BoomerGirl Diary

Not into bikes, bikers or speed?

More interested in a picture-perfect beach, with every amenity within an arm's length?

How about hotels with oceanfront pools and Tiki bars, so you can dream away the day on your lounger and languidly wave your arm for another Bloody Mary, or Tequila Sunrise, or Screwdriver … (Those have actually always been what I regard as “acceptable drinks” if you’re starting before noon.)

Why not try a massage or a facial to promote that “I’m really on vacation” experience?

Or some culture so you feel that you weren’t a total beach bum?

The Beach

The names gives it away. Daytona Beach.

The waves can be gentle or boisterous. The color of the sea changes from turquoise to deep blue-green.

There are miles and miles of hard-packed sand. Perfect for building sand castles. Perfect for long walks (for those of you who are not beach-walking babes, sinking into loose sand is really not fun.) Easy on the feet in the ocean. (These are no small considerations: I once did a week at a beach where the sand was so loose you sank to your ankles if you tried to walk, and so covered with shell fragments that you needed water-shoes to get in the ocean … it put a crimp in the vacation.)

Now, if you want remote, with natural dunes, no hotels or amenities, this may not be the best match … although there is just such a beach just south of Daytona that is a state park. Daytona is the beach with something for everyone, 36 miles worth. There are readily available rental stations for beach bikes, scooters and four-wheelers. You can try parasailing right from the beach, up-into-the-sky for a stunning bird's eye view of the entire coast and city. You can rent boogie boards or surf boards or comfy beach chairs and umbrellas. Get a hot dog or an ice cream, or stop in a beach-front open-air restaurant for some fresh seafood.

There are sections of the beach that you can drive on… as well as vehicle-free areas. This tradition, beach driving, goes back 100 years. It is very well regulated, with "lanes" and parking, But if you are not in a beachfront hotel, the benefit is that you don’t have to walk blocks and blocks loaded down with towels and chairs and toys: it’s all right there in the car trunk. (When my kids were little, this was a feature I really, really liked.)

Lodging

There are a wide variety of accommodations available, from elegant upscale to laid-back casual.

I spent three nights at The Shores Resort and Spa, in the Daytona Shores area (southern end of Daytona.) It had a lovely lobby area (high ceilings, beautiful wood, several comfortable seating areas), inviting inside bar (clubby and continental), outside Tiki bar between the pool and huge Jacuzzi. The restaurant was very upscale, with indoor and outdoor seating. The spa, tucked away above the lobby, offered massages, facials and special treatments, with no hard-sell of product lines (which can be a relief.) The Shores is perfect for a romantic getaway or girlfriend getaway. From the 42-inch plasma-screen TVs in every room, a bathroom so elegant I almost took pictures, and a balcony with tables and chairs that overlooked the waves, it was a quality experience.

In addition to chain hotels, Daytona Beach has an abundance of smaller hotels… the kind that used to be called “mom & pop.” In the booklet “Superior Small Lodgings,” the names of the owners/hosts are in every listing, next to a photo of the place. So, you can call and talk to Merle at the Flamingo Inn or Audrey at the Tropical Manor or Wally and Mary at the Symphony Beach Club. Go to www.my.daytonalodging.com for info.

Spas

Spas are increasingly ubiquitous, and Daytona Beach is no exception.

Ocean Waters Spa, in the historic Plaza Resort and Spa, has a European style, 16 treatment rooms, salon, sauna, fitness center. Vacation Therapy Spa at the Ocean Walk Resort (massages, body treatments, manicures-pedicures, waxing. etc.) is good for a massage to a full-day of pampering. Spa Terre at The Shores Resort and Spa has an Indonesian and Thai flavor to its treatments, as well as minerals and herbs indigenous to Florida. Fragrance is a part of most treatments. All hotel spas take appointments from non-guests. Plus, there is an array of day-spas. (Check the Yellow Pages.)

Culture

My favorite here is the Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS), in part because it is so eclectic that everyone in the family will find something they really like. There are interactive exhibits of the history of Florida, starting with the prehistoric (try a 13-foot skeleton of a giant ground sloth) and moving into the present. There are unique collections: Coca Cola memorabilia, Cuban art, Chinese art, 19th century jewelry, Teddy Bears, railroad cars, African art, an American collection (furniture, paintings, decorative arts). There’s a planetarium and laser light show. I really enjoyed the walkways through acres of nature preserve. www.moas.org

See the Fred Dana Marsh Museum at Tomoka State Park, featuring Marsh’s sculptures, plus indigenous natural and historical exhibits. The Black Heritage Museum houses a collection of memorabilia related to race relations and history in small town Florida. The Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens features Florida and international artists, plus lush tropical gardens.

The list goes on and on.

In Deland, a historic town just a brief ride away, you’ll find: Gillespie Museums of Gems at Stetson University with more than 25,000 minerals, fossils, gemstones, corals, meteorites and rocks; African American Museum of the Arts, with art from Nigeria, Kenya, Madagascar and Zimbabwe (six annual rotating exhibits); Museum of Florida Art; Duncan Gallery of Art at Stetson University (student and faculty art); Deland Memorial Hospital Museum; Deland Naval Air Station Museum… and more. DeLand is a fun excursion with good restaurants and charming downtown.

I’m not sure where a lighthouse fits. Is it culture? History? Fun? Anyway, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Museum is a must-visit if you are in Daytona Beach. The tallest lighthouse in Florida, it is rich with history. It is also fascinating to see the Lens Exhibit Building, with two fully restored Fresnel lenses, and exhibits that explain the history and technology of lighthouse illumination. There are several buildings on site, and you can climb (if you’re fit) to the top of the lighthouse for a panoramic view of the coast. It’s like entering a piece of history.

Overall, my biggest surprise as far as Daytona Beach “culture” was learning of the Florida International Festival (July 13-29 in ’07), a 17-day festival of international performers highlighted by several performances of the London Symphony Orchestra. It’s pretty impressive. Coordinating a beach vacation with this festival makes for a special experience.

Then there’s the Seaside Music Theater, known for its lavish musicals, and the Daytona Beach Symphony Society which offers orchestra, ballet and opera.

This is just a quick overview. For full details, go to www.daytonabeach.com

Next week, we continue with dining, more activities and attractions, a bit on shopping and … chocolate. Oops, forgot the turtles. Turtles are a very important part of Daytona Beach. Must include turtles!