DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.  – The weather is mild and beaches are calling. While northern areas are digging out from early snowfall, the Daytona Beach area is busily preparing for a balmy, bustling winter/spring festival season – and plenty of golf.

Daytona Beach continues to be one of Florida's fastest growing golf destinations. The area is covered in famous fairways designed by the legends of the sport. Golf Digest recently ranked Daytona Beach in the top 15 places to play in the nation. Vacation planning is easier than ever for players of all skill levels who want to book a golf getaway in the Daytona Beach area. Visitors can choose their vacation package, view listings for participating accommodations and courses, receive quotes, plan their trip with the “MyTrip” tool, and even book a rental car. The new Discover Daytona Beach Golf Program (DiscoverDaytonaBeachGolf.com) allows visitors to choose from more than 20 participating courses and 15 accommodators. Winter is peak season for tee times, so planning ahead is the way to go.

Two Courses, Four Stars, One Memorable Experience
Boasting two four-star courses as rated by Golf Digest, LPGA International is a mecca for golf enthusiasts. Designed for strategic play, the links-style Jones course and challenging Hills course welcome golfers of all skill levels. Visitors may book a tee time to enjoy the facility's natural wetland and pine corridor landscape. For those seeking to improve their game, LPGA offers a practice facility featuring an 80,000-square-foot surface area of natural turf and 10 target greens. World-class instruction is also available from top-rated Golf Digest instructors through their Golf Academy, private lessons and weekly clinics in their Golf School.

Play the Bay
As they say, practice makes perfect. And you have every opportunity at Venetian Bay Golf Club with a generous putting green, a chipping green with a practice bunker and an expansive driving range with multiple target greens. A picturesque New Smyrna Beach setting, this turf farm turned golf course features a wooded front nine and links-style back nine offering challenging play at every turn. Whether you're a low handicapper or recreational golfer, club selection is critical. Reward yourself after a skillful round with a visit to the 19th hole where a cold beverage and tastes from Chef Ron await.

Public Play, Club Conditions
For more than 20 years, visitors return again and again to Cypress Head Golf Club in Port Orange for just over 6,800 yards of challenging play. A single course, its versatility with a variety of tee boxes offers endless risks and rewards on the undulating Bermuda greens. Players enjoy the interesting design – two back-to-back par 3's on the front nine and back-to-back par 5's on the back nine. Book a round on your next visit and enjoy affordable play on a well-conditioned course rivaling its private counterparts.

Spectacular Sports
Millions of visitors converge on the Daytona Beach area every year for a multitude of world-renowned sporting events including Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Daytona 500, and the Coke Zero 400. Daytona Beach also claims the U.S. headquarters of LPGA and NASCAR and is home to the Florida Tennis Center and the 'World Center of Racing'. Several unique area venues welcome events year-round in this warm weather destination including Daytona International Speedway, the Ocean Center, Jackie Robinson Ballpark, the Daytona Beach Oceanfront Bandshell, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium. Collegiate sporting events are popular as well with the destination hosting the following events annually: NAIA Men's and Women's National Golf Championships, NCA and NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships and NCAA Golf Championships.

Outdoor Fun
Visitors come year-round to swim in the Daytona Beach area's sparkling waters and scuba dive the offshore reefs -- but there's even more to do away from the beach. Boating, paddleboarding, fishing and other water-based activities are always popular, as well as the area's impressive array of historic sites, hiking and biking trails, and state and local parks.

The area is known as the Festival Capital of Florida for good reason: additional activities, including music festivals, art shows and food events of all sizes are added to the CVB's Calendar of Events throughout the year.

About the Daytona Beach Area
Discover the new Daytona Beach and its surrounding area, a resurging destination along Florida's East Coast comprising eight distinct communities. With more than 15,000 beds, the destination boasts accommodations for all lifestyles and budgets including resorts, B&Bs, hotels and everything in between. Visitors can enjoy the quintessential vacation experience beginning with the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier, or choose from a surprising list of attractions and cultural venues, and a colorful culinary scene. With 23 miles of world-famous beaches ideal for shelling, swimming and surfing, it is no surprise Daytona Beach was chosen as a Best Florida Attraction in the Top 10 Best Readers' Choice travel award contest sponsored by USA TODAY. To order a complimentary comprehensive Official Visitors Guide, visit DaytonaBeach.com. For real-time updates, visit Facebook.com/DaytonaBeach or Twitter.com/DaytonaBeachFun.

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