A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Daytona Beach vs. Santa Barbara for Nightlife, Beaches, Couples, and Food

Should you visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

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

Should I visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara? 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. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include beaches, nightlife, and live music.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a pristine, affluent, and scenic coastal town. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. You'll find world class beauty here as well. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. Other popular activities here include beaches, hiking, and shopping.

Daytona Beach and Santa Barbara: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santa Barbara than Daytona Beach. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Santa Barbara is very popular for its museums, food, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, historical sights, hiking, shopping, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Daytona Beach attracts visitors for its nightlife and music. Daytona Beach is more touristy than Santa Barbara and is known for its spring break culture, wild parties, and the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. Santa Barbara is famous for its historic missions, pristine beaches, world-class surfing, and scenic hikes that are full of coastal views. It is also well known for The Old Mission Santa Barbara.

How is Daytona Beach different from Santa Barbara?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Santa Barbara and Daytona Beach. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is a well-known place for its sights and museums. However, Daytona Beach does not have museums and landmarks.

Santa Barbara offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city is famous for its missions, with Mission Santa Barbara being the most iconic. Also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center.

Daytona Beach does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Barbara is a well-known place for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its restaurants.

Dining out in Santa Barbara is an experience not to be missed. The city is best known for its fine dining, particularly if you enjoy seafood. The scallops, oysters, clam chowder, and sea urchin (when available) are all world class. Head for a waterfront setting for the best views and some of the freshest seafood.

Daytona Beach offers some easy restaurants to choose from. This beach is more about the parties and drinks than it is about the food.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Nightlife?

Daytona Beach is renowned for its evening party scene. Also, Santa Barbara is not as famous, but is still a good coastal town to visit for nightlife.

Daytona Beach is a destination that you simply have to visit at least once for nightlife. 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.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Santa Barbara. For the best nightlife in the city, head downtown to State Street. This is where you'll find the most active bars and biggest crowds. There's a large student population in town, so you'll find much of the nightlife scene is focused on the younger population.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Music?

Daytona Beach is a popular place for its music scene. However, Santa Barbara is not a live music destination.

The music scene in Daytona Beach is active and vibrant. You can see live music at the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Bandshell and The Roof.

Santa Barbara is not a live music destination.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Resorts?

Santa Barbara is a well-known place for its resorts. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its luxury resorts.

Santa Barbara is known as a popular and fun resort destination. Many people enjoy the luxurious vacation rentals around Santa Barbara, but there are also a number of high end resorts including the Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, and Hotel Californian.

Daytona Beach has a few resort options worth checking out. Many resorts in the area focus more on affordability than luxury. The oceanfront hotels usually have nice beachfront pools and rooms with balconies and oceanfront views. You'll pay a bit more for the waterfront rooms.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santa Barbara is a moderate coastal town for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Daytona Beach is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Snorkeling is an option in Santa Barbara. Snorkeling areas not far from town include Refugio State Beach and Tajiguas. You'll see a few fish, beautiful rocks, and anemones that are unique and impressive.

Daytona Beach is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Beaches?

Santa Barbara is a must-visit destination for the beach. Also, Daytona Beach is not as famous, but is still a good beach city to visit for its beaches.

Travelers come from around the world to visit the beaches in Santa Barbara. The city is famous for its pristine, sandy beaches. Whether you want to enjoy world class surfing or enjoy a gentle ocean setting, Santa Barbara has many options.

Many people head to Daytona Beach to enjoy the beach. 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. It's also best to avoid the Spring Break crowds if you're hoping for a quieter and more family-friendly vacation.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for its Old Town?

Santa Barbara is a popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Daytona Beach does not have a historic old town.

Santa Barbara offers a nice historic old town area. The city's downtown "Old Town" is a high end, pedestrian-friendly area with plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

Daytona Beach does not have a historic old town.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Hiking?

Santa Barbara is a must-visit destination for the nearby hiking options. However, Daytona Beach is not a hiking destination.

People visit Santa Barbara specifically for its hiking, as the natural beauty is well-known. Just outside of town are countless hiking opportunities that offer spectacular ocean views. Popular hikes include Inspiration Point, San Ysidro Trail, and Cold Spring East Fork.

Daytona Beach is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is a must-visit destination for its shopping areas. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for shopping.

Santa Barbara is a world class destination for shoppers. The city is famous as a high end shopping destination. Head to State Street for a palm tree lined street with local boutiques.

Daytona Beach is a good destination for shopping. Souvenir shops and t-shirt shops are the main shopping you'll find in this area. The boardwalk is lined with gimmicky shops where you can pick up magnets or beach paraphernalia.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Families?

Santa Barbara is a well-known place for its family-friendly activities. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its kid-friendly activities.

Santa Barbara is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. The city has some nice family-friendly activities including a zoo, some cool museums, and even whale watching. There are also many beautiful beaches where everyone can run around and play, as well as parks and other outdoor settings. For animal-lovers, there are wildlife centers and sea life opportunities.

Daytona Beach is not always a place people visit with their families. Although it's 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. The restaurants are usually family-friendly as well with many offering kid's menus and early opening hours.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Couples?

Santa Barbara is a must-visit destination for couples. Also, Daytona Beach is not as famous, but is still a good beach city to visit for romance.

Santa Barbara makes for a terrific place to visit as a couple. The town is a stunningly beautiful destination with beautiful beaches, excellent shopping, and nice resorts that make for a great honeymoon or romantic trip.

Daytona Beach is a nice destination for couples. While romance isn't exactly what comes to mind when you first think of Daytona, couples who like to party and be out and about will enjoy a visit to Daytona Beach. There's plenty to do and some very great seafood restaurants in the area, so it's not hard to turn it into a couple's destination.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Students?

Daytona Beach is renowned for students. Also, Santa Barbara is not as famous, but is still a good coastal town to visit for its student-friendly activities.

Many students frequent Daytona Beach. It's one of the original Spring Break destinations, and the trend continues. If you're a student looking to cut loose, you'll find plenty of likeminded vacationers in the area, with many bars and hotels catering specifically to the younger crowd.

Santa Barbara is very popular with students. With a major university right in town, there's plenty of student life that international students or locals can enjoy.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Barbara is a popular place for its public transit. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for times when you don't have a car.

Santa Barbara has a few public transit options. Transit options include buses, trolleys and water taxis.

Public transit is quite limited in Daytona Beach. There's limited transportation options around town so you really must have a private vehicle. If you've been out drinking, you can call a taxi or an Uber.

Is Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara a more walkable city?

Santa Barbara is a well-known place for its ease of walking around. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its walkability.

Santa Barbara is a very walkable destination. The downtown area is very pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot.

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

For even more information, also check out Is Daytona Beach Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Barbara Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Barbara or Daytona Beach?

How long in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Daytona Beach and Santa Barbara. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Santa Barbara than in Daytona Beach. Usually, 7 days is a good amount of time for Daytona Beach, and 2-3 days is enough time in Santa Barbara.

Families should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Daytona Beach. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Santa Barbara, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Daytona Beach. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Santa Barbara that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Daytona Beach if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santa Barbara.

One day in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Many travelers enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the energetic destination of Daytona Beach. Don't miss the nightlife, as that's what most people do. 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.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the opulent destination of Santa Barbara. 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 Santa Barbara?

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. 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santa Barbara. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. A weekend is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Five days in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

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. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the stunning destination of Santa Barbara. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This coastal town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

A week in Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

You'll find live music and nightlife around the beach city of Daytona Beach. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

You'll find food and shopping around the beautiful coastal town of Santa Barbara. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in United States of America, The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Daytona Beach and Santa Barbara, we can see that Daytona Beach is more expensive. And not only is Santa Barbara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Barbara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Barbara and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Daytona Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Daytona Beach than you might in Santa Barbara.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Daytona Beach Expensive? and Is Santa Barbara Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara has a larger population, and is about 34% larger than the population of Daytona Beach. When comparing the sizes of Daytona Beach and Santa Barbara, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara in the Summer?

Both Santa Barbara and Daytona Beach are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Daytona Beach because of the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Also, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Santa Barbara this time of year.

Daytona Beach is a little warmer than Santa Barbara in the summer. The daily temperature in Daytona Beach averages around 81°F (27°C) in July, and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 65°F (19°C).

It's quite rainy in Daytona Beach. In July, Daytona Beach usually receives more rain than Santa Barbara. Daytona Beach gets 5.4 inches (137 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 0 inches (1 mm) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara in the Autumn?

Both Santa Barbara and Daytona Beach during the autumn are popular places to visit. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene are the main draw to Daytona Beach this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Santa Barbara for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Daytona Beach is a little warmer than Santa Barbara. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Daytona Beach in October average around 74°F (23°C), and Santa Barbara averages at about 62°F (17°C).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach usually gets more rain in October than Santa Barbara. Daytona Beach gets 4.1 inches (105 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 0.5 inches (13 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Daytona Beach and Santa Barbara. Many travelers come to Daytona Beach for the shopping scene and the cuisine. Also, many visitors come to Santa Barbara in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

In January, Daytona Beach is generally a little warmer than Santa Barbara. Daily temperatures in Daytona Beach average around 58°F (14°C), and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 52°F (11°C).

In January, Daytona Beach usually receives less rain than Santa Barbara. Daytona Beach gets 2.8 inches (70 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Daytona Beach or Santa Barbara in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Daytona Beach as well as Santa Barbara. Many visitors come to Daytona Beach in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city. Also, most visitors come to Santa Barbara for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty during these months.

Daytona Beach is a little warmer than Santa Barbara in the spring. The daily temperature in Daytona Beach averages around 69°F (21°C) in April, and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 57°F (14°C).

Daytona Beach usually gets more rain in April than Santa Barbara. Daytona Beach gets 2.2 inches (57 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 1.1 inches (27 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Santa Barbara and Daytona Beach