This post brought to you by Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Faithfully Free.
After our summer vacation in Orlando this year my husband and I drove through Daytona Beach to get home and decided to stop and eat at The Hog Heaven Bar B-Q. The food was fantastic, and we are pretty tough critics when it comes to BBQ. Although I do have to say, the brisket was the best part of the meal (and I’m not even a brisket fan). After we had left, I told John that our next trip was going to be a Dayton Beach family vacation!
Once we returned home, I started researching Daytona Beach to see if it was a place with kid friendly options or if we needed to plan a couples trip. Turns out, it would be great for couples and a family trip. Initially, I was thinking of planning a weekend trip for the two of us until I saw that Daytona Beach is the festival capital of Florida and hosts a Greek Festival. So why you may ask would that make me want to load all four kids up and head to Daytona Beach for a week? Well, let’s just say my sons know more about Greece than I ever will. They are obsessed. As a mom, I love encouraging them and helping them learn more about subjects they are passionate about. I also believe in immersion and since we won’t be heading to Greece anytime soon, this is the best I can do!
For nearly 40 years, the annual St. Demetrios Greek Festival has featured authentic and traditional Greek food, music, and dancing. They also offer the traditional libations, but clearly the kids won’t be enjoying this until they are much older! I for one cannot wait until November rolls around. The festival is both indoor and outdoor and it’s held at the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church on the Halifax River. It’s free to the public which is terrific, but I’m sure we’ll end up spending a small fortune on food and Greek memorabilia.
Of course the Greek Festival isn’t the only thing that has me excited the beach awaits. 23 miles of sparkling white sand and the Florida beaches I’ve grown to adore are on the top of my to-do list as well. My dream is to retire and spend my golden years on the Florida coast.
My other Daytona Beach bucket list attractions include visiting the Daytona International Speedway, the new Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, going on a dolphin tour and deep sea fishing! My first deep sea fishing experience was a nightmare so I would love to replace that with a pleasant memory that doesn’t involve wanting to jump off the boat and swim to shore!
As always I will be looking for free things to do in Daytona Beach and ways we can have some outdoor fun.
Have you vacationed in Daytona Beach? If so, please let me know what you think we should do and see as a family. Oh, and share your favorite restaurants because we are always looking to try the best “local eats.