City Profile: Ormond Beach

By VISIT FLORIDA staff
Published: February 26, 2008
Last Updated On: April 26, 2011

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Daytona Beach

Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach may be just north of Daytona, but has a smaller, more relaxed atmosphere.

One of the early settlers of Ormond Beach was millionaire John D. Rockefeller. Its reputation as a first-class resort continues today, without sacrificing its small town grace. Ormond Beach offers visitors the opportunity to relax in an elegant setting while allowing easy access to flashier destinations nearby, such as next-door neighbor Daytona Beach or Orlando, just over an hour away.

Bordered by the Halifax River on the west, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and home to numerous rivers, lakes, and springs, Ormond Beach is an ideal location for a myriad of water activities. Water and jet skiing, surfing, windsurfing, parasailing, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing can all be enjoyed in the surrounding waters, while the shore offers the sun-seeker miles of white sand beaches for relaxation.

Ormond Beach is known as the "Birthplace of Speed" due to the historic legacy of the automotive beach races which began in the early 1900's.

Visitors can also enjoy a variety of cultural and recreational events offered throughout the year. The Casements, the former winter home of Rockefeller, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hungarian folklore, Italian ceramic, and Boy Scout memorabilia are some of the diverse exhibits found within its walls.

Nearby, visitors to the Memorial Art Museum and Gardens can stroll through a four-acre botanical garden and appreciate native flora such as the banana plant, sago palm, and bamboo.

Ormond Beach is known as the "Birthplace of Speed" due to the historic legacy of the automotive beach races which began in the early 1900's. It continues its appreciation of the automobile through an annual show each Thanksgiving weekend highlighting antique cars and treating participants to a gaslight parade.