I have just experienced one of the most relaxing, stress-free vacations that I have ever been on. We stayed at Sierra Suites in Daytona Beach. We arrived late for check-in on Saturday evening. The best part of check-in was, there was no check-in, just a simple lockbox. No need to wait impatiently for someone to assign you to a room. You just park the car, go directly to your unit, key in a pre-assigned code and take your keys. It was the first step in our "no hassle" adventure.
Oceanfront View
We were extremely pleased with the location of our 1 bedroom unit. Sierra Suites sits directly on the beach. Our room faced the ocean and the pool, both of which were just steps away from our front door. It was fantastic. We dropped off our bags and took a short ride down Atlantic Ave.
We stopped at "Tailgators" http://tailgatersdaytona.com/ to get a bite to eat and to have a few cocktails before retiring for the evening. The service was fast, the food was good and the drinks were cold. Upon returning to our room for the evening, we agreed not to set the alarm clock the entire trip.
Crashing Waves
The next day we awoke to sounds of crashing waves. It was very calming. We strolled along the beach for an hour and stopped for breakfast at Daytona's famous "Starlite Diner". We took a slow walk back to spend the rest of our afternoon relaxing by the pool and meeting some other travelers. We met some very nice people from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Atlanta and Wisconsin. Everyone was enjoying themselves and commenting on how nice their rooms were. We all agreed how peaceful it was to sit by the pool and listen to the ocean. The only complaint that I heard is that there were no garbage cans in the pool area.
Welcome gathering place
The pool area is a friendly, welcoming gathering place. It was never too crowded or too loud. At any time of day there was a small handful of people chatting about their plans or recalling their adventures and recent vacations. Everyone got to know each other and enjoyed each other’s company while floating around in the pool. There are five gas grills available and guests took advantage of grilling burgers and fish. There were plenty of lounge chairs and also several patio tables with umbrellas incase you needed some shade. And, if you had the urge to get up and actually do something, shuffleboard was an option.
Ice Cream Truck
We spent the entire afternoon either floating in the pool or wading in the ocean to cool off. And, as a bonus... every once in a while the ice cream truck would drive right down the beach and make a pit stop at Sierra Suites. Everything seemed to be right at our fingertips.
Nesting Turtles
A great part about Sierra Suites is that is the ideal location for when you want peace and quiet, yet only minutes away from the action. Later that evening, we headed out for dinner at the "Oyster Pub"and then stopped at a friendly Irish tavern called "Robbie O'Connell's" http://robbieoconnellspub.com/. When we returned to the resort, we took a stroll on the beach in the moonlight and came across large holes in the sand. We learned that the giant holes are made by turtles who dig in the sand to lay their eggs and then return back to the ocean. It was very interesting, but too dark to take pictures.
Best Hash Browns on the East Coast
Sierra Suites is conveniently positioned to reach several other tourist attractions outside of Daytona Beach without any hassle or headache. One morning, we unexpectedly woke early up to watch the sunrise and decided to head to Universal Studios in Orlando. We stopped at a nearby restaurant named "Sherry's" which offered an all you can eat breakfast buffet for 4.99 before heading out of Daytona. It was delicious!! I can confirm that "Sherry" makes the best hash browns on the east coast. It was only about an hour drive to Universal. Just jump on Rt.4 West and look for the Universal signs. It couldn't be any easier. We spent the entire day at both parks and enjoyed lunch at Margaritaville at City Walk. After returning to Daytona we picked up a Greek Pizza from a local pizza shop and had a few drinks by pool.
St. Augustine
Our short trip to Orlando was so comforting without having to fumble around with awkward maps or confusing directions that the next day we decided to venture out again. This time we drove north along the coast. We took the scenic Rt. 1 to St. Augustine where we stopped for lunch. Again, no need for maps or directions...just sit back, relax and follow the road. St. Augustine has beautiful beaches and a quaint historical district with cobble stone streets and many choices for shopping or dinning. Be sure to visit the fort and the lighthouse while you are there. We continued north to Jacksonville to visit a friend and enjoyed dinner at a local micro brewery. It was only about an hour drive back on 95 South to Daytona.
The entire experience at Sierra Suites was very tranquil and serene. Yet, the vacation was filled with excitement and adventure. I was saddened when we had to leave what became our home away home for a few days. On the last day, after catching a little bit more sun at the pool and beach, we packed our bags and said good-bye to the other sun-worshipers at Sierra. We placed the keys back in the lock box and away we went to the airport. It was a very relaxing, hassle-free vacation. So, what are you waiting for? You deserve it!! I'm already planning my next one. I'm thinking about Myrtle Beach!!
