[THX 1138]

Well when you allow cars on the beach, what do you expect?

[FSUMike]

Originally Posted by DodgeGirl78

Because it has a beach it can't have a hood? LOL I am not denying there are bad areas and it isn't the most glamorous city, but I would drive through the heart of it before I would parts of Orlando, Tampa, Miami etc.

Yeah. I've been through the bad parts of Daytona many times (the block between Nova and Ridgewood, and between ISB and Mason), and I've never had any trouble. In fact, I lived about the first 25 years of my life in the DB area, and my family was never victims of crime, although I did have a portable CD player stolen out of my car once when I left it parked on the street with the windows down all afternoon. Also, when I lived in Holly Hill for a short time, there was a domestic incident next door where the guy cut his wife with a knife. But that kind of stuff can happen anywhere.

I was amazed though when I moved to Tallahassee, which is a significantly bigger city. I happened to check the murder statistics one year and Daytona had a lot more murders than Tallahassee that particular year. I think the crime rate is higher than average, but it's not a war zone by any means.

[New Horizons]

Originally Posted by THX 1138

Well when you allow cars on the beach, what do you expect?

That's awesome the way you can drive your car right on the beach. I used to love to take my van to the causeways around here, blast my stereo and down a few beers. It's so convenient, not all that walking across the sand. Just put your car in park, set up your towel/cooler and chill. One of these days I'll have to make to Daytona, I bet I'd like it.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Now that's a bit of a stretch

No its not.

[JohnVosilla]

Ironic that even though too much of Daytona is trashy neighboring Ormond Beach and Port Orange are two of the nicer towns in the entire state to live in. Also main drag SR-92 from the race track to I-95 has really gone upscale in recent years..

[william29]

Idk, but someone told me that the non rich section of Ormond is a crack town. Is that true? I know there's blacks in one area of it and she has a couple friends(not black) that live here. But I've been told by everyone else Ormond is nice. According to her its nice where its $1400 a month to rent.

[william29]

And no I am not trying to be racist by saying that, but usually where its AA-populated there seems to be crime and all.

[mikepipe]

how come no one mentioned the check cashing stores along with payday loan outlets at every single corner!!??

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by mikepipe

how come no one mentioned the check cashing stores along with payday loan outlets at every single corner!!??

Um, because you can find those in spots everywhere, not just Daytona

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Compared to most other beach areas in the state, it does have a trashier feel and demographic. I've grown up in central FL and just call it like i see it. Seriously, have you been to melbourne? They are very similar-sized cities and the feel is night and day

I so completely agree. Even New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach and Flagler Beach have a bit of an overflow in my opinion of the same element (bikers, rednecks) that finds Daytona Beach such a draw. I see little evidence of that in Melbourne or north of Flagler Beach (St Augustine for instance) which is why I'll drive an extra 30 minutes if need be to get to a nice beach and surroundings. That whole coastal area in Volusia and south Flagler will continue to be trashy no doubt as long as it's the Biker Capital of Florida.