One of the best things about living in Florida is going to the beach. The next best thing about living in Florida is going to the beach in April or May and going swimming when there are no tourists. For me, the beach is the ultimate place to get grounded. All I have to do is enjoy the sound of the waves brushing the shore and the squawks of seabirds flying above, and not forget the sunscreen. To me, the ocean is the beauty of Nature at Her finest.
Since moving to Florida, we have been checking out as many beaches as possible to find a favorite. A place we can go to relax, unwind and just enjoy quality time being tranquil and peaceful. Our first in the running has got to be Ormond Beach. Ormond Beach lies only a few miles from the hustle and bustle of Daytona Beach. Their relative closeness is where the similarities end. Where Daytona is full of trinket shops and tourists, Ormond Beach is full of residential areas and pelicans. You can sit there all day and only see a few people, but they are never near enough to you to break the spell of feeling you are alone with Nature and her vast splendor.
Another perk of going to Ormond Beach, is that on Granada Blvd, the main road that takes you to the beach, lies Volcano’s a coffee bar and roaster that serves…(drums, please…….) GELATO! This as I have mentioned before has been something of a quest to find in Central Florida. Volcano’s makes their own gelato in the store using all natural ingredients. The day we went there, I had almond. It was more icy than creamy, but the flavor was delicious. It was a natural almond flavor as opposed to that sickly almond flavoring that many almond desserts taste of. Roberto’s Tiramisu was very reminiscent of the dessert it is named for and creamy in consistency as gelato should be. Volcano’s also has beautiful salads, panini, Island fruit smoothies and a large array of coffee and tea drinks that you can get Alto, Enorme or Profondo! We have decided on a return trip to Ormond Beach, we will have to get some goodies to go for a wonderful beach picnic!
After our wonderful day at the beach, taking in some rays, playing in the sand and swimming, we decided to go for dinner. We wanted to try something local and seafood. So we went to Barnacles Restaurant and Lounge. It sits right on the water and has a very fun and islandy décor. If you get there between the hours of 4-6 PM they have a $9.99 menu that comes with an entrée, the salad bar, fresh biscuits and a side item. You can add a bottle of wine for another $9.99. Sounds like date night! Unfortunately we were a bit late and had to go for the regular menu. We were started off with the most flaky, garlicky, delicious hot biscuits. The top of each biscuit was browned, crunchy and buttery. I could have eaten the entire basket myself! For dinner, I felt like having something fresh and fruity, so I went for the Bacon Wrapped Scallop Lollipops, which were served with a raspberry sauce and rice. The scallops were the sweetest and largest I have ever tasted. Every bite was a savored privilege to enjoy. I was also able to enjoy the salad bar that came with Roberto’s meal. It was a nice addition to my lollipops, but not enough variety to justify its price tag a la carte. Roberto was happy with his choice of The Barnacles Platter which came with shrimp, Alaskan snow crab, fish and those enormous scallops and a side. It was broiled, tender and full of the flavors of the sea. Just what we were looking for!
After dining, we stepped right out on the beach and enjoyed a night time stroll. The moon was full and low in the sky. It reflected into the water below and was such a dramatic backdrop to end our wonderful day together in the sun!
Volcano’s Coffee Bar & Roastery
1930 W/ Granada Blvd.
Tymber Creek Plaza
Ormond Beach, FL
Barnacles Restaurant & Lounge
869 South Atlantic Avenue
Ormond Beach, FL
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