Is Mason Avenue Corridor safe?
Daytona Beach, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Mason Avenue Corridor as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Mason Avenue Corridor
“Go with care. The Mason Avenue Corridor provides convenient commercial shopping, service retail, and dependable casual dining, but it exhibits elevated property crime and high vehicle traffic speeds. Visitors should exercise standard caution, keep valuables out of plain sight in parked vehicles, and avoid walking along poorly lit stretches after dark.”
Local law enforcement frequently conducts targeted traffic safety and retail theft deterrence operations along Mason Avenue due to high crash volumes and shoplifting rates.
About the area
The Mason Avenue Corridor serves as a bustling east-west commercial thoroughfare connecting US-1 to interstate access points in Daytona Beach. Lined with strip malls, auto service centers, fast-casual restaurants, and older residential pockets, the area is practical and functional rather than tourist-focused.
- Commercial Arterial
- Auto-Centric
- Utilitarian Strip
- Casual Dining
Walking and biking in Mason Avenue Corridor
Walk score: 52/100 · Bike score: 48/100
Mason Avenue features intermittent bike lanes and wide sidewalks, but heavy vehicular traffic and numerous driveway curb cuts require vigilance. Dedicated multi-use trails like the Sweetheart Trail are located further east along the riverfront.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Ample free surface lot parking fronting almost all commercial establishments
- Convenient east-west connectivity linking US-1, Nova Road, and I-95
- Diverse and affordable local dining options alongside national retail chains
Cons
- Elevated property crime rates, including retail shoplifting and vehicle break-ins
- High-speed multi-lane traffic that creates hazards for pedestrians and cyclists
- Pockets of elevated poverty and higher vacancy in older strip plazas
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is noticeable along bus stops and near major intersections, particularly toward the eastern end near Ridgewood Avenue (US-1). Panhandling occurs periodically at busy shopping plaza entrances.
What Mason Avenue Corridor is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Steady commercial flow with commuters and delivery vehicles; safe for errands in daylight.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- High traffic volume around strip malls and grocery centers with active daylight activity.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Patrons frequent local diners and bars, but pedestrian visibility diminishes outside main retail lots.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet commercial strip with minimal foot traffic and heightened vulnerability to opportunistic crime; vehicle travel is strongly advised.
Transit, parking and getting around
Votran operates local bus routes (such as Routes 10 and 11) along and across Mason Avenue, providing links to the Daytona Beach Intermodal Transit Center. There is no passenger rail or BRT service in the immediate area.
Parking is abundant and free in private surface lots attached to every strip mall and freestanding business. Street parking directly along Mason Avenue is generally prohibited.
Things to do in Mason Avenue Corridor
- Grab a legendary burger and check out racing memorabilia at local institutions like Brickyard Lounge
- Explore local retail plazas and specialty automotive and equipment suppliers
- Access nearby community sports fields and recreation at Derbyshire Park just north of the avenue
Local favorites
- Brickyard Lounge & Grill · American Restaurant · 4.6★ (1450)A storied local sports bar known for thick burgers, cold drinks, and Daytona racing history.
- Stavro's Pizza House · Pizza Restaurant · 4.4★ (850)Longtime community staple serving Greek-style pan pizza, grinders, and classic Italian pasta dishes.
- Woody's Bar-B-Q · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.2★ (680)Casual southern smokehouse offering pulled pork, smoked ribs, and hearty traditional sides.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.