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Daytona Beach, Florida is a mid-sized coastal city in Volusia County built around its hard-packed Atlantic beach and racing history. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University sits just west of the oceanfront next to the international airport, fitting for an aviation school, and its students give the area a clear academic presence. The beach and boardwalk anchor the east side, the Main Street district brings classic event energy, and downtown along the Halifax River offers a quieter, walkable historic core. You're near public beaches, riverfront parks, and civic venues that host racing and concerts. As a student renter you get beach access, an aviation-focused campus, and a laid-back coastal pace, with a car your main tool for getting around.
On the west side, this keeps Embry-Riddle students closest to class, with apartment communities built around the school.
East of the Halifax River, the classic coastal pick, walkable near the sand and lively but exposed to tourist-season bustle.
A quieter, historic, more walkable core for students who want a calmer base.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Daytona Beach.
Votran, the Volusia County bus system, runs fixed routes across the city and feeds a downtown transfer plaza near the Halifax River, which helps if you live along a main line, but service is daytime-focused and thins in the evenings. Students near a route can use the bus for daytime trips. For evening travel, transit options are more limited. Planning around the Votran schedule is essential for car-free students.
The beachside and Main Street areas are flatter and more walkable on their own, and biking works well in those pockets. Students living in the beach areas can handle short trips on foot or by bike. The flat coastal terrain makes cycling a reasonable everyday option near the water. Walking covers daily needs within the more compact beachside neighborhoods.
Daytona Beach is spread out and car-oriented, so most Embry-Riddle students drive. The campus sits next to the airport on the west side, a quick drive from the beach but not walkable to it. For daily errands, getting to class, and reaching the wider county, a car or scooter is the practical default. Students who drive should expect to rely on a vehicle for most trips across town.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Daytona is more affordable than South Florida's coastal cities. A bedroom in a shared house or multi-bedroom apartment often runs around $600-$900/month per person. Newer student-focused communities near Embry-Riddle and nicer beachside units push higher, commonly $900-$1,300/month per person once split. Sharing with roommates is the easiest way to keep it low.
Browse student housing near each Daytona Beach-area university.