Springs · 36 min southwest
Blue Spring State Park
The best place in Florida to see manatees in winter, hundreds at a time, from a boardwalk.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round, 8 am-sunset
- $6 per vehicle (checked Nov 2026)
Day Trippin' › Florida › From Daytona Beach
Day trips from Daytona Beach
From Daytona Beach, the beach and the Museum of Arts and Sciences are minutes away, Daytona International Speedway under 10, Tomoka State Park under 20, New Smyrna Beach and the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse about 20, De Leon Springs about half an hour, and Blue Spring State Park under 40. The best day trips from Daytona Beach, by drive time.
144 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Daytona Beach
- Flagler Beach 32 min north
- Blue Spring State Park 36 min southwest
- Castillo de San Marcos 1 hr north
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex 1 hr 4 min southeast
- Magic Kingdom 1 hr 22 min southwest
- Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail 1 hr 44 min west
- Rainbow Springs State Park 1 hr 58 min west
- Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 2 hr 32 min northwest
- Ichetucknee Springs State Park 2 hr 38 min northwest
- Jekyll Island 2 hr 38 min north
Within an hour from Daytona Beach 23 spots
Historic site · 1 hr north
Castillo de San Marcos
The oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S., guarding St. Augustine's bay since the 1600s.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Daily 9 am-5 pm last entry; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Adult $15 for 7 days, 15 and under free (check)
Small town · 32 min north
Flagler Beach
A laid-back beach town on A1A with a fishing pier, surf and small cafes.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk around
Zoo · 34 min southwest
Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
A shady, walkable zoo in Sanford with rhinos, tortoises and a lantern festival in winter.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- 9 am-4 pm (check)
- Admission (check)
Garden · 40 min north
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
Formal gardens on the river side and a rocky coquina beach on the ocean side, all in one stop.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round, 8 am-sunset
- $5 per vehicle, $4 single occupant, $2 walk-in or bike (checked Nov 2026)
Island · 38 min southwest
Hontoon Island State Park
A car-free island in the St. Johns River, reached by a free ferry, with trails and a shell mound.
- Half day · Easy
- 8 am-sunset; ferry until 2 hours before sundown
- Free
Historic site · 48 min north
Fort Matanzas
Take a short free ferry to a small Spanish fort on a marsh island. Nice nature trail at the visitor center too.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Park 9 am-5:30 pm daily; ferry Thu-Mon only (check)
- Free
Small town · 57 min southwest
Mount Dora
A hilly lakeside town with antique shops, festivals and lake views.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
1 to 2 hours from Daytona Beach 43 spots
Museum · 1 hr 4 min southeast
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
See the Space Shuttle Atlantis, a Saturn V rocket and launch pads. A must for space fans.
- Full day · Easy
- Open 9 am-5 pm (check)
- Tickets (check)
Theme park · 1 hr 22 min southwest
Magic Kingdom
Cinderella Castle, classic rides and parades. The heart of Walt Disney World.
- Full day · Easy
- Open daily; hours vary (check)
- Date-based tickets (check)
Springs · 1 hr 58 min west
Rainbow Springs State Park
A former roadside attraction with waterfalls, gardens and a buoyed swim area at the head of the Rainbow River.
- Half day · Easy
- Headsprings 8 am-sunset; tubing closed Oct-Mar
- $5 per vehicle, $4 single occupant, $2 walk-in or bike (checked Nov 2026)
Bike trail · 1 hr 44 min west
Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail
A 16-mile paved rail trail through forest and along Paynes Prairie.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- 8 am-sunset; Boulware Springs trailhead hours vary by season
- Free
Small town · 1 hr 48 min west
Micanopy
A tiny, very old town with antique shops and moss-draped oaks near Paynes Prairie.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; some shops closed early week (check)
- Free
Wildlife · 1 hr 3 min southeast
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Black Point Wildlife Drive is a 7-mile loop full of wading birds, gators and winter ducks.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Visitor center Tue-Sat 8:30 am-4 pm
- Refuge pass $10 per vehicle (check)
Garden · 1 hr 13 min northwest
Ravine Gardens State Park
Deep ravines with suspension bridges, azaleas and a loop drive in Palatka.
- 2 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Park 8 am-sundown; loop drive 9 am-4 pm
- $5 per vehicle (checked Nov 2026)
Family fun · 1 hr 20 min southeast
Cocoa Beach Pier
An 800-foot pier with food, bars, an arcade, live music and surf lessons.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (check hours)
- Free to walk (check parking)
2 to 3 hours from Daytona Beach 71 spots
Wildlife · 2 hr 32 min northwest
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Vast blackwater swamp with gators, cranes and boardwalks.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Entrance fee required (check)
Springs · 2 hr 38 min northwest
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
The classic Florida tubing river, crystal clear and cool, with swim spots at the head spring.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round, 8 am-sunset; tubing from south entrance
- $6 per vehicle, $4 single occupant, $2 walk-in or bike (checked Nov 2026)
Island · 2 hr 38 min north
Jekyll Island
A state-owned island with beaches, a historic club district, bike paths and a sea turtle hospital.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Daily parking fee per vehicle (check)
Beach · 2 hr 50 min southwest
Fort De Soto Park
Nearly three miles of beach, a historic fort, fishing piers, a dog beach and a big campground at the mouth of Tampa Bay.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- $6 parking per vehicle (checked Nov 2026); increase approved for Dec 2026 (check)
Museum · 2 hr 53 min southwest
The Ringling
Circus museum, a grand Venetian-style mansion, an art museum and bayfront gardens on one big campus.
- Full day · Easy
- Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's
- ? (check); Ca' d'Zan tour costs extra
Wildlife · 2 hr 18 min west
Three Sisters Springs
Boardwalks over clear springs where hundreds of manatees gather on cold winter days.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- 8:30 am-4:30 pm daily; last entry 3:30 pm
- Admission includes shuttle (check price)
National park · 2 hr 18 min north
Cumberland Island National Seashore
A wild barrier island with feral horses, mansion ruins and empty beaches, reached by ferry.
- Full day · Moderate
- Year-round
- Standard pass $15 plus ferry fare (checked Nov 2026)
Small town · 2 hr 4 min north
Fernandina Beach
A Victorian seaport on Amelia Island with a walkable downtown, shrimp boats and about 13 miles of beach.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk around
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 32114 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.