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From Wikivoyage

DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. It has a population of about 33,000 people (2018).

Understand

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History

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The city is named for Henry A. DeLand. It was founded in 1876, and incorporated in 1882. In 1883, Henry A. DeLand established DeLand Academy. Later, DeLand entrusted the academy to his friend John B. Stetson, a wealthy hat manufacturer from Philadelphia and a founding trustee. In 1889, it was renamed John B. Stetson University after its new patron. The name was later shortened to Stetson University, and in 1900 it became the first law school in Florida. The university's sports teams are called the Hatters.

DeLand grew during the 1920s Florida Land Boom.

Climate

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DeLand has a warm and humid subtropical climate, and there are two major seasons each year. One of those seasons is hot and rainy, lasting from May until October (roughly coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season). The other is a cooler season (November through March) that brings more moderate temperatures and less frequent rainfall. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation and its position relatively close to the Tropic of Cancer, and much of its weather is affected by the movement of the Gulf Stream.

Get in

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By plane

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Nearby international airports include:

By train

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The DeLand AMTRAK train station

DeLand has an Amtrak station that provides service to other destinations such as Miami, but also connects to other points as far north as New York City via the Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines. Journey times are about 23 hours from New York and five hours from Miami. Trains are comfortable and include seating and sleeper options, but delays are common.

Also, nearby Sanford is the southern terminus of the Auto Train which carries passengers and automobiles between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link from Orlando to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The train runs daily with no intermediate stops and takes 17½ hours one way.

Finally, while SunRail is mainly a commuter rail system in the greater Orlando area, it can be used to travel from Kissimmee to DeBary/Deltona through Orlando.

  • 4 DeLand Railway Station (Amtrak Silver Silvar & Silver Meteor), 2491 Old New York Ave. No SunRail connections. Cross platform transfers with SunRail are only in Winter Park, Orlando Health and Kissimmee. Onward Amtrak Thruway connections to Daytona Beach is operated by Tri-Star Taxi. DeLand station (Q5243972) on Wikidata DeLand station on Wikipedia (updated Dec 2020)
  • 5 Sanford Auto Train Station (Amtrak Auto Train), 600 S Persimmon, Sanford. Separate station for the Auto Train to load and unload vehicles and passengers. Sanford station (Q7417599) on Wikidata Sanford station (Amtrak) on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2021)
  • 6 DeBary SunRail Station (SunRail), Charles Richard Beall Blvd and Ft Florida Rd. Northernmost SunRail Station and nearest to DeLand and Deltona. It's connected to DeLand by Voltrans #31 bus. NO cross platform connections to Amtrak trains at this station. Same station/cross platform transfers with Amtrak are only in Winter Park, Orlando Health and Kissimmee. DeBary station (Q16974403) on Wikidata DeBary station on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2021)

By bus

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  • 7 VOTRAN (Volusia County Transit), (bus stop) Amelia Super Stop (Along Amelia Ave between International Speedway Blvd (US Hwy 92) and Old Daytona Rd, next to Publix Food & Pharmacy.), ☏ +1 386 761-7700. VOTRAN is the name of the Volusia County bus service, which connects DeLand to Daytona Beach, Debary SunRail Station (to Orlando) and Seville (to north). It is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. The website provides maps and timetables. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. Nearest connections to Greyhound and other intercity buses are in Orlando and Daytona Beach: $1.75 for One-Way Fare, $3.75 for Day Pass. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Rt 20 DeLand - Deltona on US Hwy 17/92
  • Rt 24 DeLand - Seville via Spring Garden & DeLeon Springs on US Hwy 17
  • Rt 31 to Debary SunRail Station where passengers continue to Orlando by train.
  • Rt 60 DeLand - Daytona Beach via US Hwy 92

All buses make additional local stops in town. The 8 DeLand Intermodal Transit Facility (bus station) on Woodland Blvd & Euclid, south of downtown, is served only by Rt 20 & 31.

By car

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Highway travel is the most common method of arriving in DeLand. Interstate 4 (I-4) begins about 20 miles away in nearby Daytona Beach, and passes near DeLand. U.S. Highway 92 also begins near Daytona Beach and is known in both places as "International Speedway Boulevard" because it passes in front of that raceway. U.S. 92 meets U.S. 17 coming in from Jacksonville 90 miles to the north, and the two highways become one, and is known as "17/92" as it travels through Orlando 40 miles south, to Haines City, where they again split into two highways. Florida Highway 44 crosses I-4 five miles east of DeLand, and crosses 17/92 in the center of historic downtown DeLand. To further confuse travelers, 17/92 is known as Woodland Boulevard (or simply "The Boulevard," being the only boulevard in DeLand), and Florida Highway 44 is known as "New York Avenue," as the streets were known well before the advent of the U.S. and Florida Highway systems.

Get around

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By bus

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  • VOTRAN[dead link] is the name of the local Volusia County bus service. It is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. The website provides maps and timetables. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. Service is offered in DeLand roughly M-Sa, 7AM-7PM. A one-day Votran bus pass costs $3.75.

By car

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See

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Downtown DeLand includes some restaurants, cafes, and shops south of Stetson University.

  • 1 DeLand House Museum, 137 West Michigan Ave. DeLand House Museum (Q5243973) on Wikidata DeLand House Museum on Wikipedia (updated Dec 2020)
  • 2 Stetson University. This was Florida's first private university and was founded in 1883. It has a beautiful campus with historic buildings. Stetson University (Q2341039) on Wikidata Stetson University on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2018)

Do

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Fishing

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Golf

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  • 1 Victoria Hills Golf Club, 300 Spalding Way, toll-free: +1-866-295-4385. 18 holes, over 6,989 yards with a par of 72 (Public). 

Skydiving

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Buy

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Downtown DeLand a few blocks south of Stetson University
  • Volusia Flea Market, 3150 E New York Ave (at Volusia County Fairgrounds). 
  • West Volusia Regional Shopping Center, 2601 S Woodland Blvd. TJMaxx, Ross, etc - nothing special. 

Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

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Go next

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The city is midway between two largest springs in state park settings, part of the Florida Aquifer.

  • Immediately west of DeLand is Lake Beresford, and the surrounding area, including Hontoon Island State Park.
  • Seven miles to the north, DeLeon Springs is set in a pool environment, leading to Lake Woodruff Wildlife Preserve
  • Seven miles south, Blue Spring State Park is probably the best place to see manatees in all of Florida, during cold weather.
  • Seven miles to the west, a state park which is an island accessible only by passenger ferry, Hontoon Island.
  • Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
Routes through DeLand
Savannah ← Palatka ←  N  S  → Winter Park → Orlando
Orlando ← Cassadaga ←  W  E  → Daytona Beach → END
Jacksonville ← DeLeon Springs ←  N  S  → Orange City → Orlando
Orlando ← Orange City ←  W  E  → Daytona Beach → END


This city travel guide to DeLand is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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