Okay well my husband is home and he is helping me try to remember what some of the hotels are named now . We were there a few months back and made note of what a few were renamed as in areas we knew were safe.
I grew up there so I can tell you without doubt that Daytona Beach side has gotten worse over the years. On a funny but unrelated sidenote I read on Yahoo news a couple weeks back ( this is a true story) that 2 drug dealers actually called 911 when a drug deal went bad and the other drug dealers stole their money. lol Needless to say the idiot dealers gave the location they were in and were arrested.
I know that the Adams Mark which looks like a nice hotel ( formally the Marriot) had 2 drug lord living there at one point. So yeah , you definatly want to stay away. It looks nice but its not .
On the upside Ormond is minutes down the road ( A1A) from Daytona so you are still close to all of Daytonas attractions but not the crime. Right on the Daytona / Ormond beachside line is a shopping plaza with a Publix. From that point North things improve greatly.
If you go along the beachside into Ormond there are a few nice hotels . I listed ones I knew were in safe areas but I havent seen inside the rooms recently. I do know most of them were remodeled recently.
This Best Western is near where I used to live. Near tourist shops and right on the water and near the Publix but away from the more crime type area.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...rn_Castillo_Del_Sol-Ormond_Beach_Florida.html
This place is near the one above and nothing fancy but safe .
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...ove_on_Ormond_Beach-Ormond_Beach_Florida.html
This is also on the ocean and even further into Ormond which is even better in my opinion .
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...ews-Royal_Floridian-Ormond_Beach_Florida.html
None of the hotels above are fancy. I dont think we really had any like that . Its kind of a quiet beach town .
There is a pizza place in Ormond Beach on the beachside 185 East Granada Ormond Beach is the plazas address. And the place is called Genovese Pizza. They have been there for 20 years or more. There is a ice cream place and a Ruby Tuesday ( Or TGI FRidays I get them confused. lol) in the plaza as well.
If you go further north straight up A1A you will be in St Augustine. Its about 30 minutes but worth the drive. Beautiful historic town with stuff even the kids would love. One of my favorite places in the world. Its like New Orleans but its the Spanish Quarter versus the French Quarter. Lots of nice shops and resturants . They have a fort that kids love to explore , horse drwan carriages , cobblestone roads , and lots of fun tours. They have one the most beautiful beaches as well.
If you drive from Ormond Beach North down A1A you will see that the beach sands turn red and further down there are sand dunes.
Hope some of that helps. I dont want to overload you with stuff . Especially if you already decided on something. If I can help with anything lmk.
