Hotel at a Glance: El Caribe Resort & Conference Center

Just steps from this hotel's sun-soaked lawn, ocean waves wash over Daytona Beach's soft white sand. Go for a swim, or simply enjoy the view while you lounge by one of two year-round outdoor pools. Choose an oceanfront room and you can wake up to this beachy scenery.

• Direct beach access: From this hotel’s doors, it’s only a short stroll to the beach.
• Make a splash in the hotel’s outdoor pools, which are open year-round.
• Start the day right with complimentary continental breakfast that includes coffee, juice, yogurt, bagels, and pastries.
• In-room amenities vary; some have microwaves and mini-fridges, and some have full kitchens and private balconies.
• Get sporty: Play basketball or head to the shore for volleyball.
• Have a cookout by the beach using the hotel's grills.
• Room with a view: From your hotel’s window or balcony, you’ll be able to see the Atlantic.

Daytona Beach, Florida: Racing Legacy and a Famed Lighthouse

Hundreds of thousands of racing fans visit Daytona International Speedway each year to watch world-class champions such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon. Stock-car, sports-car, and motorcycle events round out the calendar all year, highlighted by the Daytona 500 in February—the first race of the Sprint Cup Series and typically regarded as the most prestigious. On various behind-the-scenes tours, you can explore the speedway's elevated press boxes, banked infield turns, and decadent hot tubs filled with motor oil.

At Daytona Beach itself, cars toting beach gear roll across the hard-packed sand through oceanfront driving zones; there are also traffic-free areas. South of town, you can see the Ponce de León Inlet Lighthouse. There, a spiral staircase winds up to the top of a 175-foot tower, where you can overlook a 52-acre park filled with armadillos, shore birds, and native wildflowers.