Daytona Beach, Florida is a fantastic budget-friendly romantic getaway. From pristine white sand beaches to adrenaline-pumping adventure, there’s something for everyone – no matter what your definition of “romance” is (ours can be a little strange, admittedly). Here are 11 crazy romantic adventures to have in Daytona Beach with your partner!
First, of course, you’ll need to fuel up. Grab a coffee at Sweet Marlay’s and a hearty breakfast at the Cracked Egg Diner before your day of romance!
Where to Stay in Daytona Beach
When considering where to stay in Daytona Beach, there’s one obvious question that comes to mind: how close can you stay to the beach? Like can we just stay ON THE BEACH? Can we burrow into a cocoon of warm sand in the beach and order mai-tais and just stay THERE?
Here’s the good news: absolutely, yes. Here are a few suggestions for romantic places to stay in Daytona Beach on any budget.
Budget: Ballin’ ($200+)
- Hammock Beach Resort: With a name like ‘Hammock Beach Resort,” you can already tell how relaxed you’re going to feel staying at this gorgeous golf & spa resort. But just check out that pool!!! Seriously, look at it. It’s AMAZING. You may never actually leave the hotel to make it the 10 steps to the beach, and honestly? We won’t blame you. Compare prices
Budget: Mid-Range ($100-200)
- The Shores Resort & Spa: Located on the beach (of course), The Shores Resort & Spa is pure luxury at an incredible value. Enjoy private cabana service, fire pits, and a tiki bar. Spend a day getting pampered with a couple’s spa treatment. Wind down in the spa tub overlooking the ocean, and cozy up in the hotel bathrobe (I LOVE hotel bathrobes)! Compare prices
Budget: As Cheap As Possible (Under $100)
- Tropical Winds Oceanfront Hotel: Is it possible to stay on the beach in Daytona Beach and not shell out an arm and a leg? Get it – SHELL OUT?! Anyway, yes. As long as you’re willing to compromise slightly on the size of your beachfront pool. There are worse things. As a major budget traveler bonus, Tropical Winds Oceanfront Hotel rooms include kitchens or kitchenettes, so you can save some cash by eating in for some of your meals! Compare prices
Want to see some more options? Take a look at all of the most romantic hotels in Daytona Beach on Expedia.
Compare Deals on Daytona Beach Hotels
Obviously, you have to go to the beach. It’s Daytona Beach. As in the “land of the best beaches.” So don’t forget to bring a swimsuit and some SPF 50, because sunburns aren’t romantic.
What to Pack for Daytona Beach
There are a few absolutely crucial things you’ll want to bring for your romantic vacation in Daytona Beach! First of all, you’ll want makeup that won’t slide off when you hit the beach – check out our travel makeup guide. Here are our suggestions for what to wear to Daytona Beach.
- High SPF Sunscreen: I’m way to pale to not wear sunscreen. I really like this Neutrogena sunscreen because it soaks into your skin quickly and doesn’t leave that icky filmy feeling.
- Reef Safe Sunscreen: Help conserve ocean life and marine habitats by wearing biodegradable sunscreen when you go swimming! If you’ll be getting into the water in any natural habitats – especially near manatee or dolphin habitats – this is so important. You’ll be swimming right through their home, and wearing regular sunscreen harms the wildlife that you’re there to see. For more information on how your sunscreen can harm wildlife & the environment, this Vogue article is a fantastic source of information.
- Cute beach hat: Is a trip to the beach really complete without a picture of you in an adorable floppy hat like this one? Or this one? We have a Panama style hat like this one that my husband and I share – he can only pull off this style on the beach, but man, he looks SO cute in it. Oh, right – they protect you from the sun, too.
- Sunglasses: Sunglasses, like beach hats, serve multiple functions. 1, they protect your eyes from the sun and the glare of the sun on the white sand beaches. 2, they help you look glamorous AF. I’m obsessed with these wooden framed sunglasses, but I also like to carry around a back-up pair for when I inevitably lose pair #1 in the sand somewhere.
- Swimsuit: Make a splash in a super cute retro swimsuit like this one. I love this tropical one piece because it’s adorable and also because it doesn’t have any ties or metal pieces on the back, which can get uncomfortable. If you’re more of a bikini gal, try these super cute retro high-wasted styles, or this adorable flouncy number. Omg, I’m buying all of these.
- Beach cover up: My favorite kinds of cover-ups are the ones you can throw on at the beach and head straight to dinner without needing to change if you don’t want to! They double as a cute, lightweight dress and don’t take up much room in your bag. Try this cotton off-the-shoulder style, this laid back maxi dress (with pockets!!!), or this glam but super comfy maxi (also has pockets!!!).
Romantic Things to Do in Daytona Beach
OK, enough dilly-dallying. Let’s get to it. Here are all of the ridiculous romantic things to do in Daytona Beach, Florida!
1. Pretend you’re high school sweethearts and stroll the Daytona Beach Boardwalk & Pier hand-in-hand. In our opinion, there’s nothing more romantic than mercilessly competing against one another. Whether it’s racing go-karts, aggressively skee-balling, or beating each other’s high scores at Pac-Man in the arcade, competition is basically the cornerstone of all great romances. The more shit-talking, the more romantic it will feel (I speak from experience). For that extra sizzle, call each other only by your last names and toss around awkward 80’s ski-movie insults like, “eat my dust, McCormick!” or “Not if I win FIRST, Gibbons!” Top the day off by screaming your head off on the Sandblaster Roller Coaster.
2. Drive a freaking racecar on the Daytona International Speedway. There is nothing more romantic than living a real life version of “Fast & the Furious 11: Extremely Fast and Incredibly Furious” in the racing capital of the world! Don’t worry – if you don’t exactly trust your partner’s high-speed driving skills, you can always ride shotgun with a professional driver instead.
3. Spend a day on the beach, obviously. Daytona Beach has 23 miles of “the World’s Most Famous Beach.” Grab a picnic basket and build sand-castles together (we can’t be the only grown up married people who love making sand-castles together, right?!) or stroll along the beach with your toes in the water, looking for shells and sand dollars.
4. Take a FREE guided tour of the chocolate making facilities at Angell & Phelps before stocking up on fresh fudge and chocolate covered potato chips. What’s more romantic than chocolate? Nothing. There is nothing.
Kayak, paddle board, swim, make dolphin friends, admire majestic manatees, and bird watch in one of Daytona Beach’s many natural preserves and parks.
5. Make animal friends at one of the many wildlife preserves near Daytona Beach. Make manatee friends at Blue Spring State Park, kayak with dolphins on the Wilbur Rose Paddling Trail, or combine them both with a dolphin & manatee paddle boarding tour. Or if you’d rather not have to balance on a paddle-board while you’re making friends with manatees and dolphins, take a pedal boat instead! Look for bald eagles as you hike at Lake Woodruff Wildlife Refuge, or play with armadillos at Lighthouse Point Park.
6. Experience one of Daytona Beach’s many water sports. Trying adrenaline-pumping new adventures with your partner is a great way to get your romance on. Take a surfing lesson, rent a jet-ski, try paddleboarding or even parasailing! Jet-skiing and para-sailing are SUPER fun, even for the most un-athletic and accident prone people (*cough*me*cough*). If you’re less into adrenaline and more into relaxation, go tandem kayaking or take a guided kayaking tour, or rent a canoe and pack a picnic lunch.
Go for a romantic scenic drive on the Ormond Loop through canopies of Florida’s jungle-like natural flora and fauna. Bonus points if it’s actually on a motorcycle, you total badass, you.
7. Take a ride on the Ormond Scenic Loop, a 30-mile scenic road trip. During your scenic drive, there are multiple opportunities to hike, bike, stroll along a beach, or admire gorgeous natural scenery! Make yourself a romantic playlist to listen to as you cruise along through a forest canopy, past sunlit beaches and through natural marshes. It’s a fantastic way to while away the hottest hours of the day (assuming your car has air conditioning, that is).
8. Watch the sun set from the top of Ponce Inlet, the tallest lighthouse in Florida. The view is well worth the exhausting 203-stair climb (I speak from out-of-shape experience here).
Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida. It’s a romantic spot to watch the sun set near Daytona Beach!
9. Catch an indie flick or a $5 improv show at Cinematique, an indie art-house movie theatre where you can sit on a couch and have food delivered straight to you while you watch your movie. Which is as close to staying home and watching Netflix as we can possibly imagine (which we all know is everyone’s favorite date night, let’s be honest), except you’re out and about so it’s a LOT more romantic.
10. Jam to your favorite classic rock band and watch fireworks on the beach at the Daytona Bandshell every Saturday night all summer long! The best part? Summer concerts are totally FREE! Get ready to rock out like it’s still the summer of love (happy 50th anniversary to the Summer of Love, y’all)!
Take a romantic stroll along historic Beach Street all the way to Main Street at sunset in Daytona Beach, Florida.
11. Hop on the Daytona Beach Ale Trail and sample beer from 18 local craft breweries. After you two get sufficiently tipsy, sober up with a nighttime walk along the beach. Gaze up at the stars, stumble along holding onto each other for balance, and think about how lucky you two are to have found one another. Awww!
Still searching for a hotel? We like to use Hotels Combined to price compare hotel deals! Click the bright big blue button to compare price deals & check availability for your dates.
Compare Hotel Deals for Daytona Beach
Are you totally stoked to visit Daytona Beach?! Here’s an insider tip: if you can steal a day or two off during the week, you’ll save big with these Daytona Beach Weekday Getaway Deals! And check the Daytona Beach website for more incredible adventures, places to stay, and local tips.
Looking for more places to escape on a romantic weekend trip? Check out some of our other posts:
- Romantic Things to Do in Memphis, TN: Weekend Getaway Itinerary
- 8 Incredible Weekend Getaways in Indiana
- How to Do Disney: A Disney Parks Guide by a Former Cast Member
- 50+ Awesome Places to Visit in Louisville, Kentucky: A Local’s Guide
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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DaytonaBeach.com. All opinions are 100% mine. Feature photo credit: “Daytona Beach Pier Sign” (CC BY 2.0) by Erin Costa
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![[INSPIRATION AT HOME] #ad At the risk of sounding anti-climactic, traveling full time taught us how much we value having a home base. Yes, y'all, we missed our couch SO MUCH. We are the ultimate homebodies! But there's truly nothing like waking up in your own bed surrounded by things that bring you joy to make you feel grounded and happy. This is particularly important if your home also happens to be your office and you spend 99% of your time sitting around in your apartment in sweatpants writing about travel😂.
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I've learned this year that in order to cultivate an environment that fuels me with inspiration and creativity, I need to surround myself with things that invigorate me. So we've started picking up little travel souvenirs here and there: a singing bowl and a carved elephant from Nepal, a layered pyramid from Ecuador, postcards from everywhere. We place these around our apartment so that everywhere we look, we're reminded of all the incredible places we've visited in this great, big, wide world. Nothing inspires me to write about travel more than being surrounded by memories of all the places I've been!
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We also have a collection of our most valuable travel tools: books! There's nothing like a book to transport you to somewhere amazing. We're both avid readers, and we have a whole hallway lined with bookshelves; Jeremy's dream is to one day have of an office full of bookcases from floor to ceiling, Beauty and the Beast style.
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We read everything from novels to non-fiction, and of course, guidebooks. Travel guidebooks not only inspire us to visit new places, but help us feel like those dreams are achievable. The newest addition to our collection is the Moon Camino de Santiago guidebook. Hiking the Camino de Santiago has been a dream of mine for years, and between the colorful, informative pages of my @moonguides and the photos & blog posts from my friend Carol at @wayfaringviews (who's currently hiking her way down a 250-mile stretch of the trail on her 2nd pilgrimage), those dreams feel more and more achievable each day.
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What inspires & motivates you at home? Do you have a collection of travel books & souvenirs too? Drop us a comment!](http://scontent-sjc3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/4217ba11b992ecb8729767933483980a/5DAE506E/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.135.1080.1080a/s640x640/64931484_903850313283204_5962974716578393190_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.cdninstagram.com "[INSPIRATION AT HOME] #ad At the risk of sounding anti-climactic, traveling full time taught us how much we value having a home base. Yes, y'all, we missed our couch SO MUCH. We are the ultimate homebodies! But there's truly nothing like waking up in your own bed surrounded by things that bring you joy to make you feel grounded and happy. This is particularly important if your home also happens to be your office and you spend 99% of your time sitting around in your apartment in sweatpants writing about travel😂.
.
I've learned this year that in order to cultivate an environment that fuels me with inspiration and creativity, I need to surround myself with things that invigorate me. So we've started picking up little travel souvenirs here and there: a singing bowl and a carved elephant from Nepal, a layered pyramid from Ecuador, postcards from everywhere. We place these around our apartment so that everywhere we look, we're reminded of all the incredible places we've visited in this great, big, wide world. Nothing inspires me to write about travel more than being surrounded by memories of all the places I've been!
.
We also have a collection of our most valuable travel tools: books! There's nothing like a book to transport you to somewhere amazing. We're both avid readers, and we have a whole hallway lined with bookshelves; Jeremy's dream is to one day have of an office full of bookcases from floor to ceiling, Beauty and the Beast style.
.
We read everything from novels to non-fiction, and of course, guidebooks. Travel guidebooks not only inspire us to visit new places, but help us feel like those dreams are achievable. The newest addition to our collection is the Moon Camino de Santiago guidebook. Hiking the Camino de Santiago has been a dream of mine for years, and between the colorful, informative pages of my @moonguides and the photos & blog posts from my friend Carol at @wayfaringviews (who's currently hiking her way down a 250-mile stretch of the trail on her 2nd pilgrimage), those dreams feel more and more achievable each day.
.
What inspires & motivates you at home? Do you have a collection of travel books & souvenirs too? Drop us a comment!")
![[POKHARA, NEPAL] Snowy Himalayan peaks. Lush green hills. A peaceful, shimmering lake dotted with bright blue boats. Skydivers and paragliders soaring high above. Welcome to Pokhara, Nepal! Best known as the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit, Pokhara is also the soft adventure capital of Nepal.
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After the overwhelming, dusty chaos of Kathmandu, arriving in Pokhara felt like a breath of fresh air - literally and figuratively. Literally because I'd been wearing a mask to protect my lungs all week. And figuratively, because Pokhara is a peaceful, beautiful, quiet lake town. I'm more of a country girl than a city girl (I grew up on a farm in Kentucky, remember?) and Pokhara was absolutely perfect.
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We arrived in Pokhara at night, and it felt like we'd entered another world. Bright lights lined the streets, enticing us with food from every country, dance and karaoke clubs, shops full of cashmere blankets and singing bowls, and outdoor gear for the trekkers who flock to Pokhara.
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Although we weren't here for a trek, we did explore Pokhara's bright green hills on a hike to the Shanti Stupa, a Peace Pagoda perched at the top of steep stone stairs. Our group bounded up the stairs, eager to stretch their legs after several days of 12+ hour drives along dusty, unpaved roads. But I took about 10 sweaty steps in the 85-degree heat and opted to take the scenic route instead (I am VERY ill-equipped I am for hiking in hot places, y'all, Northern California spoils me).
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After our hike, our guide drove us to a handicraft market - Pokhara has some of the best in all of Nepal - but instead of shopping, we walked right through the market and emerged at the ornate entrance of a cave. Inside the cave we found a cow statue and a waterfall. Nepal is full of surprises..Early the next morning, we woke up at 4am and sat in mountain traffic for 2 hours so we could watch the sun rise over the Himalayas. We stood in the rain and watched fog rolling in over the hills, but the mountains were completely hidden from view. Somehow, I wasn't disappointed at all. I know I'll be back to catch that view.
.
Do you prefer big cities or quiet towns? Drop me a comment below!](http://scontent-sjc3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/607d63dbb14ad1b8319fefa1f7edf750/5DB33540/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.135.1080.1080a/s640x640/64268448_116509419379244_7039727908020891485_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.cdninstagram.com "[POKHARA, NEPAL] Snowy Himalayan peaks. Lush green hills. A peaceful, shimmering lake dotted with bright blue boats. Skydivers and paragliders soaring high above. Welcome to Pokhara, Nepal! Best known as the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit, Pokhara is also the soft adventure capital of Nepal.
.
After the overwhelming, dusty chaos of Kathmandu, arriving in Pokhara felt like a breath of fresh air - literally and figuratively. Literally because I'd been wearing a mask to protect my lungs all week. And figuratively, because Pokhara is a peaceful, beautiful, quiet lake town. I'm more of a country girl than a city girl (I grew up on a farm in Kentucky, remember?) and Pokhara was absolutely perfect.
.
We arrived in Pokhara at night, and it felt like we'd entered another world. Bright lights lined the streets, enticing us with food from every country, dance and karaoke clubs, shops full of cashmere blankets and singing bowls, and outdoor gear for the trekkers who flock to Pokhara.
.
Although we weren't here for a trek, we did explore Pokhara's bright green hills on a hike to the Shanti Stupa, a Peace Pagoda perched at the top of steep stone stairs. Our group bounded up the stairs, eager to stretch their legs after several days of 12+ hour drives along dusty, unpaved roads. But I took about 10 sweaty steps in the 85-degree heat and opted to take the scenic route instead (I am VERY ill-equipped I am for hiking in hot places, y'all, Northern California spoils me).
.
After our hike, our guide drove us to a handicraft market - Pokhara has some of the best in all of Nepal - but instead of shopping, we walked right through the market and emerged at the ornate entrance of a cave. Inside the cave we found a cow statue and a waterfall. Nepal is full of surprises..Early the next morning, we woke up at 4am and sat in mountain traffic for 2 hours so we could watch the sun rise over the Himalayas. We stood in the rain and watched fog rolling in over the hills, but the mountains were completely hidden from view. Somehow, I wasn't disappointed at all. I know I'll be back to catch that view.
.
Do you prefer big cities or quiet towns? Drop me a comment below!")
I’ve been to Daytona Beach once, but wow I definitely need to go back as I had no idea there was so much to do there. The kayaking sounds amazing!
Thanks Karen! I definitely had only a few hazy memories of one ill fated Spring Break way back in college, but it turns out that Daytona Beach is actually totally rad (and not just for college students)!
OMG!!! We’re going to Daytona Beach next week and now I can’t wait! We’ll be doing some kayaking, lighthouse and beach time for sure! So many reasons to use exclamation points!
Oh perfect!! So glad we could help, enjoy Daytona Beach!
I haven’t been to Daytona beach before. I love the beach in general, so I hope to make it a family trip one day. Didn’t think there were so many awesome things to do. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Jo! A lot of the stuff we listed in this post can be adapted for family fun, for sure.
This seems definitely THE place to be for a romantic time. Apart from the lovely beach there are so many activities that are sure to spark the embers or romance. I always find lighthouses to be romantic with an aura of mystery. The light house here looks really ethereral, a perfect foil to watch a romantic sunset, I am sure.
We think so too, Sandy!
Thanks for posting! I am heading to Orlando in February to visit some of my family. Never been to Florida! Thinking of taking a drive to Daytona while I’m there. I’m going solo, but I want to know where some of the best scenic views or places are in Daytona. Such as views of palm trees with the ocean in the background. Looking for some good photo ops. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Hi Chris,
What a great idea! Here’s a resource which should help you find those gorgeous shots. Half the fun of shooting a new place is walking around and scouting shots for us 😛 Hope you find some good ones!