Daytona’s evening sky
ADOBE STOCK
FLORIDA
Road Tripping Real Florida
With Daytona as your home base, venture beyond the city to appreciate scenic byways full of natural beauty, small-town charm and relics from Florida’s past.
By Jason Frye
Daytona is a great location from which to start your exploration of Florida's captivating east coast. Embark on an exciting adventure tracing two scenic drives. The Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail and the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor are both easily accessible from the city known for its beaches and speedway. These drives unearth hidden charms and offer a glimpse into Florida’s unique history. Discover parks and trails as well as outdoor activities like bird watching, hiking and watersports. Head out to explore one trail or both if you have time!
Tomoka State Park
Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail
Winding through state parks, following the banks of the Halifax River and taking you along the white, sandy shores of Ormond-by-the-Sea, the 34-mile Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail delivers a dose of Florida nature that few visitors experience.
Beginning just north of Daytona Beach and The Daytona hotel, the Ormond Scenic Loop lets you experience the inland and beachside beauty of this part of the Florida coast from the comfort of your automobile or outside of it. Adventure-minded travelers can get out at Tomoka State Park to hike trails, perhaps kayak or standup paddleboard, and watch wildlife–you can spot alligators, more than 160 species of song and shore birds, manatees, and other creatures. Accessible amenities like a paved nature trail and adaptive fishing pier and dock ensure everyone enjoys a stop here.
Bulow Creek State Park walking trail
Take your time through Bulow Creek State Park, where a swathe of southern live creates a dreamy driving experience: the limbs of the trees lining both sides of the road and draped in Spanish moss extend across the path create a natural “tree tunnel.” Park the car and pay a visit to the centuries-old Fairchild Oak, one of the largest live oak trees in the South. Here, too, you can hike and explore or make a beeline for Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea, where you can access the wide, flat, white-sand beach and plenty of wildlife watching (dolphins, nesting sea turtles in summer, migratory birds), beachcombing, walking, biking, swimming and sunbathing.
While you’re on the Ormond Scenic Loop, take note of two historic structures: the Ormond Burial Mound and the Casements. The Ormond Burial Mound, a small Native American burial mound, stands as witness to the region’s long human history, while the Casements, the winter residence of industrialist and robber baron John D. Rockefeller, speaks to Gilded Age opulence and more recent Florida history.
View the Ormond Scenic Loop map.
Spring-fed pool at De Leon Springs State Park
River of Lakes Heritage Corridor
West of Daytona, the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor [ROLHC] sprawls across inland Florida for 156 gorgeous miles, visiting small towns, important cultural spots and the state’s incredible natural amenities. The ROLHC roughly follows the course of the St. Johns River, one of the comparatively few northward-flowing rivers in the world, but arms of this scenic drive spread out like a sea star, leading you to pockets of discovery along the way.
Sections of the ROLHC lie along the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, and at De Leon Springs State Park, bird lovers are able to check a number of species off their lists. Plus, you can swim in a spring-fed pool—an accessible-for-all activity—follow a paved pathway to “Old Methuselah,” a bald cypress more than 500 years old, and watch for wildlife, from otters to manatees to alligators. Next door to the swimming area, the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House offers a unique breakfast: You can cook your own pancakes at the table. Lunch is also served.
Blue Spring State Park is a good place to spot manatees each winter.
After you’ve had—or skipped—a stack of flapjacks, continue exploring: The town of Deland is packed with galleries, boutiques and restaurants. It is also home to the Stetson Mansion, a stop well worth the time to tour Florida’s first luxury residence. Near Deland, Blue Spring State Park serves as the winter home to hundreds of manatees, which you can see from the safety of waterside boardwalks.
The historical architecture and quaint charm of towns like Enterprise and Sanford embody Old Florida. You can hang onto this yesteryear charm by dining like the locals: in a riverside or lakeside restaurant, where you can enjoy fresh-off-the-hook seafood or delicious Southern specialties.
Lake Monroe offers boating opportunities.
Though the ROLHC route meanders through the Florida countryside, plan your route to end at Lake Monroe for a breathtaking finale to the drive. Lake Monroe is one of the two largest lakes on the St. Johns River system and has been popular for boating since the 1800s when it served as a base for the region’s steamboats.
There’s more to discover on the ROLHC, whether you’re into hiking, bicycling, swimming and tubing, or if you want to explore galleries, museums and historic sites. Combined with the Ormond Scenic Loop and a stay at The Daytona, it makes an ideal cool-weather road trip to and through Florida.
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AAA DIAMOND SPOTLIGHT
The Daytona exterior
THE DAYTONA
The Daytona, Autograph Collection
After a day of scenic driving and picturesque waysides, you deserve a victory lap and a place to stay that’s more than a pit stop. The Daytona, Autograph Collection, offers a stylish stay where you can celebrate the day and plan for tomorrow. Directly across from the Daytona International Speedway, this AAA Four Diamond hotel is convenient to both the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor and the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail—and close to the beach—The Daytona is in an ideal spot for exploring and enjoying this slice of Florida.
Lobby of The Daytona
The Daytona’s innovative exterior accentuates the theme of speed thanks to red racing stripes that wrap the hotel and raked design elements that literally lean into the racing theme. In the lobby, vintage race cars sit idle, and decorative elements evoke motorsports at every turn, from iconic emblems and logos to engine- and component-themed light and bar fixtures to cases filled with Daytona memorabilia. The 144 rooms and suites carry the same attention to detail and style as the public areas, but they exchange the racing vibe for a relaxing, comfort-focused look and feel that puts resting and recharging in the pole position. Oversized windows and balconies (in select rooms) provide views of the cityscape or the speedway.
Queen guest room with balcony
Dine at Blue Flame, a “high-casual” eatery serving fresh Florida flavors from a dining room with impressive views of Daytona International Speedway and Victory Circle. Breakfast and lunch at Blue Flame ranges from light and seasonal to filling, but at dinner, the kitchen shines with dishes like the local catch, linguine and clams, and a peach cider-glazed porkchop in addition to steaks, salads and a tempting dessert menu. Make time for cocktails, a bite and sunset views at The Edge, the terrace bar and gathering space overlooking the Speedway.
Click here to view more pictures of The Daytona and to make hotel reservations!
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