Myrtle Beach gets all the vacpack press because of its Grand Strand scale. But Daytona Beach is a better family option for three specific reasons, and vacpacks here are even cheaper. Daytona family vacpacks hit $89 regularly.
Reason 1 — Drivable Beach
Daytona's beach is 23 miles of hard-packed sand that's actually drivable. You can park directly on the sand for $20/day. Setup a canopy right next to your car. Kids run back to the van for snacks. It's the definitive beach convenience hack that Myrtle doesn't offer.
Reason 2 — Smaller Crowds
Daytona's main tourist engine is Daytona 500 (February) and Bike Week (March). Outside those two weeks, the beach is half as crowded as Myrtle. Summer family weeks are 60-70% as busy.
Reason 3 — Cheaper Vacpacks
Westgate Cocoa Beach (see our Cocoa Beach deals 3-Night) (browse Cocoa Beach vacation deals Summer) (compare Cocoa Beach vacpacks for Families) and Daytona-area properties regularly run 3-night packages at $89-$129. Myrtle equivalents are $99-$149. Not a big difference but it adds up over a family trip.
What to Do With Kids
- Main Beach — swimming and sandcastle building
- Boardwalk & Pier — arcade, rides, mini golf
- Kennedy Space Center (1.5 hr drive) — NASA tours and rocket launches
- Daytona International Speedway tours ($22 adult, $14 kids)
- Ponce Inlet Lighthouse (20 min south) — climb to the top
The Budget
| Line | Cost |
|---|---|
| Westgate Daytona vacpack (3 nights) | $99 |
| Groceries (3 days) | $65 |
| 1 nice dinner | $55 |
| Beach driving pass (3 days) | $60 |
| Gas from Atlanta | $95 |
| Total family of 4 | $374 |
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