By Carrie McLaren

Here’s a look at some ways you and your family can celebrate the warm weather and sunshine that comprise a Daytona Beach summer.

1. Main Street Pier

At 750 feet long, the Main Street Pier and boardwalk offers spectacular views of the beach and is a popular spot for fishing. Don’t forget your bait and pole – fishing from the pier is free. This is a favorite Daytona Beach summer activity for locals and tourists alike. And if you’re hungry, check out Joe’s Crab Shack located right on the pier. The top deck of the restaurant is a great spot, with seating overlooking the ocean. 

2. Joyland Amusement Center

Just steps from the beach, you can hop on a go-kart, test your nerves on the giant slingshot ride and aboard the Sandblaster roller coaster at the Joyland Amusement Center. Afterward, try your luck at skee-ball and the old-school arcade area. Be sure to collect your game tickets to cash in for a prize.

3. Bandshell Summer Concert Series

Bring your beach chair or rent one here and enjoy free, live music each Saturday night from May 23 through Sept. 17. This summer’s lineup features a series of bands paying tribute to the likes of U2, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, and the Rolling Stones. Come early and grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants at the Ocean Walk Shoppes. Immediately following each concert is a fireworks show from the pier that lights up the night.

4. Coke Zero 400

Start your engines at Daytona International Speedway on July 2 as NASCAR’s brightest stars race for 400 miles. With close to 50,000 new seats across the front stretch, the new DAYTONA Rising area of the speedway lets fans enjoy new racetrack amenities without missing any of the racing action.

5. Lighthouse Point Park

Get outside and explore with your family in Ponce Inlet. Traverse scenic hiking trails and winding boardwalks and be on the lookout for wildlife, including tortoises and Florida shore birds. Pets on a leash are welcome at this oceanfront park. Then, make your way over to climb the 203 steps of nearby Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, the tallest working lighthouse in Florida, and take in magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

PLACES TO REMEMBER

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