QUICK VIEW:
The Daytona Flea & Farmers Market is the world’s 6th largest. More than two million visitors enjoy the 650 registered vendors each year. With over three miles of stalls, there’s something for everyone.
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This Blog is part of our travel series covering the state of Florida in the United States.
The Daytona Flea & Farmers Market
We had heard that the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market was a definite must-see. The Market is open three days a week: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9am-5pm. We made a plan to spend the morning exploring, expecting the usual 7-10 rows of vendors. We were in for another surprise--a very pleasant surprise!
With over 3 miles of shops, this was no ordinary flea market
As we arrived in the parking lot, we knew this wasn't just any flea market.
The parking area was spread over a huge green space. Ahead were long, enclosed sheds that presumably house the Flea & Farmers Market goods. It was a hot summer day, so we headed for the shade, and the advertised market air-conditioning, fans, and misters.
The Daytona Flea & Farmer's Market is a permanent fixture as evidenced by the official sign
Once inside, we very quickly knew this was going to be a long day. The orientation map at the entrance said it all:
The Vendor and Map pages are key to unlocking the secret to this overwhelming maze of stalls. We would recommend looking up your category of interest on the Vendor page and then, using the Map page, find the stall location. You might even be able to plot a general route of interest this way, for much more efficient shopping.
The Farmers Market is conveniently located near the main entrance. Colorful fruit and vegetables line the tables for what seemed like hundreds of yards/meters. The variety was impressive, from the ordinary to the more exotic. Pricing was competitive but not cheap, but most of the produce appeared to be farm-to-table fresh.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are displayed for sale near the entrance of the Farmer's Market
As we wandered beyond the Farmers Market concentration, we were bombarded with all kinds of delicious food smells. They didn't seem to have a concentrated Food Court, but there were plenty of food options scattered throughout the central areas.
The biggest mistake we made was to not orient ourselves to the market before starting our adventure through the stalls. In hindsight, the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market has a decent website that would be quite useful for orientation purposes.
The market's map is helpful in maximizing your shopping experience
Just to give you a sense of the enormous array of goods and services, here's a small snapshot:
Be sure to also check the market calendar for special events and shows: The first Saturday of each month features a classic car cruise-in; Arts & Crafts are featured the second weekend of each month; and the third weekend showcases Garage Sales.
The Market has a wide array of products to keep shoppers busy
Needless to say, we left the market exhausted, promising to return at a later point to complete our quest. Next time, we'll be better prepared, and have more comfortable shoes! A good six hours is probably the minimum to really survey the market.
Up Next: Best Things to See at Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences
