Ormond Beach (Daytona)

It was a beach sunrise sort of day today.

We decided to go to Ormond Beach near Daytona. It's been forever since we've been to any beach and have never been to the Atlantic side. So we woke up at 4AM, got gas, coffee and bagels, and drove the nearly two hours in the dark (no traffic though!).

We waited for the sun at Andy Romano Beachfront Park. It's in a great location with direct beach access, restrooms, outdoor showers, and seating.  Plus, the people we spoke to here were all friendly.

The whole street is lined with smaller hotels so it didn't feel too crowded or overbearing either. 

August 16, 2015

Ormond Beach, Florida

After we left the beach, we headed to Rockefeller Gardens Park.  It's a beautifully landscaped riverfront park/trail located in The Casements. Rockefeller purchased The Casements in 1918 as a winter house and now it's open to visitors Monday-Saturday. The park also hosts "Movies on the Halifax" and a farmers' markets, among other events. To read about the history here, see tour times, or check upcoming events, visit The Casements website. We walked part of the trail that leads under the bridge to Fortunato Park on the other side.  The picture below shows the view facing The Casements on the right and Fortunato  Park on the left.
Although there are now newer houses and boat slips surrounding here, there was still an old charm that I liked. It would be interesting to go back and take the tour of the home.

Bridge over Halifax River leading to Ormond Beach

We drove part of the way back on the Scenic Loop Trail. It's a 30 mile double loop that passes three state parks, two rivers, beachfront, as well as city parks.

Coming from The Casements, we pulled off into Seabridge Park on John Anderson Drive. It's a short trail with a boardwalk over the Halifax where you can fish.

That's where we saw:

This guy and this other larger (and grumpier) guy. And tons of their friends. The crabs would run back into their holes on the side of the trail as we walked by.

This road curves through some canopy trees with a lot of cyclists and fishermen on the sides, so be careful driving it. It was a good reason to drive slowly and take in the view anyway.

Next we stopped at the North Peninsula State Park entrance on High Bridge Road, leading inland. The park is free and we started to walk into it, but the mosquitoes were quite bad along the river trail. We hadn't planned on hiking today so we didn't prepare for it. The website says there's two miles of untouched beach at the end of the trail. So next time, we'll bring bug spray and watch out for the gators! (Or drive to the main entrance off of Ocean Shore).

Knox Memorial Bridge

There's a drawbridge here, but we didn't get to see it raise. Across the road is a bait and tackle store and there were several small fishing boats in the water. 

Our last stop was supposed to be Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park. However, when we arrived at the gate, we didn't have the $4 entrance fee in cash (honor system). We talked to the ranger and she informed us they only take cash or check. So, that concluded our day and we came home!

Based on our morning trip, Ormond Beach seems like a laid-back beach town. I liked that is was low key, had some charm, nice walking areas, and the people seemed friendly. It turned out to be a very pleasant Sunday morning.




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