Saturday, January 30, 2016

Still More to See in Daytona Beach

It was day three in Daytona Beach, Florida, for my friend Betty and I. We were definitely not running out of things to do.

We decided to sleep in a bit and have breakfast downstairs at the Oceanside Inn. By 9:00 am we were still off to the Marine Science Center.

It was smaller than an aquarium, but still offered plenty to do, including the opportunity to touch sharks and stingrays, and see and learn about the rehabilitation and breeding of sea turtles.

We also saw examples about how things in the environment, especially garbage thrown into the water, affects marine life.

Before we drove off, we took a walk across the road for a short hike and a glimpse at the beach.

We were then off to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum. It was very different from most National Historic Landmarks I have been to.

It wasn’t about famous people in history, it was more an honor to important people you may not know about.

In this case, the site pays homage to the light keepers and their families who lived and worked here. They were an important part of the expansion of this part of Florida.

We were able to walk through their houses and the museum, and climb the lighthouse steps.

It was a short ride to the Inlet Harbor Restaurant & Marina and we were quite hungry. It’s a cute place with boat-in dining.

We immediately were in agreement of taking advantage of the margarita special.

It was a bit more difficult for me to find something I could eat that wasn’t cooked with fish, but I finally settled on nachos and Betty really liked the fish tacos.

After a leisurely lunch, we took the Dunlawton Bridge to Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach and walked around this artsy neighborhood.

We found lots of galleries, as well as studios for pottery, jewelry and sculpture.

Before we left, we stopped at the New Smyrna Beach Brewing Co. I’m not a big beer drinker so I let Betty sample a few of the beers. She gave them a thumbs up while I enjoyed their root beer, a treat I occasionally indulge in.

We took a short stroll around Flagler Avenue in Daytona Beach before heading back to the hotel to chill a bit before dinner.

There were a few restaurants options for us and we definitely picked the right one. Kona Tiki Bar and Grind Gastropub were a lot of fun (the two are really combined).

We listened to some great beach music and had the best meal of the week.
I had a delicious pizza with fig, feta cheese, and prosciutto, drizzled with balsamic, while Betty raved about the Lobster Mac N Cheese.

We sipped some cocktails and relaxed before heading back to the Oceanside Inn. It had been a wonderful few days in Daytona Beach, but it was time to pack up and head home.


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