The Bradshaws Take on Fabulous Florida! (cont.)

Sunrise over the Atlantic, as seen from the 20th floor

The next morning, we took our time waking up, having breakfast, getting ready, and packing. Then, we picked up our rental car at the handy Hertz desk in the lobby of Cabana Bay. After checking out, we loaded into the car and drove a little over an hour to lovely Daytona Beach! When planning our trip, we'd decided that after three full days at theme parks, we'd be in need of a bit of decompression. Daytona Beach is one of the closest beaches to Orlando, so it was an easy choice!

By the time we arrived, we were jonesing for lunch, so we stopped at Ocean Deck, where we feasted on fried shrimp with a lovely ocean view. You can sit in or outside, and the restaurant is right on the beach! Portions are generous, the shrimp was delicious, and prices are reasonable. Clay loved that his meal came in a frisbee he could keep!

This boy loves the ocean.

After lunch, we headed to our condo. We'd booked a one bedroom (with a fold-out couch for Clay) with an ocean-facing balcony at Ocean Walk. This development was lovely, and so convenient! First of all, it's right on the beach. Take the elevator down to the lobby, walk out through the pool area, and you're right there. Secondly, it has oodles of pools - one with a fun water slide, another one sans slide, a big splash pad for the smaller set, a lazy river, plus two indoor pools and two outdoor spas. Third, it's also on a really nice boardwalk. You can stroll down past a shopping/dining area that's connected to the development, markers about the area's racing history, other resorts, and then a small amusement park area with a couple of rides.

In addition, the resort's pool area has "take a toy, leave a toy" for beach and pool paraphernalia, a small bar, and plenty of free beach towels for resort guests. Not only that, they have small indoor putt putt course and arcade. Needless to say, Clay was in heaven.

The water slide at Ocean Walk!

That first day in Daytona Beach, Clay and I spent an overcast afternoon on the beach. Clay loves the ocean, and so do I. After a relaxing afternoon with the waves, we walked next door to the shopping and dining development and had happy hour appetizers (chicken tenders, spinach/artichoke dip, and some sweetly spicy  shrimp) and drinks at Mai Tais bar and restaurant. They had a beautiful outdoor seating area with a view of the ocean. Tuckered out from a long day, we headed back to the condo and snuggled into bed!

Because of the time change, Clay and I were awake at sunrise the next morning. We wrapped blankets around ourselves and watched the sun peep up over the ocean from our balcony, then returned to bed to cuddle. When we got hungry for breakfast, we decided to try out some local spots. We first tried the Starlite Diner, which is right across the street from our development. Sadly, it had been ravaged by Hurricane Matthew a few weeks before. I think it will be a long time before it re-opens. Then, we tried Donnie's Donuts. Ditto, though that building did look like it was in better shape. We settled for IHOP, where I chose the nutella and banana crepes, and Clay got waffles.

The boardwalk at sunset

Sated, it was time for more fun in the sun. They day was bright, so we hit the beach and the pools! Clay and I played in the lazy river, frolicked in the waves, and took turns whooshing down the water slide! (It really was fun, even if I WAS one of the only adults enjoying it!) After a morning of play, we all walked down the beach to eat a late lunch at Crabby Joe's. I had their yummy crab cake sandwich with onion rings! (This place was so convenient. It sits out on a pier over the water and offers great views. The food is good and not too pricey. They also have great cocktails!)

After resting a bit at the hotel, we decided to catch a movie in the theatre next door to Ocean Walk. We reserved fully reclining seats for Marvel's Dr. Strange. Very cushy! We enjoyed the movie and headed back to the condo for showers and bed.

The next morning, after another glorious sunrise, we decided to get in the car and find a real, local breakfast. We ended up at Dancing Avocado Kitchen, which became a fast favorite! First of all, the place has this fun, quirky vibe. It's decorated with kitsch (There was a shark head with a sombrero on it hanging on the wall.) and TONS of personality. Secondly, the menu is varied, and the food is GOOD. I had the mushroom swiss omelette with breakfast potatoes and toast, and it was filling and fabulous! Clay chose the chocolate chip pancakes. Service is sweet and friendly, and the restaurant is in this really cute downtown area with other shops and attractions, across the street from a green space.

Chocolate making!

After breakfast, we browsed in the magic shop a few doors down, buying Clay a beginner magician's kit with some rope tricks and other illusions in it. Then, we strolled into the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory, where we got a short, free tour on how they make delicious small-batch chocolates. (They showed us where they make taffy and brittle, how they create chocolate covered cherries, and pointed out the vats of melted chocolate. We even got to see the moving belt on which hand-placed pretzels get enrobed in chocolate, cooled, and collected! Fun!) The tour ended with free samples, and the candy was delicious!

After our tour, we got back in the car and returned to the resort. We walked up and down the beach and played with Clay's free frisbee a little bit! (For a klutz, I thought I did remarkably well!) Then, we got a special visitor! Hubs' little brother, Steven, drove into Daytona Beach to see us! He lives a little over and hour away, and it had been AGES since we'd seen him! It was so good to see his sweet face and catch up with him! Late that afternoon, we all walked back down to Crabby Joe's, where we ordered drinks and big steamer buckets of crab, corn, and potatoes. Seriously yum, and the company was fabulous! We finished up at around 5 p.m., when the pier closed, and watched the little amusement park at that end of the boardwalk spring to life as the sun started going down.

Steven stayed and chatted with us for a while back at the condo, and then I took Clay to the indoor putt putt course so Steven and hubs could catch up a little. Then, it was time for him to go home, and time for us to hit the showers and the hay.

It's hard to beat steamer buckets at Crabby Joe's!

The next morning, we took our time waking up and getting packed. Then, it was off to the Dancing Avocado Kitchen for one more delicious breakfast before making our way back to Orlando. The Hertz agent at Cabana Bay had convinced that it was more economical to return our car there and catch a cab to the airport. Since we were still a bit early, we played games in the arcade for an hour or two before setting off for the airport. Two flights later, we were home!

On this family trip to Florida, we planned for a good balance of go-go-go excitement and relaxation. I really enjoyed Universal Studios Orlando, and Ocean Walk in Daytona Beach couldn't be beat! I can't wait for our next trip!