A DOZEN FREE THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN THE DAYTONA BEACH AREA
There's a lot to do in the Daytona Beach area that won't bust your budget. Whether it's simply a day at the beach or an action attraction, the area offers value after value. Check out this handy list of FREE things to do during your stay!
Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory Tour 154 South Beach St., Daytona Beach 1.800.969.2634 www.angellandphelps.com
Located in the historic Riverfront Marketplace, Angell & Phelps Chocolates has been a Daytona Beach tradition since 1925. Take a free, guided, 30-minute tour through the chocolate-making process. Tours begin at 10 and 11 a.m., and 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. each Monday through Friday.
Art League of Daytona Beach 433 S. Palmetto Ave., Daytona Beach 386.258.3856 www.artleague.org
Works of local, state and national artists are on display here, in a wide variety of formats, with exhibits changing monthly.
The Casements 25 Riverside Drive Ormond Beach, FL 386.676.3216
Formerly the winter home of multi-millionaire John D. Rockefeller, The Casements now serves as the City of Ormond Beach's cultural center and museum containing art and historical exhibits. Free tours of the Rockefeller period rooms and other exhibits are offered 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 -11:30 a.m., Saturday.
Friends of the Bandshell Concert Series Daytona Beach Bandshell, Daytona Beach 386.258.9544
This free seasonal concert series is held May - September each Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. The concerts are held at the oceanfront, historic coquina bandshell and feature a variety of musical styles including jazz, rock, swing, country, big band, and Latin music. be sure to stick around for the free fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. Bring along a beach chair or rent on at the facility.
Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation Home & Gravesite 640 Mary McLeod-Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach 386.481.2122
Bethune-Cookman University is one of the richest resources of African-American historical and cultural exhibits in Florida. Bethune's home, located on the university's campus, serves as the headquarters of the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation. Free, guided tours are available by appointment.
North Peninsula State Recreation Area (5 miles north of Granada Blvd. on Hwy. A1A), Ormond Beach
This 900-acre park offers over two miles of sandy beaches for recreational use. The area, which is open daily with free admission, features palmetto dunes and sea turtles, as well as some of the best surf fishing in the area.
Ormond Bicentennial Park 1800 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach
This park stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Halifax River and covers five ecological systems. It features tennis and racquetball courts, a softball field, a fishing pier, an exercise trail, and picnicking facilities. Admission is free, and the park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens 78 East Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach 386.676.3347 www.ormondartmuseum.org
This museum showcases paintings, drawings, video, mixed media, photography and three-dimensional works of art. Adjacent to the museum are lush tropical gardens that offer a beautiful setting complete with gazebo and nature trails, fish ponds and fountains. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Admission is free, but a $2 donation is requested for each visitor, with the exception of seniors (60 and older) and children.
Southeast Museumof Photography Daytona State College 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach 386.506.4475 www.smponline.org
The Southeast Museum of Photography is one of only 12 specialized museums of its kind in the United States, and one of fewer than 30 throughout the world. The museum is Florida's official museum of photography. Offering free admission, the museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 1 - 5 p.m. June, July and December hours, 12 - 4 p.m. Closed on: Mondays; December 17th - January 11th for winter recess; Daytona 500 weekend; Daytona State College's Spring Break; July 4th; Thanksgiving weekend and summer recess from July 31st - August 17th.
Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens 950 Old Sugar Mill Road (U.S. 1 to Herbert St.), Port Orange
Set amid 12 acres of lush botanical gardens stands the remains of an English sugar mill.
The gardens were once home to the 1940s theme park, Bongoland. Life-size dinosaur statues remain in the tropical setting and are still a favorite with children. The gardens also house a human sundial. The facility is open daily from dawn to dusk, and admission is free.
Sun Splash Park South Atlantic Ave.and Revilo Blvd., Daytona Beach
This oceanfront park features an interactive water fountain, decorative walkways, a shaded playground, volleyball courts, picnic areas, restrooms, outdoor showers, two beach access ramps and a Coca-Cola sponsored "cool zone." The four-acre facility also provides free, off-beach parking. Open sunrise to sunset.
Tuscawilla Park Off Nova Rd. at Orange Ave., Daytona Beach
Tuscawilla Park has a nature center and trails that offers visitors a glimpse at plant and animal life. The park includes picnicking facilities and a disc golf course. The Museum of Arts and Sciences is also located nearby. Open daily, sunrise to sunset, with free admission.
