The Best of 2015

The year is coming to a close. During 2015, Creative Florida Living explored many of the interesting, fun, educational, and enriching things to do and places to go. In this post, we will look back and explore the best of...

Outside things to do

Coastal Central Florida is teaming with opportunities for outdoor activities. Over the course of the year, we talked about some of them in this very blog. Follow the links to find out more.

Sunglow Pier Fishing Near Port Orange, South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores, Wilbur by the Sea – the pier is easily accessible and makes for inexpensive outdoor fun!

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse The lighthouse is spectacular. Accompanied by a museum that talks about the life of the lighthouse keepers, this activity takes you in and out of doors. Great for you, kids, and your guests.

Central Florida Springs The springs in Central Florida are of breath-taking beauty. Each one has different activities and all of them are quickly accessed by car.

 

Inside things to do

In the summer months, it gets pretty steamy, so it is nice to have some indoor options!

Cinematique - This independent movie theater gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Not only do you get to see fabulous films and avant-garde film festivals, the popcorn is a whole lot less expensive than in the commercial movie theaters.

Southeast Museum of Photography - Truly excellent photographic exhibits, along with artist talks and docent lectures, make this museum outstanding.

Mary Bethune House   A valuable piece of Central Florida history.

 Waterfront dining

Waterfront dining is part of Florida living. Here are a few of our favorite outdoor restaurants.

Crabby Joe’s Deck and Grill is on the Sunglow pier. You can eat and drink while sitting right on top of the water!

Captain Daddy’s  features Florida fare in a unique riverboat restaurant.

Boondocks – a long established restaurant on the Halifax river. 

 Inside dining

 

Third Wave Café New Smyrna Beach’s café and restaurant features fresh, interesting food and drink selections in a fabulous indoor/outdoor setting.

Hamburger Mary’s Fun and quirky, Hamburger Mary’s is part of Daytona’s Beach Street life.

Adam’s Kitchen This local gourmet restaurant has a small, seasonal menu, and lots of delicious events.

Stay tuned for interesting discoveries in this blog in 2016!! Happy New Year!

 

Creative Florida Living 

Janet Sells 

Casual Dining on the Water - Our Deck Down Under

It’s a Florida thing – dining on the water. Between the Halifax River and the Atlantic Ocean, there are many places to eat, drink, and have fun by or on the water.The weather is perfect during this time of year for outside dining!

Our Deck Down Under in Port Orange has been operating for decades. They are located under the Dunlawton Bridge and feature long decks on two sides of the restaurant. Most people sit outside, but even if you are inside, you can see water everywhere! 

 

There is nothing more beautiful to be on the river when the sun is setting. At Our Deck you can enjoy that view and atmosphere while munching on peel-and-eat shrimp, crab legs, oysters, fried fish, and much more. Everything served here is super fresh and tasty. No gourmet dishes here – it is a tried and true waterfront seafood restaurant.

Our Deck has a full bar, and they often offer specials for buckets or pitchers of beer. You order at the counter, and the many awesome waitresses will bring you your food, including more food and drink if you want!

Our Deck can get very busy during our tourist season, bike weeks, race weeks, etc. So plan that into your visit when you go. A busy restaurant never seems to impede the quality of food or the service, though. And once you have a table overlooking the beautiful river, Seabird Island, boats, and the occasional dolphin, you won’t mind having waited a bit for your food.

 

Whether you are a local, are visiting, or are considering relocating to our gorgeous area, definitely check out Our Deck Down Under. But don’t feed the birds!