With speed, sea, science and a rich history, students and educators will find endless student educational opportunities in the Daytona Beach area.
From historical attractions such as Daytona International Speedway, Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Jackie Robinson Ballpark to adventurous group activities at Daytona Lagoon Water Park and Family Fun Entertainment Center and K1 Speed Daytona, the destination offers a wide range of activities through a specially designed student education tour itinerary to both have a fun-filled experience and learn at the same time.
Any visit to Daytona Beach should include a visit to the world-famous Daytona International Speedway. With the daily track tours, students will go behind the scenes and discover how the 31-degree high banks were created, visit Victory Lane and view the winning DAYTONA 500 car. Also included is a ticket to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, which honors all forms of racing.
At the Marine Science Center in nearby Ponce Inlet, students can learn about the area’s rich marine life – the inhabitants and ecosystems. Through innovative learning experiences, visitors can view seabirds and sea turtles in rehabilitation, get hands-on in a teaching lab, and explore exhibit galleries and a nature trail.
And any visit to Ponce Inlet must include a stop at the historic 175-foot Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in the state of Florida and third tallest in the United States. Visitors can climb the 203 steps to the top of this National Historic Landmark and enjoy the spectacular, 360-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway.
Steeped in history, the pristine lighthouse museum grounds also offers a rare glimpse into the lives of former lighthouse keepers with artifacts on lighthouse life, a rare Fresnel Lens exhibit, as well as Cuban rafts found washed ashore.
Back in Daytona Beach, the 55,000-square foot Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure provides an interactive educational experience featuring animals from both land and sea with close to 60 separate exhibits including a 110,000-gallon shark exhibit and two touch pools including a 10,000-gallon stingray touch pool. There are also habitats for alligators, frogs, and lizards. In the Rainforest, visitors can explore multiple species of mammals and exotic birds including Toucans, Sloths, Otters, Tamarins, and many more.
The Smithsonian-affiliated Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) is home to over 30,000 objects including one of the finest collections of American art in the Southeast, Sub-Saharan African artifacts, Chinese art, and the largest and most comprehensive collection of decorative arts in the South. MOAS is also visited for its popular Prehistory of Florida gallery featuring Florida’s Giant Ground Sloth skeleton and Root Family Museum displaying restored railroad cars, antique automobiles and the largest collection of Coca-Cola® memorabilia in Florida.
Explore the African American history of Daytona Beach at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark where ground-breaking African-American baseball player Jackie Robinson played in the first integrated Major League Baseball spring training game in 1946. The ballpark, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, features a statue of Robinson and historical markers.
And visitors can even experience a baseball game as the Daytona Tortugas, a Class Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds plays games throughout the summer in the oldest operating Minor League ballpark within Minor League Baseball.
Check out the educational field trip options provided in Daytona Beach area and make your plans for a rewarding and educational experience.
Photo courtesy of Daytona Beach CVB.
