Is Pelican Bay safe?
Daytona Beach, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Pelican Bay as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Pelican Bay
“Go. Pelican Bay is a private, guard-gated master-planned golf community that offers a very peaceful and secure environment compared to the broader Daytona Beach metro. It is largely residential and tranquil, though you will need a car for almost all dining, shopping, and entertainment outside the neighborhood gates.”
About the area
Pelican Bay is an upscale, expansive gated community in southwest Daytona Beach centered around waterways, nature preserves, and a championship golf course. It features a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, and condos popular with retirees, golf enthusiasts, and families seeking a quiet, secure enclave.
- Gated Community
- Golf Centric
- Quiet / Suburban
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Pelican Bay
Walk score: 14/100 · Bike score: 38/100
Biking is safe and pleasant along internal neighborhood streets and multi-use sidewalks, but there are no direct off-road greenway connections leading outside the development.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- 24/7 guarded security gates and private patrols maintain very low rates of violent and property crime
- High median household incomes and a well-maintained, owner-occupied housing stock with strict HOA standards
- Quiet, low-traffic residential streets with tranquil lake and canal views
Cons
- Strictly residential with gated access requirements, offering limited public commercial amenities inside
- Heavily car-dependent with virtually no walkability to outside daily retail
- Located near the busy I-95/Beville Road interchange, creating rush-hour bottlenecks outside the gates
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a presence inside Pelican Bay due to 24-hour gated security and access control, though occasional panhandling may occur near major commercial plazas along Beville Road outside the gates.
What Pelican Bay is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and serene, filled with early golfers, dog walkers, and joggers taking advantage of low-traffic neighborhood roads.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Quiet and sunny with light neighborhood vehicle flow and active golf course play.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and very secure as residents return home and gate security actively verifies all incoming traffic.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Exceptionally quiet and dark with virtually zero through-traffic and regular security patrols.
Transit, parking and getting around
Votran serves the Daytona Beach area, but bus routes do not enter the gated community; the nearest stops operate along Beville Road (SR 400) via Route 11 with infrequent schedules.
Private driveway and garage parking are standard throughout the community, with street parking regulated by HOA rules; guest parking is available at the clubhouse and condo clusters.
Things to do in Pelican Bay
- Play a round of golf at the Club at Pelican Bay across its manicured 18-hole championship course
- Walk or jog along the winding, tree-lined residential loop roads and canal corridors
- Explore the nearby Tiger Bay State Forest just a short drive west for nature trails and wildlife viewing
Local favorites
- The Club at Pelican Bay · Golf & Country Club · 4.1★ (115)A private championship golf course featuring banquet dining, tennis facilities, and pristine fairways.
- Houligan's A Spirited Sports Grill · Sports Bar & Grill · 4.4★ (1820)A popular nearby local hangout famous for its 'wally wings', burgers, and game-day energy on Beville Road.
- Takara Japanese Steakhouse · Japanese Restaurant · 4.3★ (940)A bustling hibachi and sushi venue located just outside the community gates.
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.