Located on the east side of Florida, Daytona Beach is often called "The World's Most Famous Beach." It is famous around the world for hosting some of the greatest motorsports events anywhere. The summers are hot and humid in Daytona Beach, but the winters are quite mild. Daytona Beach has a population of about 65,000 people. Many areas of the city have gorgeous ocean views and this city is considered a place with a great quality of life. Those moving to Daytona Beach will love everything the city has to offer.
Economy:
The area's major source of jobs is the racing industry and tourism. There are corporate headquarters there, as well, including the Ladies Professional Golf Association and NASCAR. It has a relatively low unemployment rate vs. the national average. The cost of living index is somewhat higher than the national average.
History:
Inhabited by Indian tribes in pre-European times, the area around Daytona Beach was transferred to Samuel Williams in 1804. He began a cotton plantation which was burned to the ground during the second Seminole War. In 1871 the area was purchased by Mathias Day, Jr. who built a hotel on the spot but he lost it due to financial problems in 1872. The inhabitants named the town Daytona in honor of Day. The town was incorporated in 1876.
Ponce De Leon discovered the De Leon springs just west of the city. Famous civil rights Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune founded the famous Bethune-Cookman University to educate the daughters of African-American workers on the railroad.
Tourism:
Boasting over 23 miles of beach, Daytona Beach is a Mecca for virtually all kinds of water sports. Surfing, swimming, boating, parasailing, it is all available there. As much as the beaches, Daytona Beach is known for its motorsports. The Daytona 500 attracts thousands of tourists each February. The city attracts over 8 million tourists a year. There are many racing activities each year, including the Daytona 500, the Coke Zero 400 in July, and Daytona Beach Bike Week in March. The Daytona Lagoon Water Park is open year around. Daytona Beach was considered for years ‘the' place for college students to spend spring break, but that is not as true today since the community has cracked down on such things as underage drinking and on drug use.