Smart Traveller

In the previous post in our series about  Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, we looked at some of the things that you can see and do in Tomoka State Park, if you stop off there during your Florida car hire holiday. In this post, we look at some of the attractions further along the route.

Once you’ve explored Tomoka State Park, if you head south and then drive across the Granada Bridge, you’ll arrive at Ormond Beach. The city has a number of attractions, and there are also hotels, shopping malls and restaurants, so it’s a great place to stay for a few days.

Ormond Beach is known as “the birthplace of speed”, as it was here that the automobile races that were the forerunners to NASCAR racing took place  more than a century ago. In 1906, Fred Marriott set the land-speed record for a steam-driven car in the Stanley Rocket on the sands of Ormond Beach, a record that still stands today. Although the racing later moved to Daytona, there are still many racing-related events held in Ormond Beach in order to celebrate its history and you can drive on the beach for a small fee.

Historic attractions in Ormond Beach include The Casements (25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach), which was the winter home of John D. Rockerfeller between 1918 and his death in 1937. The Casements was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was later bought by the City of Ormond Beach for use as a cultural centre. The building is currently undergoing extensive renovations.

Other attractions in Ormond Beach include the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens (78 E. Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida). The museum holds regular temporary art exhibitions and you can also explore the gardens. There is a parking lot at the south end of the gardens, so you can leave your hire car there while you are visiting the museum.

If you fancy wandering around the shops, head for one of the city’s shopping centres and malls, which include Trails Shopping Center (300 N, Nova Road, Ormond Beach, Florida). There are many restaurants in Ormond Beach, including La Crepe En Haut Restaurant (Fountain Square, 142 E. Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach), which specialises in French Nouvelle Cuisine, and the Charlie Horse Restaurant (810 South Atlantic Avenue, Ormond Beach, Florida), which is known for its “all-you-can-eat” crab legs specials.

Ormond Beach’s hotels include The Cove on Ormond Beach (145 S. Atlantic Avenue, Ormond Beach, Florida) and the Jameson Inn (175 Interchange Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida).

Once you’ve explored Ormond Beach, head north along the coast road back to Flagler Beach via the small town of Ormond by the Sea to complete your tour of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail.

Image: Ebyabe

The Corniche is Abu Dhabi’s seaside promenade, and is popular with both residents and tourists. It stretches for about 6.4km and has recently undergone major redevelopment. You can drive along the Corniche Road, but the best way to see it is to walk, cycle or jog along it.

If you take a stroll along the Corniche, you’ll be able to admire the modern skyscrapers and luxurious hotels on one side of you, and gaze out across the beautiful crystal blue waters on the other side of you towards Lulu Island. You can sit on one of the many benches along the route and relax whilst watching the dhows (traditional Arab boats), or even head out onto the water yourself on a dhow cruise.

In 2008, a new stretch of beach alongside the Corniche was opened to the public. The beach has designated swimming areas and four beach volleyball courts, as well as shaded seating areas. There are also play areas for children and landscaped gardens nearby. Abu Dhabi Corniche Beach is open from 7 a.m. until midnight, and there is a small admission fee.

There are many hotels alongside and near to the Corniche, and in the next post in this series, we’ll be taking a look at some of them.

However, if you want to find out more about Abu Dhabi in the meantime, you can find links to previous posts in this series below:

• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Emirates Heritage Village:  learn more about this popular tourist attraction.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi Overview: this post contains key information about Abu Dhabi and the other United Arab Emirates.
• Airport Guides - Abu Dhabi International Airport: essential information about the airport for anyone booking flights to Abu Dhabi.

Steve Keenan of the Times Online has put together a list of what he considers to be the 20 best travel books of the past century.

Topping the list is Wilfrid Thesiger’s “The Danakil Diary - Journeys through Abyssinia, 1930 -4″, in which the explorer and historian documents his 1930s trip to the country now known as Ethiopia.

Other books that made it onto the list include Paul Theroux’s “The Great Railway Bazaar”, Laurie Lee’s “As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning”, Bill Bryson’s “Notes From a Small Island” and Colin Thubron’s “The Silk Road: Beyond the Celestial Kingdom”.