue (A1A). The garage is strategically located, next to the Ocean Center
Ocean Center
The Ocean Center is a multi-purpose facility, in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. It was built in 1985 and expanded in 2009, doubling the facility's size...
, Daytona Lagoon
Daytona Lagoon
Daytona Lagoon is a waterpark and family entertainment center located in Daytona Beach which is open year round for its dry attractions and March through October for the waterpark. According to the , it opened in March 2005...
, and across the street from the Hilton Hotel and Ocean Walk Shoppes
Ocean Walk Shoppes
Ocean Walk Shoppes, is a open air shopping mall located in Daytona Beach, Florida.-Major Retailers:Major retailers within the centre include:** Ocean Walk 10 Movies* Wyndham Resorts* Maui Nix Surf Shop* Point Break* Caribongo-Major Restaurants:...
. Over one thousand parking spaces are available inside the garage, which also houses an intermodal transfer station for VoTran.
Rail
Passenger railroad service to Daytona Beach was established no later than 1889 by the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River RailwayJacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railway
The Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railway Company was incorporated under the general incorporation laws of Florida.Florida state law chapter ?, approved February 28, 1881, confirmed the incorporation and gave it land grants.-Land grants:...
, predecessor of the Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC). Passenger trains continued calling at Daytona Beach till 1968, when the FEC terminated passenger operations system-wide.
Daytona Beach is served by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
by way of a Thruway Motorcoach connection between the beachside and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's DeLand Station
DeLand (Amtrak station)
The DeLand Amtrak station is located several miles west of downtown DeLand, at the location formerly known as DeLand Junction. DeLand Station was originally built in 1918, and stood across from the former Volusia County Fairgrounds...
, 28 miles (45.1 km) to the west. There, the service connects northbound with train 92, the Silver Star, and train 98, the Silver Meteor
Silver Meteor
The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...
. Southbound connections from Daytona Beach are limited to the Silver Meteor
Silver Meteor
The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...
s southbound train 97. The DeLand
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006...
- Daytona Beach service is Amtrak's only Florida Thruway Motorcoach route provided by a taxi-cab, rather than a bus.
Notable residents
- Dan Allen, comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
- Duane AllmanDuane AllmanHoward Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician and the primary co-founder of the southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band...
and Gregg AllmanGregg AllmanGregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
, musicians - Fulgencio BatistaFulgencio BatistaFulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
, 19th Cuban President - Vince CarterVince CarterVincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, basketball player - Ed CharlesEd CharlesEdwin Douglas Charles is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. A right-handed hitter, Charles played for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Mets .-Minor league career:...
, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Bill France, Sr., founder of NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
- Danielle HarrisDanielle HarrisDanielle Andrea Harris is an American film and television actress, best known as a scream queen for her roles in several horror films, four of them in the Halloween series: in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers as Jamie Lloyd and in Halloween and...
, actress - Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston was an American folklorist, anthropologist, and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance...
, writer, anthropologist - E. J. KualeE. J. KualeEjiro "E. J." Megetaveh Kuale [kuh-WAL-ee] is a professional American and Canadian football defensive lineman with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
, gridiron footballGridiron footballGridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
defensive endDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... - Ryan LochteRyan LochteRyan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...
, 2004 Olympic medalistOlympic medalistAn Olympic medal is awarded to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games. There are three classes of medal: gold, silver and bronze. The winner is awarded the gold medal, the runner-up the silver medal, and the third place competitor is awarded the bronze medal...
in swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native... - Mark Martin, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - Mary McLeod BethuneMary McLeod BethuneMary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator and civil rights leader best known for starting a school for African American students in Daytona Beach, Florida, that eventually became Bethune-Cookman University and for being an advisor to President Franklin D...
, educator and civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist - Walter M. Miller, Jr.Walter M. Miller, Jr.Walter Michael Miller, Jr. was an American science fiction author. Today he is primarily known for A Canticle for Leibowitz, the only novel he published in his lifetime. Prior to its publication he was a prolific writer of short stories.- Biography :Miller was born in New Smyrna Beach, Florida...
- Author of A Canticle for LeibowitzA Canticle for LeibowitzA Canticle for Leibowitz is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by American writer Walter M. Miller, Jr., first published in 1960. Set in a Roman Catholic monastery in the desert of the southwestern United States after a devastating nuclear war, the story spans thousands of years as... - Ransom Eli Olds, automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
pioneer - Josef PappJosef PappJosef Papp was an engineer who was awarded U.S. patents related to the development of a fusion engine, and also claimed to have invented a jet submarine.-Alleged submarine journey:...
, engineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,... - Glen "Fireball" RobertsFireball RobertsEdward Glenn Roberts, Jr. , nicknamed "Fireball", was one of the pioneering race car drivers of NASCAR.-Background:...
, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - Bob RossBob RossRobert Norman "Bob" Ross was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He is best known as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, a television program that ran for 12 years on PBS stations in the United States.-Personal life:Ross was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, and...
, artistArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and television host - David SholtzDavid SholtzDavid Sholtz was the 26th Governor of Florida.-Early life and education:Sholtz was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York, and after graduating from Yale, where he was a member of the Acacia Fraternity, in 1914 he went on and earned a law degree from Stetson University Law School...
, 26th governor of Florida - Mike Skinner, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - Howard ThurmanHoward ThurmanHoward Thurman was an influential American author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader. He was Dean of Theology and the chapels at Howard University and Boston University for more than two decades, wrote 21 books, and in 1944 helped found a multicultural church.-Early life...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and theologian - Rickie WeeksRickie WeeksRickie Darnell Weeks is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers....
, MLB player for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - T. K. WetherellT. K. WetherellDr. Thomas Kent "T. K." Wetherell was an educational administrator and former politician. He served as president of Florida State University from 2003 through 2009...
, president of Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... - Robert WrightRobert Wright (writer)Robert [Craig] Wright was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the musical theatre best known for the Broadway musical and musical film Kismet, for which he and his professional partner George Forrest adapted themes by Alexander Borodin and added lyrics...
, musical theater writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images.... - Aileen WuornosAileen WuornosAileen Carol Wuornos was an American serial killer who killed seven men in Florida in 1989 and 1990, claiming they raped or attempted to rape her while she was working as a prostitute...
, serial killerSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
executed in 2002. - Smokey YunickSmokey YunickHenry "Smokey" Yunick was an American mechanic and car designer associated with motorsports. Yunick was deeply involved in the early years of NASCAR, and he is probably most associated with that racing genre...
, mechanicMechanicA mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
and motor racing innovator - Eric WeemsEric WeemsEric Weems is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Bethune-Cookman.-Early years:Weems attended Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Florida and...
, NFL Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Points of interest
- Daytona 500 Experience
- Daytona Beach Bandshell and Oceanfront Park ComplexDaytona Beach Bandshell and Oceanfront Park ComplexThe Daytona Beach Bandshell and Oceanfront Park Complex is a historic site in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. It is located at Ocean Avenue, north of the junction of Main Street and Atlantic. On March 5, 1999, it was added to the U.S...
- Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
- Daytona LagoonDaytona LagoonDaytona Lagoon is a waterpark and family entertainment center located in Daytona Beach which is open year round for its dry attractions and March through October for the waterpark. According to the , it opened in March 2005...
Water Park - Halifax Historical MuseumHalifax Historical MuseumThe Halifax Historical Museum is located at 252 South Beach Street, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, displaying local history from 5000 BC to the present day. The museum is housed in the former Merchants Bank building , that was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on...
- Jackie Robinson Ballpark
- Main Street Pier
- Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center and Visual Arts Gallery
- Museum of Arts and SciencesMuseum of Arts and Sciences (Daytona Beach)The Museum of Arts and Sciences, often referred to as the MOAS, is a museum in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. The museum a member of the American Association of Museums and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution...
- News Journal Center
- Southeast Museum of PhotographySoutheast Museum of PhotographyThe Southeast Museum of Photography is located in Daytona Beach, Florida, on the campus of Daytona State College. It opened in 1992, and moved to a new facility in 2007....
- The Ocean CenterOcean CenterThe Ocean Center is a multi-purpose facility, in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. It was built in 1985 and expanded in 2009, doubling the facility's size...
- List of Registered Historic Buildings in Daytona Beach, Florida