Treasure hunter on Daytona Beach; image by Tom Adkinson. |
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Only a few hundred yards apart, two beach lovers seek different kinds of fun at Daytona Beach. The surfer, who said he might be late to work because the waves looked so promising, casts his eyes on the water, while the metal detector keeps his eyes on the sand and his hopes up for treasure of any kind.
Daytona Beach wave hunter; image by Tom Adkinson. |
The surfer was on a pier that marks one end of the Daytona Beach Boardwalk area. The pier and a collection of thrill rides and arcade games anchor the boardwalk on the south end, and a vintage bandshell is on the north end. The bandshell was a Depression-era Works Progress Administration project that opened July 4, 1937. A free series of tribute band concerts draws audiences on Friday and Saturday nights from late May through September to hear music made famous by acts such as the Grateful Dead, Prince, Jimmy Buffet, Garth Brooks and the stars of Motown. Fireworks cap off Saturday night concerts. The boardwalk area is filled with resort hotels, restaurants, shops and benches where you can watch joggers, surfers, treasure hunters and sunbathers enjoying Atlantic Ocean sand and waves.
Trip-planning resources: DaytonaBeach.com and VisitFlorida.com
(Travel writer Tom Adkinson’s new book, 100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die, is available at CornersOfTheCountry.com.)