20 August 2026
Day 11 Boca Raton Florida to Daytona Beach Florida
November 2017 - Daytona Beach FL
The plan was to only drive three hours today and enjoy some of the sunshine.
We were going to have a late lunch at Joe's Crab Shack before we checked into the hotel so we parked in the first lot we found, $15.
I stepped out of the car and saw a Hilton to our right and said "we could have saved $15 and parked at our hotel!"
Daytona Beach was founded in 1870 and officially became a city when it was incorporated in 1876. Most sources agree that it received its name from its founder Matthias D. Day, a business tycoon from Mansfield, Ohio. He purchased 3,200 acres in the fall of 1870 for the sum of $1,200.
Made famous for its wide beach and smooth, hard-packed sands, Daytona Beach became widely known in the early 1900s for high-speed automobile testing, and later, racing. This made the beach a mecca for racing enthusiasts.
By the 1920s, it was dubbed the “World’s Most Famous Beach.” As more and more racing took place, the sandy beaches gave way to the development of the famous racetrack known as the Daytona International Speedway, which was built by NASCAR founder William “Bill” France. The speedway has been hosting the Daytona 500 since 1959 and attracts thousands of tourists and race enthusiasts from all over the world in search of thrills.
The glass building on the right is our hotel.
I
The Clock Tower has stood as a symbolic landmark for the "World's Most Famous Beach" since its construction was completed in 1937. Its four, one-of-a-kind, 48 inch diameter clock dials [which were made from vitrolite6 glass with a milk white color] featured the twelve letters of the city (D-A-Y-T-O-N-A-B-E-A-C-H) instead of the traditional one through twelve Arabic or Roman numerals. The original hour and minute hands were made from wood. The structure itself is constructed of reinforced concrete faced with coquina rock and stands 55 feet tall. The base has circular steps and a low masonry railing with arched openings that surround the fountain pool. It is classified as being of a late 19th and 20th century Revival/late Gothic Revival architectural style.
In the 1920s, residents of Daytona Beach considered this area to be run-down and held discussions on ways to improve it.
In 1936, WPA workers began construction on this community-use project that was to cost Daytona Beach $84,000, the federal government $184,000, and be completed in 1938. Originally known as "Broadwalk", common usage gradually changed the name to the boardwalk.
The first facility constructed was the 48 foot by 114 foot natural coquina rock bandshell which seats 4,500. This was begun in September, 1936, and was completed in time for the first program to be presented on July 4, 1937. Open air concerts, as well as other programs, are still presented in the bandshell. The other structures in the boardwalk area are a clock tower, kiosk, concession facilities, restrooms, subway entrances (now closed), and an elevated walk from Earl to Ora Streets.
Daytona Beach is dubbed the “World’s Most Famous Beach” for a variety of reasons, but mainly for its 23 miles of wide, hard-packed sand that welcomed the first automobile and motorcycle races in 1902.
Beach driving is one of the most popular and iconic activities beach goers have come to enjoy as part of their Daytona Beach vacation tradition. Take a scenic ride or put your car in park to enjoy a beach day with everything you need just a stone’s throw from your beach towel.
Frank Stallworth Lockhart (born April 8, 1903 at Dayton, Ohio - April 25, 1928 at Daytona Beach, Florida) was an American automobile racing driver active in the 1920s, considered by many historians to be a legend in the sport on par with 1960s British World Driving Champion Jim Clark. During a "remarkable if all too short" career, Lockhart won numerous races on dirt, board tracks, the 1926 Indianapolis 500, and set a world land speed record for a distance average. In all, he had nine AAA wins and two vice-championships in two years of competition.
The Daytona Beach Boardwalk, also known as the Daytona Beach Broadwalk, was built in 1938. It is open seven days a week and consists of a concrete walkway with various stores and shops including the City Walk shopping and entertainment complex, hotels, gift shops, amusement centers, arcades, restaurants and bars. It also features outdoor and indoor rides like the Ferris wheel, Slingshot, Hurricane, Tilt-O-Whirl, go-carts and rollercoaster.
The Daytona Beach Pier is the most recognizable landmark on Daytona Beach and has been the center of beach life since the beginning of the community.
The original pier, constructed of palm logs, was built before the turn of the 20th century and extended 600 feet into the ocean. It was built by Thomas Keating and was known as the Keating Pier. It was located at the end of Main Street, where the present pier is located.
On January 20, 1920 a tremendous fire destroyed the pavilion and most of the pier. In 1924, Keating sold the remains of the pier to Jeter McMillan who tore it down and began construction of a new pier. The new Pier Casino opened on June 11, 1925. The pier was 1,000 feet in length and featured a Victorian style building. Its ornate ballroom could accommodate 2,000 dancers and hosted some of the top bands of the day. In addition to dances, the Pier Casino was the scene of charity balls, weddings, beauty contest, social events as well as civic meetings.
During the years of beach racing, some of the pilings were removed to allow race cars to pass under the pier. The Pier Casino was also a popular location for photos of the famous racers who came to Daytona Beach. Those photos were seen worldwide and helped Daytona Beach to become known as “The World’s Most Famous Beach.”
Birthplace of Speed Park, commemorating the world’s first time trials, is located where Granada Boulevard S.R. 40) meets the beach. The Motor Racing Heritage Association raised funds to build a small replica of the Ormond Garage in the park.
The park was dedicated March 28, 2013, exactly 110 years after the first race. The garage houses replicas of Bullet #1 and the Pirate automobiles.
The plan was to only drive three hours today and enjoy some of the sunshine.
We were going to have a late lunch at Joe's Crab Shack before we checked into the hotel so we parked in the first lot we found, $15.
I stepped out of the car and saw a Hilton to our right and said "we could have saved $15 and parked at our hotel!"
Daytona Beach was founded in 1870 and officially became a city when it was incorporated in 1876. Most sources agree that it received its name from its founder Matthias D. Day, a business tycoon from Mansfield, Ohio. He purchased 3,200 acres in the fall of 1870 for the sum of $1,200.
By the 1920s, it was dubbed the “World’s Most Famous Beach.” As more and more racing took place, the sandy beaches gave way to the development of the famous racetrack known as the Daytona International Speedway, which was built by NASCAR founder William “Bill” France. The speedway has been hosting the Daytona 500 since 1959 and attracts thousands of tourists and race enthusiasts from all over the world in search of thrills.
The glass building on the right is our hotel.
I
In the 1920s, residents of Daytona Beach considered this area to be run-down and held discussions on ways to improve it.
In 1936, WPA workers began construction on this community-use project that was to cost Daytona Beach $84,000, the federal government $184,000, and be completed in 1938. Originally known as "Broadwalk", common usage gradually changed the name to the boardwalk.
The first facility constructed was the 48 foot by 114 foot natural coquina rock bandshell which seats 4,500. This was begun in September, 1936, and was completed in time for the first program to be presented on July 4, 1937. Open air concerts, as well as other programs, are still presented in the bandshell. The other structures in the boardwalk area are a clock tower, kiosk, concession facilities, restrooms, subway entrances (now closed), and an elevated walk from Earl to Ora Streets.
The Daytona Beach Pier is the most recognizable landmark on Daytona Beach and has been the center of beach life since the beginning of the community.
The original pier, constructed of palm logs, was built before the turn of the 20th century and extended 600 feet into the ocean. It was built by Thomas Keating and was known as the Keating Pier. It was located at the end of Main Street, where the present pier is located.
On January 20, 1920 a tremendous fire destroyed the pavilion and most of the pier. In 1924, Keating sold the remains of the pier to Jeter McMillan who tore it down and began construction of a new pier. The new Pier Casino opened on June 11, 1925. The pier was 1,000 feet in length and featured a Victorian style building. Its ornate ballroom could accommodate 2,000 dancers and hosted some of the top bands of the day. In addition to dances, the Pier Casino was the scene of charity balls, weddings, beauty contest, social events as well as civic meetings.
In 2012 Joe's Crab Shack moved in.
The clock Tower from our hotel room.
The next morning as we are leaving town.
Beach racing in Ormond was an idea of J.F. Hathaway, a guest of the Hotel Ormond. Hathaway noted the heavily packed sand was perfect for driving his auto. In 1902, he observed a bicycle race on the beach and became eager to stage an automobile race there also. He shared his idea with Price, Anderson, and W.J. Morgan, a sponsor of bicycle races and a New York sports writer. The first race was held on Ormond’s beach in 1903. In 1904, Flagler built the Ormond Garage just east of the hotel to house the cars brought to participate in the annual races. Some of the early racers and enthusiasts were Ransom E. Olds, Alexander Winton, William K. Vanderbilt II, Barney Oldfield, Henry Ford, Louis Chevrolet, Glenn Curtiss, and Sir Malcolm Campbell. Unfortunately, the Ormond Garage burned down in 1976.
The clock Tower from our hotel room.
The next morning as we are leaving town.
Birthplace of Speed Park, commemorating the world’s first time trials, is located where Granada Boulevard S.R. 40) meets the beach. The Motor Racing Heritage Association raised funds to build a small replica of the Ormond Garage in the park.
The park was dedicated March 28, 2013, exactly 110 years after the first race. The garage houses replicas of Bullet #1 and the Pirate automobiles.
19 August 2026
2026 St. John's NL ITINERARY
St John’s, Newfoundland, is perched at the very edge of North America.
This is where the sun first rises at the start of each morning.
This is where Canada begins or ends, depending on your direction.
Aug 20 Thursday
Uber to airport
Uber to hotel
CHECK IN HOTEL
10 minute walk to both.
Cocktails - Slainte Whiskey Bar đžđž
Aug 21 Friday
Breakfast - closest cafes open 8AM. Pick something up night before or hotel might include breakfast.
We need to be in the lower exit at 8:30 for pick up. Lunch included. đ
18 minute walk from hotel to both
The Adelaide House - no reservations Adelaide and Water
Shamrock City Pub 340 Water St.
Aug 22 Saturday
Head down to Water Street afterwards, with a stop at Harbourside Park. As you may guess, the park offers some lovely views of the harbour as well as various interpretive displays about Newfoundland’s ‘founding’ and Newfoundland dogs.
From late June to early September, Water Street from Adelaide Street to Prescott Street is pedestrianised from noon to midnight (no vehicles). This makes for a wonderful walking experience.
Terry Fox Monument – Find the starting point of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope on the northern side of Water Street. It’s not particularly well signed but worth the effort to find.
Murals along Water St.18 minute walk from hotel to both
The Adelaide House - no reservations Adelaide and Water
Shamrock City Pub 340 Water St.
We cancelled the Hop On due to bad reviews and will Uber instead. This will give us greater flexibility. Our plan is to spend some time in Quidi Vidi as we missed it last time.
Quidi Vidi
Quidi Vidi Brewery đș
Aug 23 SundayTwacking in the Village
The large yellow building on the edge of the harbour is where you can take your turn at twacking, also known as window shopping, after you snap some classic shots of the sheds and twins lofts of course.
The large yellow building on the edge of the harbour is where you can take your turn at twacking, also known as window shopping, after you snap some classic shots of the sheds and twins lofts of course.
Lunch Mallard Cottage 12:15 reserved đ
Housed within a National Historic Site, this 18th-century Irish-Newfoundland vernacular style cottage focuses on presenting Newfoundland ingredients in an approachable and comfortable environment while providing a unique dining experience in one of the oldest wooden buildings in North America.
Quidi Vidi Brewery đș
The Rooms NOON Brunch? Uber.
The Rooms is a cultural facility that houses the Art Gallery, Provincial Museum and the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland. It was opened in 2005 and sits on a hill overlooking St. John’s on the same location that was occupied by Fort Townshend. Together with the Basilica of St. John the Baptist , the two buildings dominate the skyline.
The name The Rooms and the building’s architecture refer to the simple gable-roofed sheds (called “fishing rooms”) that were commonly found at the waterline in Newfoundland’s fishing villages.
The Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was built between 1839–1855 and sits on the highest ridge overlooking St. John’s city. St. John the Baptist is the mother church and symbol of Roman Catholicism in Newfoundland and the largest building project in Newfoundland history. It was also the largest church in North America, but today it’s the second-largest church in Canada after the Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. The Basilica Cathedral is one of the few buildings that survived the Great Fire of 1892.
Aug 24 Monday
10:30 - 2:30
Today begins with a drive along the Southern Shore to visit the historic Irish outport community of Bay Bulls. Here we take a ride with O'Brien's Boat Tours out to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve Bird Islands, home to millions of Atlantic Puffins, Murres and Kittiwakes in the spring and summer. Keep a sharp eye for whales that frequent this bay in great numbers. Multiple sightings are considerable and frequently enjoyed in this plankton rich marine environment.
Aug 25 Tuesday
Mile 0 of the Trans Canada Highway – Small roadside monument to the start (or end) of the Trans Canada. Worth a quick stop for photos and reflection. Kilometre Zero Marker: Located near St. John's City Hall at 35 New Gower Street, symbolizing the eastern origin of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Trans Canada Trail Zero KM marker – Located very close to the Railway Coastal Museum, this monument marks the start (or end) of the incredible Trans Canada Trail. The Railway Coastal Museum is a transport museum located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is located in the historic Newfoundland Railway terminal on Water Street and contains exhibits detailing the history of the Newfoundland Railway and the history of coastal water transportation in the province.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s only publicly accessible historic wine cellar, the Newman Wine Vaults tell the amazing story of a three hundred year connection between wine produced in sunny Portugal, aged in the cool climate of Newfoundland, and sipped by England's aristocracy for generations. From the late 1600s until 1996 Newman's celebrated "Ruby Port" was aged in St. John’s - much of it in the romantic stone vaults on 436 Water Street. 7 days a week, 9:30am to 5:00pm Seniors $4
Enjoy dinner and then catch some live music on George Street. Of course, there’s also the option to get screeched in as well!
Aug 26 Wednesday
Check out and leave bags
Rocket Bakery 294 Water next to Yellowbelly's
Gypsy Teas Room Water St.
O’Reilly’s Irish Newfoundland Pub – Live music is on offer at O’Reilly’s every night of the week with a $7 cover. While we didn’t eat there, I’ve heard that this is a good place to go for traditional dishes such as Jiggs Dinner (corned beef, potatoes, vegetables and dumplings).
LIV – This trendy bar is not only perfect for cocktail night but the Asian inspired menu is impressive too. I had the best non-fried cod of our entire trip here! The ambience is on the loud side so keep that in mind.
Ethiopian Cuisine Plus – For something a little different, try this popular restaurant and take out. We loved the generous combination platters with slightly sour, fluffy Injera flatbreads.
Words
Here's a great article that John found in The Guardian: Dickovers, baggravation and botiquette: 18 new words to describe our tech hellscape.
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