Daytona Beach, Florida City Guide
For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Daytona Beach, Florida Travel Guide has been your connection to Daytona Beach's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Daytona Beach History
Late in the 1800’s the Daytona Beach area caught the attention of wealthy investors from up north who felt the location was a promising investment opportunity. In 1874 the Palmetto House was the first hotel built by Matthias Day, the founding father of what is now known as Daytona Beach. A community center was built in the early 1900’s, drawing the attention of travelers with its riverfront concerts. Daytona Beach played a significant role in the Civil Rights movement when on March 17, 1946 Jackie Robinson played in the first integrated spring training baseball game with the Montreal Royals, a farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers in Daytona Beach. The stadium is now named for Robinson with a life-size statue greeting baseball fans at the stadium entrance. Bethune-Cookman University, named for Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, a civil rights leader in Daytona, was established in 1904 to educate the daughters of African-American railroad workers. At the turn of the 20th century, automobile racing became a popular pastime along the area’s hard-packed beaches. The National Association of Stock Car Racing was founded in Daytona Beach in 1947, and the Daytona International Speedway today draws millions of fans to the area each year. Visit Daytona Beach and discover why bed and breakfast travelers return time and again to this historic and relaxing beach getaway.
