Main Street Pier

The Main Street Pier (1200 Main St.) is the centerpiece of Daytona Beach [1]’s tourist strip. A little worse for wear, the Pier still evokes the beachside boardwalks that blossomed along the Atlantic coast in the early 20th century. Carnival rides and overpriced food stands cater to free-spending tourists, but the real attraction is the beach itself.

It’s certainly not the most relaxing strip of sand in the area; in fact, it’s often ridiculously crowded, but there’s an energy to the area that’s part family vacation, part spring break bacchanalia, and part Coney Island.