Surfers are drawn to the area of Ponce Inlet. Spring break brings hundreds of college students to the beaches. The first lighthouse was erected at Mosquito Inlet known as the most treacherous area in the Southeast. The forty-five foot brick lighthouse was built in 1835 at a cost of $7,494. William Williams became the keeper of the light and waited for the precious oil to arrive to light the lamps. The lamps remained unlit.

The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is the second tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. It stands 173 feet tall and separates New Smyra Beach from Daytona Beach. Built in 1887 it serves as a historic landmark. In 1982, the Coast Guard reactivated it as a working lighthouse. Hard work and determination have placed this piece of history on the National Register of Historic Places. Climb to the top of the lighthouse for a fantastic view of Daytona Beach. The structure is visible for 16 nautical miles and flashes every 10 seconds. The keeper's cottage has been converted into a museum and is open to the public.

The Atlantic Ocean borders Daytona Beach, and the Halifax River runs through the center of the city. A1A runs north and south along the beach providing terrific glimpses of the water. US 1 runs inland paralleling the western edge of the Halifax River. International Speedway Boulevard is the main east-west highway.