Even beyond our famous beaches, there’s an abundance of entertainment in the Daytona Beach area that won't bust your budget. Whether it's simply a day at the park or involves a high-action attraction, this destination offers unbeatable value.

As you plan your next beach break, be sure to check out this handy list of FREE things to do during your stay in Daytona Beach! 

1) Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory

154 South Beach Street, Daytona Beach, 1-800-969-2634
Located in the historic Riverfront Shops in downtown Daytona Beach, Angell & Phelps Chocolates has been a Daytona Beach tradition since 1925. Visit this unique store and view how they make the chocolates and enjoy a free sample! You'll be amazed at the selection of unique chocolates and other confectionary treats.

2) The Casements

25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach, 386-676-3216
Formerly the winter home of multi-millionaire John D. Rockefeller, The Casements now serves as the City of Ormond Beach's cultural center and museum containing art and historical exhibits. Free tours of the Rockefeller-period rooms and other exhibits are offered Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

3) Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation Home & Gravesite

640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach, 386-481-2121
Bethune-Cookman University is one of the richest resources of African-American historical and cultural exhibits in Florida. Bethune's home, located on the university's campus, serves as the headquarters of the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation. Free, guided tours are available by appointment.

Watch video: Influential African-American leaders Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and many others have left their legacies for you to discover in Daytona Beach. 

4) North Peninsula State Recreation Area

5 miles north of Granada Blvd. on Hwy. A1A, Ormond Beach
This 900-acre park offers over two miles of sandy beaches for recreational use. The area, which is open daily with free admission, features palmetto dunes and sea turtles, as well as some of the best surf fishing in the area.

5) Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park

1800 North Ocean Shore Boulevard, Ormond Beach, 386-257-6000 Ext. 5953
This park stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Halifax River and covers five ecological systems. It features tennis and racquetball courts, a softball field, a fishing pier, an exercise trail and picnicking facilities. Admission is free, and the park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

6) Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens

78 East Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach, 386-676-3347
This museum showcases paintings, drawings, video, mixed media, photography and three-dimensional works of art. Adjacent to the museum are lush tropical gardens that offer a beautiful setting complete with gazebo and winding paths, fish ponds and fountains. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Admission is free, but a $2 donation is requested for each visitor, with the exception of seniors (60 and older) and children.

7) Southeast Museum of Photography

Daytona State College, 1200 West International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach, 386-506-4475
The Southeast Museum of Photography is one of only 12 specialized museums of its kind in the United States, and one of fewer than 30 throughout the world. The museum is Florida's official museum of photography. Admission is free. Check the website for hours.

Watch video: The Southeast Museum of Photography offers intriguing changing exhibits as well as a permanent display. 

8) Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens

950 Old Sugar Mill Road (U.S. 1 to Herbert St.), Port Orange 
Set amid 12 acres of lush botanical gardens stand the remains of an English sugar mill. The gardens were once home to the 1940s theme park Bongoland. Life-size dinosaur statues remain in the tropical setting and are still a favorite with children. The gardens also house a human sundial. The facility is open daily from dawn to dusk, and admission is free.

9) Sun Splash Park

611 South Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, 386-257-6000 Ext. 5953
This oceanfront park features a state-of-the-art 3,500-square-foot splash pad that features 42 water jets shooting water four- to six-feet in the air from a decorative play surface overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, decorative walkways, a shaded playground, picnic areas, restrooms, outdoor showers and two beach-access ramps. The four-acre facility also provides free, off-beach parking. Open sunrise to sunset. 

10) Bulow Creek State Park

3351 Old Dixie Highway, Ormond Beach, 386-676-4050
If you’re wanting to reconnect with nature, this state park is your answer! Bulow Creek State Park is home to one of the largest remaining live-oak forests along the East Coast. Head down the Bulow Woods Trail — a hiking path nearly seven miles long that leads to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park. Be sure to pack a snack and a cold water bottle, then kick back in the shady pavilion or at a table on the lawn overlooking the magnificent Fairchild Oak. No entrance fee is required to enter this park. 

11) Daytona Beach Boardwalk

This iconic Daytona Beach landmark offers free fun for all ages. Racing enthusiasts enjoy strolling along the boardwalk for a self-guided tour of automobile- and motorcycle-racing commemorative plaques. Although you would have to pay to play arcade games and go on carnival rides, the street performers will keep you entertained at no cost! If you work up an appetite, there are a handful of snack shops and restaurants right on sight. And, the Boardwalk is the place to be for Daytona Beach’s free fireworks shows every Saturday night at 9:45 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day!

12) Ormond Indian Burial Mound

Visit Ormond Indian Burial Mound, located at the corner of South Beach Street and Mound Avenue in Ormond Beach. This burial ground is still intact after an estimated 1,200 years, and it’s thought to contain over 100 individual gravesites. At one point, the Timucua Indians were nearly 200,000 people strong in this area, and this burial mound pays homage to their lives. You’ll want to park your car across the street at Ames Park before stopping at this intriguing attraction, and then enjoy a walk along the Halifax River afterward.

13) Riverfront Esplanade

Magnolia Avenue & Beach Street, Daytona Beach
Spanning a mile of Intracoastal waterway, the Riverfront Esplanade is a premier gathering space and botanical garden in the heart of Daytona Beach. Composed of more than a mile of waterfront running trail with comfortable benches and swings overlooking the Halifax River. The Riverfront Esplanade also features a dog park with an agility course and a start-of-the art splash pad.

14) Birthplace of Speed Park

This oceanfront park located at 12 Ocean Shore Blvd in Ormond Beach commemorates the first automobile race held on the adjacent beach in 1903. Amenities include a picnic area with outdoor grill, restrooms, dune walkover available and is a provides great photography opportunities.

There’s no end to the free fun waiting to be had in Daytona Beach! Start planning your beach getaway today. Enjoy a look at everything Daytona Beach has to offer! Download our free official destination guide or sign up for our e-newsletter.