So 2019 has come to an end, and 2020 is off to a running start — hopefully with your New Year’s resolutions still intact. And while you’re certainly allowed some indulgences when you take a well-deserved beach vacation, there’s no reason that your getaway has to throw off your plans for a healthy new you, especially when you travel to Daytona Beach.
Here, there are plenty of opportunities to be found up and down our 23 miles of uncrowded, white-sand beaches to keep your healthy resolutions going strong. During your next health-conscious getaway to the Daytona Beach area, consider these five ways to kick your healthy year into high gear — even while on vacation.
- Hike some local trails: The chances to get out and explore nature on two feet are plentiful in the Daytona Beach area, and the area’s top trails span an array of local settings and ecosystems. The 360-acre restored scrub ecosystem of Lyonia Preserve is renowned for its friendly scrub jay population. The Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve offers 1.6 miles of hiking-only trails that traverse bayside lands outside New Smyrna Beach. And the multi-use Spring-to-Spring Trail features five trailheads and covers large swaths of the 26 miles between Gemini Springs Park and DeLeon Springs State Park.
- Push some pedals on the beach and trail: With its 23 miles of wide, hard-packed beaches, Daytona Beach is known for the out-of-the-ordinary opportunity it gives drivers to take their cars right onto designated areas of the shoreline. But the beach-cruise offerings extend to bicycles, too — and there’s nothing quite like taking in the crashing waves and cool ocean breezes as you roll along the coastal sands on two wheels. Further, top local biking trails include the Spring-to-Spring Trail mentioned above, the River-to-Sea Loop and the famed 34-mile Ormond Beach Scenic Loop & Trail.
- Eat healthy: With amazing fresh-caught seafood available at restaurants throughout the Daytona Beach area, healthy menu options aren’t too hard to find — especially when you’re willing to opt for broiled or baked rather than fried when it’s time to place your order. But for those whose resolutions have them getting especially serious about how they nourish their bodies, a pair of local eateries really shine. At Kale Cafe, which now offers locations in Daytona Beach and Port Orange, the juice bar and vegan-friendly menu are sure to satisfy the most discriminating of healthy eaters. And at Daytona Beach’s Dancing Avocado Kitchen, the farm-fresh menu options available for breakfast and lunch are both tasty and nutrient-packed.
- Do some yoga in the sand: It’s hard to imagine many activities that are more zen than knocking out your yoga routine right on the World’s Most Famous Beach. And with an array of local yoga instructors offering regular classes in the coastal sands, the opportunities to chase nirvana with like-minded yoga enthusiasts can be found on most days of the week in Daytona Beach. (Of course, yoga pros can go through their self-led routines with their toes in the sands of the local shoreline anytime.)
- Exercise your mind: Lastly, don’t forget to nurture the mental part of the mind and body health equation. At the Daytona Beach area’s range of escape-rooms, customers can give their brain a challenge while simultaneously having some bond-building fun with friends and family. Some of the top options in the area include the Daytona Escape Room in South Daytona, Daytona Escape Games and Code to Escape Games in Daytona Beach, and Ormond Beach’s Cold War Escape Room and Escape Room Adventure.
Ready to get your year off to a healthy start with a feel-good getaway? Start planning your trip to Daytona Beach today! Download our free official destination guide or sign up for our e-newsletter.