Wyndham Ocean Walk Daytona Florida and City Information

Daytona Beach
Spend a day relaxing on Daytona Beach, "The World's Most Famous Beach." Daytona Beach's 23 miles of sandy, white beaches are open to pedestrians 24/7 with free access. Cars are permitted in designated areas of the beach from sunrise to sunset, tidal conditions permitting.

From one-of-a-kind clothing boutiques and eclectic shopping centers, to elegant gourmet dining and family-friendly eateries, you'll find plenty of must-do’s in Daytona Beach. And when the sun goes down, take to the dance floor at one of Daytona Beach's high-energy nightclubs.

With plenty of race parks and speedways -- including the world-famous Daytona Beach International Speedway -- the Daytona Beach area is a must-see destination for race fans everywhere.

Daytona Beach and the surrounding area offer its visitors a wide variety of sightseeing activities and tours. Spend a relaxing day parasailing over the Atlantic Ocean or cruising the inland waterways.

New Smyrna Beach
Explore New Smyrna Beach, dubbed the "World's Safest Bathing Beach," where the air and water temperature average a comfortable 70 degrees. Known also as the "temperate zone," New Smyrna lays claim to the best Florida offers -- featuring lush greenery and beauty without the intense year-round humidity so common to a tropical climate.

It's a little known fact that the strip of ocean off the coast of New Smyrna is one of the best surfing spots in Florida. Rock ledges 4-5 miles off-shore create excellent wave breaks and protect swimmers from dangerous undertows. Not only can accomplished surfers enjoy New Smyrna's waves, but beginners can learn the sport in safe waters. Every summer, the American Professional Surfing Association holds one of its major competitions in New Smyrna. Rookies and veterans from all over the country compete for titles in several categories. Several local surfers have gone on to make names for themselves in the surfing world.

Going sailing for a day on the ocean in a catamaran is sure to challenge the most avid thrill seeker. There is almost always a brisk wind off the water to get you cruising along the waves at a fair speed. Be prepared for salt water spray, windblown hair, bands of porpoises and other sea life.

Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science
Step into a world of yesterday and catch a glimpse of life in the past with exhibits native to Central Florida and beyond. The "Windover Story" exhibit is an exciting mock up of the archaeological site at Windover Pond found near Titusville, where archaeologists found the 7,000 year old bones and brains of more then 200 Native Americans perfectly preserved. "Ancient Creatures of the Deep" showcases authentic fossils like the Tylosaur Proriger measuring an amazing 19'8" in length, casts of many extinct species, and more.
Cocoa, Florida

Turkey Creek Nature Sanctuary
Offers 113 acres of true habitat sanctuary for many threatened species of flora and protection for the manatee. Canoe trails, high cliffs, an historic Indian site, 4000 feet of boardwalk and jogging trail are the attractions here.
Palm Bay, Florida

Brevard Zoo
The only zoo in the U.S.A. to offer on-site and off-site guided kayaking tours, Brevard Zoo features over 480 animals from around the world. Behind the scenes "Wildside Tours" are offered daily at 1 PM, and a train ride, a free flight aviary, a petting zoo and a playground area are also featured.
Melbourne, FL

King Center for Performing Arts
The coast that reaches for the stars succeeds with great evening entertainment. Stomp, Ray Charles, Chicago, John Tesh, Leslie Nielson, Tony Orlando, and Alabama are just some of the nationally-known artists that have performed at the King Center.
Melbourne, Florida

Mel Fishers Treasure Museum
Millions of dollars worth of jewelry and other artifacts recovered from sunken 18th-century Spanish ships are displayed in Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum. Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum is an undersea archaeology museum founded by Mel Fisher, the man who searched for treasure along the Florida coast for 16 years before striking it rich. The museum displays some of the many valuable gold, silver and jeweled pieces from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha and others discovered by Fisher and his family. Some genuine and some replica pieces are for sale in the gift shop along with videos and books on the salvage efforts.
Sebastian, Florida

Canaveral National Seashore
Located midway down the Florida east coast, in between New Smyrna Beach and Titusville, FL, the 24 miles of park is home to over 1000 species of plants and 300 species of birds including 14 threatened or endangered species.

A scenic drive south on A1A leads to Canaveral National Seashore Park, a 57,000-acre reserve that's home to a variety of indigenous birds. Discovering and identifying wading birds is just one of the activities. At the park, bird watchers can enjoy some of the most unusual, well-plumed birds in North America, including the blue heron, pelican, water turkey, ibis, snowy egret, great egret and countless other varieties of waterfowl and shore birds.

This undeveloped, protected barrier beach also serves as a refuge for several endangered and protected species of Florida wildlife. On rare occasions, even a Florida panther can be spotted in its natural habitat.

Canaveral Seashore, a 24-mile stretch of unspoiled coastline and one of the longest in the United States, also serves as a home to the nesting loggerhead turtle. Florida's loggerhead population is the largest in the nation, second only to that on Masirah Island, Oman, in the Middle East.

Shelling is a another form of natural entertainment at the water's edge on Canaveral Seashore, where nature provides an unlimited supply of shells year 'round, in all shapes and sizes.
Titusville, FL

Mosquito Lagoon
Mosquito Lagoon, sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and Oak Hill (just south of New Smyrna) is part of the Canaveral Seashore system belonging to NASA. This sprawling body of water, made up of four bays, is one of the Southeast's most abundant fishing areas for redfish and flounder. In addition, the brackish waters create an ideal environment for clams, shrimp and oysters. Deep-sea sportsmen can expect to land snapper, amberjack, wahoo, black bass and tarpon. Also found here are speckled trout, tarpon, mango, snook, triple tail, bluefish, sailor's choice and Spanish mackerel.
Canaveral National Seashore, Titusville, Florida

Turtle Mound
A short drive along A1A leads to Turtle Mound, one of the most significant geographical sites on the east coast of the U.S.A. Historians estimate that it consists of 33,000 cubic yards of oyster shells, extends 600 feet along the Indian River and is 50 feet high. Dating back to prehistoric times, the mound was built by the Timucuan Indians, and served as a lookout point for enemies and approaching storms. A stroll over an elevated wooden walkway at Turtle Mound commands a spectacular view of both Mosquito Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, including familiar examples of Florida wildlife such as racoons and the armor-shelled armadillo.
Canaveral National Seashore, Titusville, Florida

Ace of Hearts Ranch and Equestrian Center
Take time out for a horseback ride on one of the space coast's beautiful beaches. Or, enjoy a great eco-tour trail ride, exploring the wildlife, wildflowers and spectacular scenery.

Liberty Bell Memorial Museum
Ring a full-sized replica of the Liberty Bell at this museum dedicated to the national heritage of America or catch a glimpse of over two dozen reproductions of important documents such as the Mayflower Compact and the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence. Many historical periods in American history are brought to life through original exhibits.
Melbourne, FL

Port Canaveral
Located off A1A in Cape Canaveral, Port Canaveral serves as an industrial, commercial, and luxury transportation hub by connecting land, sea, air and space travel. In addition to its daily import/export schedule, seven of the finest cruise terminals in the world are located here. Seven cruise ships call the port home.
Cape Canaveral, Florida

Kennedy Space Center

The definitive place to visit for an exciting education in America's legendary space program, the Kennedy Space Center, off the east coast of Central Florida, offers a glimpse into the working environment of a real space exploration facility. The center draws over two million people a year to its Gallery of Spaceflight, packed with real spacecraft and scale models.

Kennedy Space Center was established in 1958, when the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) started Project Mercury to compete with the Soviets' successful launch of Sputnik. The USA started launching its spaceships from Cape Canaveral, a stone's throw from the Kennedy Space Center, because of its weather, its proximity to the ocean (for splash landings) and the huge, unpopulated tracts of land available to the government for testing.

The Space Coast still maintains facilities for unmanned and space shuttle launches. The Kennedy Space Center is on Merritt Island, on the eastern side of the Intracoastal Waterway (better known as Indian River in Orlando). The NASA Causeway is the main east-west thoroughfare and begins at the junction of Highway 405 and Highway One. The Banana River separates the main Kennedy Space Center complex from Cape Canaveral, the site of the first launches of the U.S. space program.

The Visitor's Center, Apollo/Saturn V moon mission items, Launch Complex 39, the International Space Station Center, and great views of launch areas combine to make Kennedy Space Center worth the visit.

Gallery of space Flight : Part of the Kennedy Space Center, this gallery exhibits a collection of the space equipment used in the 60's and 70's. Includes Apollo spacecraft, a Gemini capsule, moon rock, spacesuits, life size recreations of a Lunar Rover and a Soviet spacecraft.

Tours and exhibits of historical space events and state of the art 3D IMAX theaters bring you face to face with missions of the past, present and future.

Merritt Island, Florida
US Astronaut Hall of Fame : The world's largest collection of astronaut artifacts, this museum offers a tribute to America's first astronauts. View historical mission items from every flight and personal astronaut memorabilia.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge is 140,000 acres or 22 square miles of wetlands inhabited by over 300 species of birds and other wildlife including ghost crabs, loggerhead and green sea turtles, reptiles, raccoons and bobcats. NASA owns and maintains this treasure and offers the public many ways of experiencing it.

NASA only uses five percent of its land area. It turned over its unused land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1963, who established the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where migrating birds stop on their way to and from South America. Manatees, alligators and turtles also inhabit the refuge. The best time to visit is from October to May. Black Point Wildlife Drive, a six-mile, self-guided scenic loop, leads into habitats for unusual species of wildlife such as the anhinga, a bird that swims the canals with only its snake-like head piercing the surface of the water. A bird watcher's paradise, the drive also affords glimpses of short-billed and long-billed dowitcher, greater and gesser yellowlegs, willet, black-bellied plover, western sandpiper and red knot.

Blue Spring State Park
For hundreds of years, the Blue Spring area was home to the Timucuan Indians. Today, Blue Spring State Park is the best place in the state to see manatees in their natural habitat, especially between November and March, when the St. John's River to the north gets cold enough to drive the manatees to Blue Spring's warmer waters. There are campsites and cabins within the park, but book ahead as things get crowded. Blue Spring State Park is about 40 miles north of Orlando off of I-4, near a town called Cassadaga.

Ocala National Forest
The Ocala National Forest is a gigantic, old, established Florida park with several natural springs and lakes, and fantastic hiking, canoeing, fishing and swimming. You can camp anywhere in the park. Three major spring areas make up the park: Juniper Springs, Salt Springs and Alexander Springs. The Juniper Springs are incredibly clear and beautiful and offer great canoeing. Salt Springs and Alexander Springs have trails through cypress forests. The Lake Eaton Sinkhole is 80 feet deep and 450 feet in diameter, and a staircase leads down into the hole. Nearby Lake Eaton is a good spot for swimming and sunning.

The Ocala National Forest is 10 miles east of Ocala, which is about 60 miles northwest of Orlando and is the best base for exploring the forest. Highway 19 runs north and south through the park and Highway 40 runs east and west.

St. Augustine
St. Augustine was founded forty-two years before the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts - making it the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American continent.

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
The Castillo and its town serve as reminders of the might of the early Spanish empire in the New World. The Castillo de San Marcos actually took 23 years to build (construction began in 1672 and was completed in 1695). Fabricated of coquina, a virtually indestructible limestone comprised of broken sea shells and corals, the walls of the fortress remained impenetrable through 300 years of enemy shelling and pounding by violent storms. Castillo de San Marcos is constructed alongside picturesque Mantazas Bay.

Castillo de San Marcos Fort Matanzas
Built 1740-1742, the Castillo de San Marcos Fort Matanzas is a well-preserved masonry watchtower fort constructed by the Spanish. By providing a perch to observe enemy vessels approaching from the south, the fort played a strategic role in warning St. Augustine of potential enemy advancements from the south via the Matanzas River.

Lightner Museum
When it opened its doors in 1889, Henry Flagler's Alcazar Hotel, with its distinctive Spanish Renaissance styling, wowed guests with its style and opulence. The building now houses the Lightner Museum, featuring an amazing array of items, from Native American artifacts, to stuffed birds, steam-engine models and more.

Shopping in St. Augustine
St. Augustine and the surrounding are provide plenty of shopping possibilities. St. Augustine boasts more than 50 antique shops, many on San Marco Avenue. The Lightner Museum Antique Mall is located at the Lightner Museum (in what was the world's largest indoor swimming pool in 1888). Whether you are searching for a one-of-a-kind treasure, or just something unique and quaint, these shops provide objects for all tastes. Along St. George Street, you can stroll along eleven pedestrian-only blocks of shops, restaurants and historic landmarks. St. Augustine's Original Street of Merchants is also a great place for shoppers. During the 1700s, Charlotte Street became the main street, because it was the most direct route between the Fort and the Francis Mission barracks.

The Players Association (PGA) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)
If you love to golf or play tennis, then this is the place for you! There are many golf course and tennis resorts located in the area. Ponte Vedra, home of The Players Association (PGA) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), is a short 20-minute drive from the St. Augustine historic district.
Ponte Vedra, FL

Discount Hotel Links
CRS Hotels (Central Reservation Service)

More Boston-specific links
ATM Locator
Mastercard's search page provides addresses and maps for 780,000 ATMs worldwide. If your card has the Cirrus, Maestro or Mastercard logos, it should work at any of the machines listed here.

Embassies of the World
Need to know if there's an Embassy, Mission or Consulate at your destination? This web site has an impressive listing, and it's easy to use.