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Still More to See in Daytona Beach

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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

Busy Day Exploring Daytona Beach, Florida

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My friend Betty and I had flown down to Daytona Beach for three fun-filled days. We hit the ground running on day one , and day two was even more busy. We woke up early at the Oceanside Inn and headed to Crabby Joe’s Deck & Grill to meet Lori Campbell Baker and Tonya West of the Daytona Convention and Visitors Bureau for breakfast. Lori and Tonya had worked hard to arrange our schedule and, although it sounded like a strange spot for breakfast, I trusted they had their reasons. When we arrived, we soon realized Crabby Joe's was not only a scenic spot out on the Sun Glow Pier over the ocean, but the menu was filled with some unusual dishes, like fish fillets for breakfast. The day was cloudy and it appeared that a storm was coming, but we were ready to brave whatever the weather had in store for us. Betty enjoyed the Fisherman's Special with grits, while I had some tasty French toast. We talked more about Daytona Beach, what we had done,

Following the Ocean to Daytona Beach

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I’ve spent a lot of time in Florida, but one place I haven’t visited much was Daytona Beach . When the tourism board contacted me about doing a trip, it didn’t take a lot of convincing. The plans went quickly into action with my friend Betty coming along for her first trip exploration with me. We had a very early flight out of Bloomington, Illinois, but the next one would have gotten us into Daytona too late in the day so we went for it and planned a fairly light day ahead. We had also decided to make our first stop to get in the downtime mood by finding a Groupon for manicures and pedicures at Aadvanced Bodyworx .  It was definitely relaxing and we were ready to get the flip flops on! Just down the road from the spa was Woody’s BBQ . Judging by the lunchtime crowd, it seemed to be a popular local place. We weren’t disappointed. We ordered combination plates and the roast turkey, mac n cheese, and coleslaw were delicious.  The pulled pork loo

Mountain top Finish to Boyne Highlands Adventure

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I was excited to be invited to Boyne Highlands Resort in Northern Michigan. It also worked out that my brother was able to come from California with my youngest niece and nephew to join me.  I hadn't seen them in a while so it was exciting. Even though I had broken my arm a few weeks before the trip, we were all having a blast.  They had been skiing, ziplining, and snowboarding in the first two days. I had hit the spa and joined in a little tubing. On Sunday morning, we got up early and headed to the buffet breakfast, which is quite extensive at Boyne Highlands Resort .  We didn’t want to eat too much because it would soon be time for a first for all of us – dogsledding. I admit I had thought a bit that it wasn’t fair to the dogs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Royal Canine trains these dogs in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and what they do is up to them. Almost all of them were excited to welcome us and the one who wasn’t in the mo