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Ormond Beach: The Fast and Luxurious

Ormond Beach, Florida has the nickname, "The Birthplace of Speed", which comes from the turn-of-the-century speed records set here on the beach. Today, millions of visitors come each year to witness automobile racing at nearby Daytona International Speedway. Ormond Beach, once the home of the Rockefellers and Flaglers, is a quieter alternative to the more boisterous Daytona Beach.

Daytona Beach: Spring Break All Year Round

Daytona Beach, Florida, located on Florida's Central East Coast, is one of Florida's most popular vacation destinations. With twenty-three miles of white-sandy beaches (called "the most popular beach in the world" by the locals), sun bathing (and people watching)is a popular activity. You can also swim, fish, scuba dive, parasail, snorkel, or play golf or tennis as the mood strikes you. Combine all the outdoor possibilities with museums, shopping, and great restaurants, and what you get is an area synonymous with fun and excitement! Although Daytona Beach is probably best known as a haven for spring breaking teens or Harley riders during Bike Week, Daytona Beach has tons to offer every visitor.

Daytona Beach was named after Matthias Day, Jr., an investor and publisher who purchased acreage along the banks of the Halifax River, and founded a small community. Daytona became a tourist paradise when Henry Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller and Samuel Andrews, built the Florida East Coast Railway.

In the early days of the automobile, Daytona became a hotbed for racing those new-fangled "horseless carriages." The packed sand of Daytona Beach provided a perfect environment for inventors to test out their engines and set new land speed records. In 1935, English speed demon Sir Malcolm Campbell hit 276.8 miles per hour! Daytona's early racing history became a permanent fixture of the American landscape in 1959, with the opening of the Daytona International Speedway.

In addition to being the corporate home of NASCAR, the big leagues of stock car racing, Daytona International Speedway also houses DAYTONA USA, a state-of-the-art interactive motor sports attraction designed to offer a hands-on experience of racing and its history in the Daytona Beach area. DAYTONA USA allows its visitors to participate in a number of interactive activities, including a NASCAR Winston Cup pit stop, computer designing of and testing a race car, "talking" to race car drivers, a 70mm movie depicting race day at the Daytona 500, trivia contests, and "calling" the final laps.

Fast cars are only a part of the diverse activities available in Daytona Beach. With more than two dozen championship courses at your fingertips, and moderate year-round weather, you'll enjoy golf as never before. Daytona Beach offers courses designed by Rees Jones, Arthur Hills, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lloyd Clifton and Bill Amick. The newest course in the Daytona Beach area is the Rees Jones-designed LPGA International, home course of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Daytona Beach has built quite a reputation for deep sea fishing, where fishermen have landed some of the biggest Marlin on record. Charters can be rented at Ponce Inlet. Surf fishing here is also available year-round. Many varieties of fish are caught from the Ocean Pier in the heart of Daytona Beach and the Sunglow Pier located at the southern end of the beach.

For a panoramic view of the surrounding area, visit The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. Built in 1887, it's the second-tallest brick lighthouse in the nation. In January, 1897, it was also a beacon of hope to the sailors and passengers of the S.S. Commodore, which sank just offshore. One of the desperate souls aboard was author Stephen Crane, who later recreated the experience in his famous short story, "The Open Boat."

From Daytona Beach, it's easy to get to Florida's most popular themed attractions. It only takes about an hour to hop over to Walt Disney World, Sea World or Universal Studios. You're only minutes away from a day in St. Augustine or a tour of the Kennedy Space Center. Wherever the day takes you, remember that Daytona Beach is waiting, offering another day in the sun.