A guide to the Daytona Beach Boardwalk, Main Street Pier and Bandshell: history, the restored Main Street Arch, Ocean Walk, Breakers Park, events and parking.
Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Daytona Beach, including its pier history and Main Street Arch announcements and Breakers Oceanfront Park page, and from each business’s own site, linked.
The Boardwalk is the beachside heart of Daytona Beach: an oceanfront promenade that runs from the Daytona Beach Pier at the east end of Main Street north past the Coquina Clock Tower to the Bandshell and Ocean Walk Shoppes. It is where the city holds its Fourth of July veterans ceremony, the Easter Beach Run and, this year, its first Halloween trick-or-treat on the beachside.
Good to know
- City Hall: 386-671-8400
- Beach conditions and rules: Volusia County Beach Safety, 386-239-7873
- Breakers Oceanfront Park: 13 S. Atlantic Ave., open dawn to dusk
- Ocean Walk Shoppes: 250 N. Atlantic Ave., open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
The pier
A pier has stood at the end of Main Street since the late 1800s, when the Keating Pier was built of palm logs and reached about 600 feet into the Atlantic. Fire destroyed it in 1920. Businessman Jeter McMillan bought the remains in 1924 and built a new pier and casino; the Pier Casino opened in June 1925 with a 1,000-foot pier and a ballroom for dances and weddings, according to the city’s history of the pier.
The pier is city-owned. It has outlasted hurricanes and changes of ownership, and the city has spent more than $3.1 million in recent years on repairs, rehabilitation and storm recovery. Further work is planned between the restaurant and the former Space Needle ride: a deteriorated concrete vault under the pier is to be replaced, solid siding swapped for open wooden railings that catch less wind, and turtle-friendly lighting added (city).
Joe’s Crab Shack has leased the 26,000-square-foot restaurant on the pier since 2012 (city).
The Main Street Arch
The arch has connected the Boardwalk and the pier since the 1930s. After engineers found cracking and deteriorated steel and concrete inside it, the city carried out a restoration of more than $800,000: stonework on the north fountain and stairway, a repaired walkway joint on top, new stucco and paint and a new front sign. It reopened with a ribbon cutting on Oct. 3, 2025 (city).
The Bandshell and Oceanfront Park
The Daytona Beach Bandshell and Oceanfront Park, at 70 Boardwalk, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1999 (see our history and landmarks page). The city’s Arts & Entertainment division runs summer concerts there; in 2025 the free Sounds of Summer series brought a tribute band every Friday night from June 6 to Aug. 29, with general admission free and paid VIP seats (city). Current shows are on the Bandshell’s site.
Ocean Walk Shoppes
Ocean Walk Shoppes, 250 N. Atlantic Ave., is the shopping, dining and entertainment complex beside the Bandshell, open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (Ocean Walk). A walkway over Atlantic Avenue links it to a parking garage on the other side of the street.
Breakers Oceanfront Park
Breakers Oceanfront Park, 13 S. Atlantic Ave., opened in 2008 next to the pier. The 2.5-acre park is one of only three city parks with its own beach access, and it has handicapped beach and pier access, off-beach parking, a splash fountain, a sand volleyball court, restrooms and the free Breakers Environmental Learning Center (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays). The park is open dawn to dusk (city).
Main Street
Main Street runs west from the pier toward the Halifax River and is home to the city’s free New Year’s Eve street party, when the blocks from A1A to Peninsula Drive close to traffic and a ball drops at Main Street and Wild Olive Avenue at midnight. Its bars include the Boot Hill Saloon, 310 Main St., open since 1973 (Boot Hill). See our New Year’s Eve page and live music and nightlife page.
On the calendar
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026 | Halloween Beachside Boo Bash: trick-or-treat from Ocean Walk down the Boardwalk, costume contest at the Bandshell |
| 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 2 a.m. Jan. 1 | New Year’s Eve on Main Street |
| Saturday, March 27, 2027 | Easter Beach Run, from the Bandshell |
| Saturday, July 4 | Veterans ceremony by the Clock Tower and parade on Main Street (2026 pattern); see Fourth of July |
Getting there and parking
- From the mainland, cross the Halifax River on the Main Street Bridge or International Speedway Boulevard and head east to A1A (Atlantic Avenue).
- Park at Breakers Oceanfront Park’s off-beach lot or the Ocean Walk garage; parking for some events is charged.
- Beach driving and county beach parking are run by Volusia County; residents park free with ParkVolusia. See our getting around page.
What this means for you
- Start at the pier, walk north along the Boardwalk to the Bandshell and Ocean Walk.
- For the beach with restrooms and a splash fountain, use Breakers Park.
- Check the Bandshell’s calendar for free summer concerts.
Related: free things to do, history and landmarks and kids’ activities.
Frequently asked questions
How old is the Daytona Beach Pier?
A pier has stood at the east end of Main Street since the late 1800s. The original Keating Pier burned in 1920, and the current pier and casino complex opened in June 1925 with a 1,000-foot pier and a ballroom, according to the city.
Who owns the Daytona Beach Pier?
The City of Daytona Beach. Joe’s Crab Shack has leased the restaurant on the pier since 2012, and the city has spent more than $3.1 million in recent years on repairs and storm recovery.
What is the Main Street Arch?
The arch that has connected the Boardwalk and the pier since the 1930s. The city finished a restoration of more than $800,000 in October 2025 after engineers found deteriorated steel and concrete.
Where do I park for the Boardwalk?
Breakers Oceanfront Park, 13 S. Atlantic Ave., has off-beach parking next to the pier. The Ocean Walk parking lot is also used for events such as the Easter Beach Run, for a fee.
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