Daytona Beach is the city's defining feature: a flat, hard-packed expanse of sand stretching 23 miles from Ormond Beach in the north to Ponce Inlet in the south, wide enough at low tide to support automobile traffic. Cars are allowed on most stretches for a daily fee (currently $20), driving at a 10-mph crawl among sunbathers and surfers. It is one of very few beaches in the world where this is still legal, and it gives Daytona a distinctive, slightly anarchic atmosphere.
The sand is firm enough for cycling, running, or pushing a stroller from the boardwalk all the way to Ponce Inlet. The Atlantic here is warm from May to October, with gentle waves that suit families and beginner surfers. For quieter sand, head south past the cluster of high-rises to the residential stretch in Daytona Beach Shores, or further still to the dune-backed beaches around Ponce Inlet.