The oldest city in the U.S., an easy drive north.
Race-week road trip guide
Daytona 500
The Great American Race opens the NASCAR season — and the coast around Daytona hides the oldest city in America, a famous lighthouse, and Florida’s quiet horse country.
Part of the Daytona 500 series — see every year →When to book
247 days out- Plan6–12 mo out
- Book3–6 mo out
- Lock infinal 6–10 wk
- On the groundevent week
You’ve got time. Start with the scenic route in and vote the FL gems worth a slack day — the lodging pressure comes later.
Straight talk: “book now or it’s gone” gets overstated. We flag both surge risk and the cooldown deals when a market runs soft.
Host-state Gem Hunt
Help decide the detours fans should not miss.
Why this trip works
Built around real travel intent.
Race fans driving in to Daytona who want St. Augustine, the Space Coast, or Ocala on a day off the track.
Beaches and rocket views south toward Canaveral.
Springs and farm roads inland for a slower day.
Worth the slack day
Daytona 500 side quests.
Vote the Florida gems near Daytona and build a coast-and-springs day around race week.
St. Augustine
the oldest city in America, 50 minutes north
Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
Florida’s tallest lighthouse, right down the coast
Ocala & the springs
crystal springs and horse farms inland
Plan the logistics
Where to stay, and what to know.
Where to stay
Daytona 500 week spikes lodging around Daytona Beach, Florida. When rooms by the venue are gone or overpriced, the smarter play is to base an hour out and drive in along a scenic route — Roamward matches the stay to the drive. Booking hand-offs arrive with the iOS beta.
Know before you go
Event week brings road closures, shuttle-only zones, and timed entry. We surface the passes, reservations, and closures that matter — and point you to the official source for tickets and schedules.
Daytona International Speedway →Event-trip guides
Roamward turns the trip around the event into the trip you remember.
Vote the host-state gems now, then join early access for scenic routes, verified stops, collaborative planning, and poster-style trip cards when the iOS beta opens.