ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Ormond Beach has a lot to offer other than -- the beach! News 6 is hitting the road, asking locals which places they recommend for visitors. News 6 Anchor and Insider Guide Crystal Moyer got to check them out and has a list of six places you’ll want to visit in Ormond Beach.
1. Cafe One (403 N. US-1)
Rodney Robinson sent WKMG a message saying “for the best breakfast and awesome staff you need to stop in at Cafe One.” This cafe serves up comfort in more ways than one. From the homestyle-cooked food to the friendly staff, you can’t help but feel like you’re at home. This is a spot you’ll see locals visiting frequently, but it’s only open for breakfast and lunch so you’ve got to get there early. Did I mention there’s a Pinball Arcade inside the cafe with more than a dozen pinball machines? This is a must-visit for families venturing out to Ormond Beach.
2. Highbridge Park (39 Highbridge Road)
Alice Bonner recommended this gem saying in a message to WKMG “...visit the famous High Bridge on the loop road.” Type this in the GPS and you’ll be scratching your head because there is no ‘loop road.’ This spot is located along the Ormond Scenic Loop. It’s a one-acre park with a boat dock to the Halifax River, fishing pier and picnic areas. The convenient bait shop on site attracts many fishers to hang out here. Built in 1955, the ‘High Bridge’ -- it’s actually called the Knox Memorial Bridge -- is one of only three remaining drawbridges crossing the intracoastal waterway in Volusia County. It’s a fun spot to watch the bridge come up and down as large boats sail along the Halifax River.
3. Dunn’s Attic and Rosie’s Cafe
Rosanne Dunn suggested we visit a unique consignment shop and cafe sending WKMG a message saying, “Dunn’s Attic and Rosie’s Cafe is a must see. It is a unique high end consignment store with a cafe with homemade breakfast and lunch.” She did not disappoint. The consignment shop is 20,000 square feet of treasures: anything from unique chess boards, to vintage furniture, decorative dishes... all one-of-a-kind. The owner Wes Dunn says there’s more than 4,500 consigners and 1.5 million items part of the consignment store. It will take you a while to cruise through all the unique pieces, so why not have a mimosa. You can head next door to Rosie’s Cafe attached to Dunn’s Attic and grab a $1 mimosa and as well as some breakfast and lunch.
4. Tomoka State Park (2099 N. Beach Street)
If you love nature, you will enjoy visiting Tomoka State Park. Many visitors praise it’s lush ‘old-Florida’ looking trees creating a good amount of shade for a comfortable hike. It’s also a bird-watcher’s paradise, with over 160 species sighted, especially during the spring and fall migrations. Visitors can stroll a half-mile nature trail through a hardwood hammock that was once an indigo field for an 18th-century British landowner. There’s a boat ramp, plenty of picnic areas overlooking the Basin, and there’s full-facility campsites and youth camping programs. You may even run into the large ‘Chief Tomokie’ statue depicting the legend of the fight against Chief Tomokie.
5. Ormond Garage (48 W. Granada Boulevard)
Learn the history of automobile beach racing at the historic Ormond Garage. (Did you know Ormond Beach is the birthplace of speed?) The historic building turned craft brewery and restaurant offers a unique dining experience and laidback atmosphere.
6. Dog Beach in Ormond Beach (Rockefeller Drive to Milsap Road)
Want to enjoy the beach with your fur-babies? Volusia County approved a stretch of Ormond Beach to welcome dogs. You’ll likely make a friend, or two on this dog beach. Be sure to review the rules before you head out and pick up after your pups... you may face a fine if you leave their droppings in the sand.
There’s so much more to explore in Ormond Beach. WKMG-TV will broadcast live from Grind Gastropub & Kona Tiki Bar from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Wednesday Feb. 19 and we hope to see you out there. Let us know in the comments below about your experiences in Ormond Beach. What other spots should people visited when they’re in Ormond Beach? Let us know!