Daytona Beach Shores: my oceanfront getaway

Weekend Getaway: Daytona Beach Shores

Over the summer, bf and I headed east for some time away from workplace stress. Where to? Daytona Beach Shores. It served us up a healthy dose of some much-needed R & R and crashing ocean waves.

Daytona Beach Shores is a small, 5.5-mile long, beach town on a barrier island immediately south of Daytona Beach and roughly 8-minutes from the famous Daytona Beach Boardwalk. It has a touristy vibe yet feels more “local” or residential than its northern neighbor. It’s flanked by water on both sides with the Intracoastal Waterway being on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east.

Cozy Oceanfront Getaway: My First AirBnb

We usually stay in hotels whenever we travel, but this time, we opted for an Airbnb that was quaint and provided a gorgeous view of the Atlantic. We stayed in what our host, Francis, describes as a “cozy oceanfront getaway” and it lived up to the name. First of all, it’s actually a hotel room that’s privately owned. A foreign concept to me but cool nonetheless. Our room was also perfectly located at the end of the building and provided easy parking, pool, and beach access.

Now, the room!

Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted with a breathtaking view of Daytona Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The room was clean and at a cool temperature, and the two Coronas in the fridge were a nice touch. The Queen size bed was comfortable and I loved the fluffy blankets and pillows.

The best part, and where we ended up spending most of our time, was the private balcony. It allowed for some beautiful sunrises, but also made for some fantastic people watching. If only you knew how many cars got stuck in the sand on a daily basis. Absolute comedy.

Francis was pretty spectacular and what I’d imagine you’d want from any Airbnb host. He was flexible, accommodating, courteous, and quick to communicate. He also gave us a restaurant recommendation in Crabby Joe’s, which had amazing food and a gorgeous view to match.

My only complaint was the door as it’s on the heavy side. It wasn’t a total pain for me but I can see it being so for some. Would it deter me from booking again? Absolutely not. This may have been my first Airbnb experience, but I hope others are like it. Good host, good room, good view.

Photos from Ponce Inlet

One of the four days we were on the east coast, we took a quick drive south to Ponce Inlet. It’s only 10 minutes from our Airbnb and is known for being an excellent fishing destination. Bf and I packed our fishing rods for this trip and there was a bait shop across the street from the Airbnb, so we were good to go.

I actually caught and released three juvenile mangrove snapper in the first hour with the biggest being just shy of the mandatory 10″ to take home. I know. Pics or it didn’t happen. I was wading in the inlet and way too excited to stop for a photo that day, so no fish pics. Enjoy the view though!

Headed to Daytona? Check out my post on where to eat in Daytona Beach!