Daytona Kitsch

If you've followed this blog, you know I'm a big fan of Florida kitsch and historically Daytona Beach has had more than its share. I have a brochure published by the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce in 1967 and sadly much of that Daytona no longer exists. The beach cottages, motor courts and mid-century Googie style motels are mostly all gone. But there are some great themed motels, probably from the 1970s, that are equally eye catching.

Having spent very little time there since my brother finished photography school there years ago, I recently drove up A1A to check out the current condition commercial beach side architecture. Despite lots of ugly recent additions and empty beach front lots caused by hurricanes and the economy, I found a few of my favorites still intact.

Miss Dixie graces the front of my 1967 guide to the "World's Most Famous Beach." I wish A1A was still lined with properties like these:




Here's some of my favorite kitschy survivors, the Hawaiian Inn, the Aku Tiki Inn and the Sun Viking Inn.





In addition to giant tiki idols, viking statues and viking boats, Daytona has one of my favorite pieces of sculptural signage, the Jantzen diving girl located near the boardwalk. The Oregon based swimwear company first started using the diving girl as it's corporate symbol in the 1920s and an updated version is still in use today. I'm told that the fiberglass beauty in Daytona is one of only a handful that are still intact. Perhaps her streamline form helps her slice through hurricane winds and any other adversity that blows her way...

Zebra image from the State Archives of Florida