Daytona Arts and Culture

Daytona is not just the home of NASCAR.Due to its strong economy and tourist base, the Arts here are a primary part of the culture.

Artists in all mediums both local and worldwide flourish here.
Daytona is home to 81 antique shops, 51 art galleries, 20 museums,. For seaside concerts and exciting entertainment under the stars, see the Daytona band shell.
for upcoming events go to http://www.daytonabandshell.com/
Volusia county also has active support for the arts. Check out
http://www.celebratingculture.com/
The art league of Daytona Beach http://www.artleague.org/
Performing Arts

Diverse collections unite at the Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS). Located in a beautiful 90-acre natural setting in Daytona Beach, MOAS is the primary art, history and science museum of Central Florida.The Museum has over 30,000 items in its permanent collection including American, Cuban, African, English, Chinese, Continental and Pre-Colombian art, decorative art and paper; fossils, including a complete 13-foot tall Giant Ground Sloth; crystals, gems and minerals; remnants of Florida History, Spanish colonial items and photographs; and the Root family collection of Americana and Coca-Cola.

Chapman S. Root Hall
Daytona Beach Bandshell
Daytona Playhouse
Elizabeth Hall Auditorium
Joan James Harris Theater
Little Theater of New Smyrna Beach
Mary Jane Urban Amphitheater
Ocean Center
Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center
Peabody Auditorium
Shoestring Theatre
Stover Theater
Theater Center, Inc.
Theater Center at Daytona Beach Community College
Art Centers and museums

African American Museum of the Arts
ArtHaus Foundation, Inc.
Artist's Workshop Gallery
Art League of Daytona Beach, Inc.
Atlantic Center for the Arts
Black Heritage Museum
DeLand Museum of Art, Inc.
The Duncan Gallery of Art
Eldora State House
Harris House of Atlantic Center for the Arts
Harvey W. Lee Jr., Memorial Gallery
Museum of Arts and Sciences
Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens
Palm Gallery
Southeast Museum of Photography
Music

The London symphony orchestra pays a 2 week visit to Dayton every two years.
http://www.topix.net/who/the-london-symphony-orchestra
Daytona Beach Symphony Society - Box Office: 100 S. Beach
Street / Daytona Beach / Call 386-253-2901 for information, events schedule & venues.
In addition, you are only an hours drive from Orlando and its Arts and Culture facilities.
If you are the creative type or just want to make sure there are good cultural opportunities around you, Daytona and it's areas have the answer.

Cost of Living

The cost of living index is based on the composite price of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, clothing and entertainment.

Cost of living indexes will generally be higher in areas that offer access to beaches, culture, arts and recreation. In addition areas, that offer a wider variety of services such as health and education will run higher due to higher wages, and increased quality of living.

Cost of living indexing explanation
A figure of 100 points is used as an average both for the USA and Florida. For example:
Boise Idaho is ranked at a 99
Boston Mass is rated at 240
San Francisco at 217
Statewide, Florida cities come in from a low of 90 and up.
One way to compare Florida areas to salary requirements

For example-If you were relocating from Portland Oregon (whose rate 1s 94.0) to Orlando, and you currently make $50,000 per year, the formula is as follows
Take the destination index, in this case Orlando-94.0 and divide by Portland’s index-120, then multiply by a salary of $50,000. This will give you a figure of $39,166 which would be required to make in Orlando to have the same quality of life.
See comparable Florida statewide
* Re cost of living--in some areas Real Estate has went up dramatically however costs that factor in such as food, transportation, rents etc have not increased at the same rate-so in some areas, even though housing is expensive, the overall rating may still be low
2007 stats per Sperlings best Places http://www.bestplaces.net/

Boca Raton-154.74
Bradenton-114
Cape Coral-Ft Myers-108.0
Ft Lauderdale-132.0
Fort Walton-Destin-120
Jacksonville metro-94.0
Big Pine Key fl-132.46
Key Largo-146.0
Key West-168.0
Marathon fl-162.06
Miami metro-138.0
Melbourne-92.72
Naples Fl-250.59
Orlando metro-94.0
Palm Bay-84.56
Palm Coast-Flagler-125.01
Panama City-86.35
Pensacola metro-82.0
Sarasota-108.75
Tampa 94.60
St Pete-Clearwater-91.58
Vero-Beach Indian River-122.87
West Palm Beach metro-112.05
(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

* New York, NY -164.50
* Long Beach, CA -135.71
* Palo Alto, CA -234.42
* Boston, MA -127.60
* Malibu, CA -492.80
* San Francisco, -187.23
* Greenwich, CT 215
* Chicago, IL -126.45
* Dallas Tx -92,94
* Atlanta Ga -112.21
For more information about cost of living go to either
Sperlings best Places http://www.bestplaces.net/
or Accra's site at http://www.coli.org

The cost of living across the four metro areas in Florida's Great Northeast averaged only 96% of the national average.
With low housing prices substantially below that national average,
Daytona and Volusia County is a great place to live, work and play.
Ad Valorem Millage Rates (2004):

Government 6.2040
Schools 8.5170
Special 11.7453
Total26.4663
For more information about cost of living stats go to http://www.coli.org
Daytona Housing. Minimum two bedroom single family homes in Volusia County.
As of August 2005, the median sold price is $216,900.
Utilities. For Utility charges water and sewer go to

Florida Water Services Corporation
North Peninsula Utilities Corporation
Plantation Bay Utilities
Tymber Creek Utilities
For electric and gas go to
Florida Power & Light

Progress Energy
City of New Smyrna Beach Utilities Commission
Clay Electric Cooperative.
Natural Gas Companies:

Florida Public Utilities
TECO People's Gas
Telephone Companies:

KMC Telecom
BellSouth
AT&T
Actel
East Florida Communications
In conclusion, with the recreational and job opportunities Daytona offers, mixed in with low housing costs, this could very well be your most affordable chance at paradise.

In conclusion, Daytona is a great place to live.

Health

Daytona Beach area is a healthy environment.
Blessed with beautiful surroundings, a great climate and numerous outdoor recreational opportunities, life in Daytona makes it easier to stay healthy.
It is generally conceded that sunshine makes people feel healthier and improves your outlook on life. After living here 10 years, I can tell you that it’s great to wake up to a warm climate and sunshine almost year round. (John D. Rockefeller chose the Daytona Beach area as his winter home because of its health benefits).
Health facility statistics for Volusia County.

As of 2004, there are:

36 assisted living facilities
115 child care facilities
7 major hospitals
4 adult day care centers
18 health care clinics
29 skilled nursing facilities
There are a total of 701 Health care related facilities.
For specific information and address/phone number, please go to http://facilitylocator.floridahealthstat.com
Below are the major hospitals.

BERT FISH MEDICAL CENTER
401 PALMETTO STREET
NEW SMYRNA BEACH , FL 32170-1350 TELEPHONE#:386
FLORIDA HOSPITAL - OCEANSIDE
264 SOUTH ATLANTIC AVENUE
ORMOND BEACH, FL 32176-8192 TELEPHONE#:386 676-
FLORIDA HOSPITAL - ORMOND MEMORIAL 875 STERTHAUS ORMOND BEACH , FL 32174 TELEPHONE#:386 676-6000
FLORIDA HOSPITAL DELAND
701 W. PLYMOUTH AVENUE
DELAND, FL 32721 TELEPHONE#:386 734-3320
FLORIDA HOSPITAL FISH MEMORIAL
1055 SAXON BLVD.
ORANGE CITY , FL 32763 TELEPHONE#:386 851-5000
HALIfax MEDICAL CENTER
303 N. CLYDE MORRIS BLVD
DAYTONA BEACH , FL 32115 TELEPHONE#:386 254-4000
HALIfax PSYCHIATRIC CENTER-NORTH
841 JIMMY ANN DRIVE
DAYTONA BEACH , FL 32117 TELEPHONE#:386 274-5333
For more specific information see the Website http://facilitylocator.floridahealthstat.com/

In conclusion Daytona and Volusia County has over 700 health care facilities. In addition to that you’re just an hours drive from Orlando and it’s major facilities.

Schools

Volusia County has some of the best schools in the country.
There are more than 61,500 students, 8200 teachers and over 90 schools in Volusia county.

For a comparison of schools and school districts on a variety of criteria, view Florida School Indicators Reports at the Florida Department of Education's Web site. http://www.fldoe.org/
Volusia county school specifics:

45 Elementary Schools
11 Middle Schools
22 High Schools
4 College-Universities
2 Community colleges
4 Vocational-technical schools
5 Charter schools
21 private schools
4 Alternative Schools
For a complete listing of Schools by Region and addresses go to: http://schools.volusia.k12.fl.us/

Regarding Charter Schools. For specifics on what a Charter schools is and enrollment details etc go to http://www.educationcentral.org/schools/schchart.asp

Daytona Universities

Bethune Cookman College, 255-1401, 640 Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd Daytona Beach 386/252-8667. Website: http://www.bethune.cookman.edu
Daytona Beach Community College, 255-8131, 1200 Int'l Speedway Blvd Daytona Beach 255-8131. Website: http://www.dbcc.cc.fl.us
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, 226-6000, Daytona Beach
Phone 386 226-6000. Website: http://www.erau.edu/
University of Central Florida, 255-7423, Daytona Beach

Stetson University (DeLand)
Keiser College for more information call 386/274-5060. Website: www.keisercollege.cc.fl.u
Phoenix East Aviation, Inc. Website: www.pea.com/
Nova Southeastern University. For more information, call 386/756-4227 or 800/672-7223 ext. 7681 or visit the Website at http://www.nova.edu.com
A.M.I., Inc. For more information, call 386/255-0295.
In addition to the local facilities, Orland is just an hours drive (54 miles) and has extensive higher education opportunities. (See Orland education)

For specific locations and more information re bussing etc-check with either the school district or your REALTOR.

Weather

Daytona’s mild-tropical climate offers year-round sports and recreational opportunities. Winter, spring and fall are filled with lots of sunshine.
Daytona is the place for water sports -- sailing, surfing and jet skiing, river cruises and deep-sea fishing charters depart daily.
Some statistics:

The hottest month is July, with an average high of 90° F and an average low of 72° F. In January the average high temperature is 68° F and the average low is 47° F.
The year round average high is 80 and the average low is 61
Normal annual precipitation is 49 plus inches, with the largest monthly totals accumulating from July through September..
Daytona’s Temperature Annual high average

Month Air
January 68
February 69
March 74
April 80
May 84
June 88
July 89
August 89
September 87
October 81
November 75
December 70
Water temperatures go from 59 in January to 82 in July and August.
http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/satl.html

Other Daytona Weather Indicators

Average Wind Speed 8.6
Clear Days 97
Partly Cloudy Days 132
Cloudy Days 136
Avg. Relative Humidity 74.5.
To see stats by the month, go to http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/florida/daytona-beach/
*Although it looks like we have lots of cloudy days, the sun is out almost year round and the clouds are partial-not like in the Northwest (where I’m from) and it will stay overcast and dark for weeks on end.

*Although we do get rain here-it is a tropical rain and comes and goes quickly and acts as a refresher to the hot days..

To see average January temperatures across the United States go to http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/thematic-maps/usa-temprature-january.html
Compare where you live to Florida. For more specific info, look at the area you are interested in and go to the weather page.
So what about Hurricanes, the rainy season and humidity?
We are a tropical climate, so our rainy season comes in the summer. Generally it will rain hard for a half hour then subside. It does get humid then. Although not as bad as you’d think. Our water breezes really help cool us off.

Hurricanes.
Despite four devastating hurricanes in 2004, the number of Florida visitors rose 7% to an all-time high of 79.8 million last year and is on target to hit 80 million this year.
To think on:
If you live on the coast you stand the greatest chance of having one affect you. Some areas of Florida have gone fifty years plus without one but you never know.
As a resident having lived in the Keys and now in central Florida I’ve been through them.

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is buy a home that was built after Andrew-August 92 that was built to stricter building codes. Have window protection and a backup generator and make sure your insurance is up to date. If they ask you to leave, do it!

Realize-If you live in an older home that was not built up to the stricter building codes (After Hurricane Andrew-August 1992) or you live in a mobile home you stand the best chance of having major structural damage.

Living on the beach in a mobile home is asking for it. Although, you may never have a problem, you’re still definitely taking your chances. Barrier islands and open-water Ocean or Gulf front are the most prone to damage.
Having lived in California, I prefer the threat of a hurricane however as opposed to an earthquake. At least you have a warning.

For current information about hurricanes go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
For 2005 climate info by areas go to http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/LCD/2005LCD.html
For current weather forecasts by cities go to http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/fl.html
*Living in a waterfront home typically means that you will pay a higher Insurance premium. The insurance is higher due to flood and wind concerns.
Part of this is also because the pricing on these homes is higher so there is more value to insure against.

Having said all this, I can’t imagine living elsewhere. It is really great to wake up and it’s sunny out.
We spend over half our lives indoors…so when you do go outside, wouldn’t it be nice if it was warm and sunny?

We spend over half our lives indoors…so when you do go outside, wouldn’t it be nice if it was warm and sunny?