A Travel Price Comparison for Florida Daytona Beach vs. Destin for Resorts, Beaches, Families, and Food

Should you visit Daytona Beach or Destin?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Daytona Beach or Destin? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is a fun, party-hard, and energetic beach city. It's also known for nightlife, live music, and beaches.

Destin

Destin is a peaceful, family-friendly, and beautiful beach town. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Other popular activities here include shopping, food, and beaches.

How is Daytona Beach different from Destin?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Food?

Both Daytona Beach and Destin offer a number of unique restaurants to choose from.

Daytona Beach may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. This beach is more about the parties and drinks than it is about the food.

Destin offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The area has great seafood including crab chowder, seafood gumbo, and fried fish.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Nightlife?

Daytona Beach has the better options when it comes to nightlife.

Daytona Beach is a world class party destination. Spring break is when the parties are at their peak. For the most active nightlife head to A1A from Ormond-by-the-Sea to Ponce Inlet, Main and Beach Streets, and Seabreeze Boulevard, ONE DAYTONA and International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach, and Granada Boulevard in Ormond Beach.

People don't go to Destin for the nightlife. The region is more popular as a family-friendly beach destination than it is for it's nightlife. Head to the Harbor area for the most lively nightlife.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Resorts?

Destin tends to offer a wider variety of resorts than Daytona Beach.

Destin is known as a popular and fun resort destination. Popular options include the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, as well as Hilton Sandestin Beach, Golf Resort & Spa.

Daytona Beach has a few resort options worth checking out. Many resorts in the area focus more on affordability than luxury.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Beaches?

For a relaxing beach holiday, both Daytona Beach and Destin are good choices.

Daytona Beach is a good option for a beach vacation. The city's beaches are lively and festive, so if you're looking for a beach with music, drinking, and partying, then this is your place. In the surrounding areas you'll find some quieter, more family-friendly beaches.

Destin is a very popular place to visit for its beaches. This area is famous for its powdery white sand, beautiful blue waters, and calm waves.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Shopping?

Both Daytona Beach and Destin are good shopping destinations.

Daytona Beach has some good spots for those that want to go shopping. Souvenir shops and t-shirt shops are the main shopping you'll find in this area.

Destin is a great destination for shopping. In the shopping centers around town you'll find a number of unique boutique shops that are fun to explore.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Families?

There's generally more to do with your family in Destin than Daytona Beach.

Destin is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. The area has beautiful sandy beaches, calm waters, and plenty of activities like Big Kahuna's Water Park.

Daytona Beach is not the most family-friendly destination. Best avoided during spring break, Daytona with kids can be fun when the crowds aren't too bad. There are water parks, surfing lessons, and of course the beach.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Daytona Beach and Destin make for a good place to visit.

Daytona Beach is a good beach city for couples to visit. Couples who like to party and be out and about will enjoy a visit to Daytona Beach.

Destin is a nice destination for couples. For a relaxing beach vacation, this is a nice option for couples. A lot of the accommodation is in the form of condos, so it may not have the romantic resort vibe you're going for though.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin better for Public Transit?

Both Daytona Beach and Destin offer public transit options.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Daytona Beach.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Destin.

Is Daytona Beach or Destin a more walkable city?

Daytona Beach and Destin both are comparable when exploring on foot.

Daytona Beach is not a walkable beach city. This area requires a car if you want to access restaurants, nightlife, or anything away from your hotel.

Destin is not a walkable beach city. The area is very spread out so you'll need a car to access restaurants and most forms of entertainment.

Daytona Beach and Destin: Pros and Cons

Should I spend more time in Destin or Daytona Beach?

How long in Daytona Beach or Destin?

Both Daytona Beach and Destin have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Destin than Daytona Beach.

The ideal length of time for a trip to Daytona Beach is 7 days, and the ideal length of time for a trip to Destin is 5-7 days.

One day in Daytona Beach or Destin?

Many travelers enjoy the live music and nightlife when visiting the destination of Daytona Beach. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the peaceful destination of Destin. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Your budget might influence how long you stay. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Daytona Beach or Destin?

Daytona Beach is a great place to explore. Don't miss the nightlife, as that's what most people do. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Destin. Most people come for the beaches. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Five days in Daytona Beach or Destin?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Daytona Beach. Don't miss the nightlife, as that's what most people do. With so much to do, five days is probably not enough time to see everything. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Many travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the beautiful destination of Destin. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This beach town offers a variety of activities to choose from. If you have five days, this is a great place to go. Five days is usually enough time for a trip here.

A week in Daytona Beach or Destin?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the party-hard destination of Daytona Beach. This beach city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and food when visiting the beach town of Destin. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Plenty of people spend one week here when traveling.So, one week is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.