Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach, Florida, which can be found due north of Daytona Beach, is an excellent place to base yourself when visiting the central part of the state. In addition to being minutes from everything that Daytona Beach has to offer, those who are enjoying an Ormond Beach vacation will also be about an hour's drive from Orlando and its many attractions. Getting out and exploring the region might prove somewhat difficult when visiting Ormond Beach, however, as it boasts its own fair share of attractions. Take the Tomoka State Park, for example, which is one of the best places to get in touch with nature in the Daytona Beach area. There's also the long, wide, and sandy beach, which is ideal for sunning, surfing, and languid strolls. For a small city, Ormond Beach has a lot to offer, and its fascinating history is just part of its allure.

Before the Spanish started arriving in Florida in the 1500s, the Timucua Indians called northeast and northcentral Florida home, not to mention parts of southeastern Georgia. At Ormond Beach, the Timucua had erected a fortified village, which many believe was situated at the current site of Tomoka State Park. Not much remains from the Timucua, who are now an extinct tribe, though you can visit the Tomoka Mounds and Middens archaeological site to gain some insight into their way of life. Though the Spanish reigned over Florida for a few hundred years, it wasn't until the early 1800s when settlers began arriving to the Ormond Beach area. Plantation life dominated the scene in the early 1800s, and you can learn more about it at the Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, which can be found just up the coast from Ormond Beach.

The Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park boasts the Sugar Mill Ruins, which figures on the National Register of Historic Sites. Other ruins include a small house, remnants of the plantation house's foundations, and slave cabins. Most of the plantation was destroyed during the Second Seminole War in 1836, which helped to delay the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States. During your visit to the Bulow Plantation, you can take the walking trail to the ruins if you please, or drive along the loop road and enjoy the views. Stopping for a picnic is recommended, since the park has picnic facilities, and you can go fishing off the dock or from a boat during your visit as well. Canoeing on the creek is also possible, and you can rent a canoe if you don't have. There are many reasons why the Bulow Plantation deserves inclusion on your Ormond Beach travel itinerary, and learning about regional history is just one of them. Don't forget to stop by the interpretive center, which offers tremendous insight into the plantation's past.

Just south of the Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park is where you will find Bulow Creek State Park, which is renowned for its surviving stands of Southern Live Oak forest. There are no less than 3,230 acres of upland forest to explore here, and you'll definitely want to check out the Fairchild Oak during your visit. At approximately 800 years old, it's one of the oldest, not to mention largest Oak trees in the South. An Ormond Beach vacation can be all about outdoor recreation, thanks to parks like Bulow Creek State Park and Tomoka State Park. Found near the meeting point of the Halifax and Tomoka rivers, this scenic park boasts great nature trails, plenty of boating and canoeing opportunities, and some good fishing. It's also one of the best places in the Daytona Beach area to go camping, not to mention birdwatching. When recreation at Ormond Beach is what you have in mind, Tomoka State Park can surely meet your needs.

Speaking of recreational opportunities, those who are enjoying an Ormond Beach vacation are likely to fancy some time at the beach. Sunbathing and swimming are among the top things to do at the beach here, and when the waves are up, surfing is possible. The best Ormond Beach hotels and vacation rentals overlook the long beach here, which is really part of the larger beach that stretches on down to Daytona Beach Shores and beyond. When you're not hanging out at the beach, other things worthy of inclusion on your Ormond Beach travel itinerary include a visit to The Casements and a round or two of golf on one of the local golf courses. The Casements, which was once an estate that was owned by John D. Rockerfeller, is now the city's cultural center. As for the local golf courses, the Halifax Plantation Golf Club boasts one of the best.

There's seemingly no end to the list of things that Ormond Beach travel has to offer. Historic sites, an inviting beach, and some excellent golf courses are just some of the things that make an Ormond Beach vacation so satisfying. Ormond Beach is only about a ten minute drive from the Daytona International Airport, so if you're flying in, you can get here in no time once you finish at the baggage claim.