15 Things to Do in Daytona Beach with Families

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This past weekend, I spent a few days with my family in Daytona Beach. We loved it and came up with 15 things to do in Daytona Beach with your family.

15 Things to Do in Daytona Beach

Museum of Arts & Sciences

The Daytona Beach Museum of Arts & Sciences is an amazing choice for families. It is an accredited, Smithsonian-affiliated art, science and history museum

The Museum also has an interactive Children’s Discovery Museum with interactive exhibits like Pizza Restaurant, auto-racing, and interesting demonstrations of science. My daughter and I had a blast playing in the museum for hours.

This is a great choice when visiting sunny Daytona Beach. We spent a lot of time in the sun and this was a great way to get inside for some shade and undercover learning. 🙂

The Daytona Beach Museum of Arts & Sciences also has a new state-of-the-art Planetarium that is included with admission.

My daughter and I also walked around the museum to look at the art. She suddenly has an interest in real art and it made me so happy to appreciate it with her. We talked for over an hour about various pieces that she liked in the museum.

We spent time in the Gary R. Libby Entry Court looking at modern art from the current exhibit: Synchronicity: Selections from Beaux Arts of Central Florida.

The group is comprised of 50 professional artists, working in all mediums, who place a strong emphasis on the experimental creative approach with a strong emphasis on quality work. The artists are encouraged to expand their horizons and constantly stretch their abilities.

Then, we discovered the Decorative Fan Exhibit. It is a collection of over 50 fans from the 18^th to the early 20th centuries. We discussed endangered species and the use real feathers from birds and Tortoiseshell from of tortoises and turtles.

On the MOAS campus, there is another museum – the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art. This museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Florida paintings. This is an amazing opportunity for families to discuss Florida’s rich history and weather.

Crabby Joe’s on the Sunglow Pier

The Crabby Joe’s on the Sunglow Pier is very interesting because it is one of the first restaurants that I have been to that is entirely over the water. When you get to the pier, you walk a bit and then half way down the Sunglow Pier is the Crabby Joe’s. If you want to get to the end of the pier, you actually have to walk thru the restaurant. It is very cool!

While eating at Crabby Joe’s, you can actually see the water underneath you through the pier wood boards. The view is fantastic.

We had brunch at Crabby Joe’s as family. On the kids menu, they have M&Ms pancakes that my daughter loved. I had the Eggs Benedict special with Texas Toast instead of an English Muffin. It was really tasty!

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse & Museum

The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is amazing! I had no idea that the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse was the tallest in Florida and the second tallest in the United States. WOW! Now, I can say I walked to the top of the tallest lighthouse in Florida.

I am not going to lie, the walk to the top was not easy. In fact, I had to stop a few times to catch my breath. But, as you can see, I survived!

Also, funny enough, local firefighters were there using the steps as an exercise. They were taking the steps like it was nothing.

My tip would be to get their early before it gets hot and before the storm of the day happens. You cannot go up the lighthouse when it is storming outside. Also, there is no AC in the lighthouse and the red brick gets really hot midday. If you go in the morning, it will be much cooler.

Since the lighthouse still works, you cannot go to see the lens in the lighthouse, but you can get the view of the water, inlet and the surrounding city. You can look out for miles in every direction including down the Halifax River.

The museum around the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is pretty cool as well. You can see the lenses that used to be in the lighthouse as well as other lenses used for other lighthouse, ships and ports. It is so cool to see them up close.

As you can see, my daughter and I love matching mommy and me style. You can learn more about how we achieve these matching looks here. Also, here are some matching mommy and me swimsuits.

Marine Science Center

The Marine Science Center is a super fun place for families to interact with sea life. There is a tank of stingrays where you can pet them. My daughter absolutely loved it and we were there for over an hour petting them and watching them get fed.

During our time at the Marine Science Center we also watched a turtle get medical attention. The Marine Science Center is also an animal hospital that nurses turtles back to health.

We discovered the snake room and looked at all kinds of snakes and different things under the microscope. It was a blast to see my daughter so interested in science.

Get tickets for the Marine Center Here.

Ponce Inlet Watersports Eco-Boat Tour 

You can take Eco-Boat tour from Ponce Inlet Watersports. It is a 90 minute dolphin and manatee eco tour aboard the shaded 32-passenger flat bottom boat. The boat searches for dolphins, sting rays, shore birds, sea turtles, manatees, and other marine life. You can also get spectacular views of the water and of the Lighthouse.

Good Eats & Things to Do in Daytona Beach

Off the Hook at Inlet Harbor

We had lunch at Off the Hook restaurant at Inlet Harbor. It has a beautiful outdoor dock area with swings and live music. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was very tropical and lovely. I would definitely stop in Daytona just for this restaurant!

Sunday Brunch at The Shores Resort & Spa

We stayed at The Shores Resort & Spa while we were in Daytona Beach. It is amazing hotel right on Daytona Beach with a beautiful pool area that overlooks the ocean.

Even if you are not staying at the The Shores Resort & Spa, you should stop in to enjoy the Sunday Brunch at The Shores Resort & Spa. Sit outside so you can get the view of the ocean and Daytona Beach. It is so calming!

 Hiking and Biking Trails 

Eco-adventurers will find the Daytona Beach area rich in natural treasures! We invite you to enjoy over 33 miles – and growing! – of showcase trails. October through April is ideal for hiking and biking. However, early summer mornings can be a nice way to beat the heat. Learn more about Hiking in Daytona here.

Daytona Beach Boardwalk

The Daytona Beach Boardwalk is a fun place. We went to an arcade right on the boardwalk overlooking the beach. It is definitely a fun place to stop in for families.

There are so many Things to Do in Daytona Beach with Families. You can also do all kinds of activities that we did not get to while we were in Daytona Beach. You can play Miniature Golf, Drive on the Beach, visit the Daytona International Speedway, go the Water Park, Daytona Lagoon, and even watch the Daytona 500.