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If you haven't been to Daytona Beach in sunny Florida’s Central East Coast, for a while, or, if you have never been to “the most famous beach in the world," plan a vacation there. Famed since beach racing began in the 1920s and socialites and celebrities flocked to enjoy Florida’s sunshine and ocean, the “new” Daytona Beach is just gorgeous, benefiting handsomely from upgrades to two terrific hotels and the addition of an entertainment/shopping complex.

The new Daytona Beach centers on the lively, modern six square blocks Atlantic Oceanside Ocean Walk Village, located behind the historic circa 1936 coquina Clock tower and Bandshell, where my group enjoyed fireworks and a free concert (weekly events).

The Ocean Walk Village, a 10-year, $400 million revitalization project, features a vacation and entertainment district. It is fabulous and a wonderful place to stay and relax in the Florida sunshine. I enjoyed wandering around unique shops, getting margaritas, hand-made soap, and watching our waitress at Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant, stump our table with Forest Gump questions Well, what would you expect, y’ll? Oh, if you have a birthday, here the place to get serenaded by the wait staff, patrons and anyone waiting to get in this funky eatery.

At Adobe Gila’s Margarita Fajita Cantina, we indulged ourselves on shrimp, burritos and margaritas in a lively, Mexican-themed atmosphere.

Daytona is home of -the - LPGA association and Golf course (their 18-hole Legends and Championship Courses are two of the best around) the Daytona USA complex, Daytona Speedway NASCAR Racing. Fishing. Flea markets, a fun, fact-filled historic narrated Trolley Boat Adventure, a land-sea tour, (hop on the frog-decorated trolley outside the Ocean Walk Village), cruises, cruising on the - Halifax River, along the streets of Daytona Beach and more. Ocean. The adventurous – like my Zimmermann Agency tour leaders Katie Bell and Leah Edwards -- you can even try, or reverse bungee cord jump from the two steel towers behind the Oceanside Hilton Hotel. Golf, fishing, sea cruising, water parks, drive-in church (operates on Sunday), restaurants, movies, events at the Ocean Center, and lovely drives entertain everyone.

A nice drive takes you to Florida’s tallest lighthouse, the red brick Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station, built in 1887. The lighthouse and museum are at 4931 South Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet. The terrific Inlet Harbor Marina and Restaurant was our lunch stop after the lighthouse visit, and I learned from a local fisherman that the pier there offers the best fishing in the area, if you can handle the current.

The beach area from Daytona Pier north for one mile, to my delight and many others, bans beach driving. About time! Beach lovers can safely frolic in the sand, sea and surf, beach comb, sunbathe and relax without worrying about dodging cars on the beach. Racing cars on the 2-mile long hard-packed beach made Daytona Beach the most famous beach in the world, and the terrifically entertaining and informative Daytona Speedway Experience recalls the racing history, speed records, a few hands-on exhibits

With more than 1,400 rooms and new family entertainment options, the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, the 25-story Ocean Walk Resort and its planned Spa, Ocean Walk Shoppes, a 10-screen movie theater, the Bubba Gump Restaurant – an experience all in itself—the Bath Junkie Shop. At the bath shop, customers choose their own ingredients for soap and hand spray. I ordered Liquid Valium, which has lavender in it. Pamela Rudd, Manager of Ocean Walk Shoppes, has “concocted” a truly unique blend of shops.

I stayed in the Ocean Walk Resort and Fairfield Resorts a colorful, lush condominium and hotel complex. It features twin Art Deco towers with 711 hotel suites and vacation ownership condominiums. A food court and upcoming restaurant plus room service add to the convenience of this modern resort. My spacious, colorful one bedroom apartment on the 17th floor featured a large balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and I watched many beautiful sunsets from there. The Resort has one indoor pool, two outdoor pools, a 250-foot Lazy River, kiddies’ pool, Jacuzzi, waterfall and slide, and a separate children’s program and area. A spa is set to open in January 2006.

The 742-room Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort has finished a $20 million renovation. We planned a beachside dinner one night at Doc Bales’ Grill there, and afterwards, it was fun to stroll through the lobby. The Hilton hosts small and large conventions, boasting an 18,000 square-foot ballroom. And after dinner we “bumped” into the Barbershop Quartet Convention (they were to compete/perform at the Peabody Center, across the street). Terrie and I begged them to sing a tune, and soon, eight –isn’t that an octet? – Singers serenaded us and others who stopped to listen to the impromptu “Heart of My Heart.” Although we wanted to join in, we controlled ourselves but did get to sing Karaoke in the Ocean Walk Resort and Fairfield Resorts’ Landings Lounge. Katie picked Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time,” and I was so bad that I wish I could have! But it was a lot of fun.

Across the street from the elegant Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, and the Ocean Walk Resort, the Ocean Center hosts major sports and entertainment events from rodeos, to auto shows and exhibitions like Harley Davidson’s Motorcycle Expo. A concert by the London Symphony Orchestra, popular concerts, family shows and the National Cheerleaders Association Annual Competition are part of their roster. The Center caters food, and our group had a fab lunch there. Lori Hufnagel has been the manager there for 20 years; kudos.

Golf is a favorite sport in the area, and the LPGA International Golf Course, at 1000 Champions Dive, www.lpgainternational.com, boasts “the two distinctly different styles of golf course design. The Champions Course is a Rees Jones signature course at 7,088 yards from the back tees, and is a links style. The Legends Course, designed by Arthur Hills, is a newly opened second course with a “spectacular layout.” Reggie Hunter, tournament director, arranged T-time for Terrie Purdam, publisher of Florida Golf Central, Bob Bolton, Diana Rowe and Jan Pittard, Regional Director of Ocean Walk Resorts – to play a round of golf. Terrie told me it was “challenging, and fun, and Diana wowed us all.” We had lunch there, and learned that golfers raise more money for charity than any other sport.

If You Go

Www.oceanwalkvillage.com, for a brochure, and info for the Ocean Walk Resorts, visit www.oceanwalk.com. For the Hilton, visit http://www.daytonahilton.com. Listen to the ocean.

LPGA offers many women’s golf in schools and programs; go to www.golfschoosdaytona.com for more information.