No matter where youre staying in Daytona Beach, Port Orange, or Ormond Beach, you're always minutes away from the nearest beach access. Daytona beaches have accessible ramps and surf chairs (wheelchairs designed for moving over sand) for those who need them.
To become familiar with county-regulated safety guidelines, visit: https://www.volusia.org/services/public-protection/beach-safety/beach-rules.stml
The bride and groom fell in love on these shores. As neighbors, they used to walk to the beach at the end of their street, just to talk to each other late into the night.
Located in mainland Daytona Beach, One Daytona has a little bit of everything! It's a "contemporary retail and entertainment complex with shops, eateries, a cinema, bowling and arcade games."
The groom highly suggests stopping by Game Time for cocktails (though, he really prefers whiskey neat) and his favorite dish, chicken and waffles! The bride recommends going to Ben & Jerry’s for a scoop of “Chunky Monkey,” and would like to remind everyone that, if you eat dessert before dinner, you don’t have to worry about saving room for it.
"A shopping-mall featuring a variety of brand-name and designer outlet stores."
Here, while shopping for shoes, the couple had discovered that Gabrielle could, in fact, fit into children's sizes. She was mortified, but he was excited about all of the money he would save.
Overlooking the ocean, Ocean Walk is a three-story shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Here, you have a selection of restaurants (including the famous, Forrest Gump-themed, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.), a cinema, the Mai Tai Bar, dessert shops, and retail stores to visit. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a live music performance at the Band Shell!
In the early days of their relationship, Nicholas and Gabrielle used to make frequent stops at the Cold Stone Creamery, here--regardless of whether or not they were in their pajamas.
In a single location, the Grind Gastropub and the Kona Tiki Bar offer both a warm, industrial atmosphere indoors, and a lively, tropical space outdoors. They have eclectic food and drink menus and live music, nightly!
The bride and groom consider this their top recommendation! They suggest having dinner inside the Grind, then moving outdoors to the Tiki Bar!
Yes, as in Jimmy Buffett, LandShark lager, margaritas, and parrot motifs. This restaurant has been built directly on the beach and offers both indoor and outdoor dining.
What does the couple order when they're here?
Nicholas: A Rum Runner to drink, Taco Nachos to start, a Caribbean Burger to eat, and Coconut Bread Bread Pudding to finish.
Gabrielle: A Five O'clock Somewhere to drink, an Ahi Poke Bowl to eat, and Key Lime Pie to finish.
"Rev up your engines and head down to BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in world-famous Daytona Beach. We’re located on International Speedway Boulevard right next to the racetrack and just steps from Turn 1. Our bar area features many TVs so you can catch the day’s sporting and racing events. Or, step out onto our patio with heated lanterns and umbrellas to enjoy the outdoors."
Nicholas will tell you, he has dreams about their Pizookies.
The Streamline Hotel has a rooftop bar with a view of both the ocean and downtown Daytona Beach. "Opened in 1940, the Streamline was a popular refuge for celebrities, race car drivers and even moonshine gangsters. Now, fully restored with Art Deco style and elegance, its presence pays homage to a rich history and storied past."
Over the years, this has been the place where Nicholas has come to know Gabrielle's extended family. It's also where he'd first formally announced his intention to marry her.
"The Rose Villa has been a staple in the Ormond Beach community since the late 1800s. For over 100 years, this building has lived many lives, witnessed a multitude of history-making events, and met a plethora of astounding people – with it all leading the Rose to the one-of-a-kind dining experience it is today.
Rumor has it there is a secret door within the Rose Villa where guests can access our speakeasy. If legends are true, our upstairs absinthe and dessert bar is the perfect place to enjoy evenings, late nights and after-dinner drinks, delicious desserts and light fare. Come see if the rumors are true for yourself – just ask your server!"
This is the couple’s favorite brunch spot! The bride will find any excuse to go here.
Roughly one hour away from Daytona Beach, Orlando is the hub of the state’s theme parks. There are nine major attractions in the area, including those of Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios), Universal Orlando (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure), SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, and LEGOLand. Additionally, there plenty of water parks and other, smaller attractions throughout the entire region of central Florida.
When they’re not going to concerts and stand-up shows in Orlando, Nicholas and Gabrielle are at Universal Studios (probably attending their favorite event of the year, Halloween Horror Nights). As far as smaller attractions go, the couple recommends attending a live, interactive performance/showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (a movie they have memorized line-for-line)!
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex provides an interactive experience that is "organized into Mission Zones, where attractions and tours are grouped by chronological era. From the dawn of space exploration to current and ongoing missions, you can get an up-close, hands-on feel for the story of humans in space. Fuel your quest for inspiration right here."
Nicholas had enjoyed a visit here as a child, while a younger Gabrielle couldn't be paid, bribed, or coerced into going to an attraction with no roller coasters. Interpret this as foreshadowing who will be helping the kids with their science homework.
St. Augustine, known as The Ancient City, is the oldest city in the United States and it “boasts a year-round mild climate perfect for strolling the delightful historic district, with its cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, bars, unique shops, and bed and breakfast inns.” Here, you’ll find St. George Street (a shopping strip with an antiquated charm) and other attractions like Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum, Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archeological Park, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, as well as horse-drawn, trolley, and ghost tours.
St. Augustine is a very important city to the couple and has been a place where they’ve shared many important milestones, including their engagement! Nicholas proposed in the courtyard of the Cathedral Basilica, on the corner of St. George Street and Cathedral Place.
"Bok Tower Gardens has offered some of Florida’s most remarkable experiences to more than 23 million visitors since 1929. The Gardens offer unparalleled opportunities for artistic, cultural, personal and spiritual enrichment. At Bok Tower Gardens there is something to discover for visitors of all ages."