Vacation Day 4- Thursday

We got up early (partly because of the traffic noise and partly because of the neighbor noise) ate breakfast downstairs and headed out. The kiddos were anxious to get to our final stop that night. Me too! So climbing back in the car wasn't too arduous when we knew the best was yet to come. When we stopped for gas around 11am we had just crossed into Florida. And so began the humidity (which was weird to us for January, but nothing like July) and the tourist advertising. Disney tees for $3 and knick knacky stuff everywhere. It was a little exciting to me, honestly, because that meant we were getting there. A few hours more and we were in Daytona Beach. I have such fond memories of this place growing up. California beaches ain't got nothing on Daytona and south Florida. Who wants rocky cold beaches you have to wear a wet suit in, when you can have warm, fine, brown sand between your toes and warm water splashing on your legs? The kids (and I) were glued to the windows as we passed through town. Weird I never seemed to notice the poverty along the highway coming into Daytona. All the glamor is on the tourist "island". As you go up and over the bridge, there is a distinct change in view.
We had again Pricelined this room and were anxious to see what our money had got us. With a title like Hilton Ocean Walk Village Daytona Beach, we were pretty sure we were safe from the terrors of Macon. Boy or boy were we ever. The kids were plastered to the side window of the van when I went inside to check us in.
We had actually booked 2 adjoining rooms for the first night, but hadn't been able to get it for our second night. The risk of Pricelining, I guess. I did everything I could do get us a suite or a walk out room on the beach level, but they were booked up. We still got a super nice room. We unloaded our gear and headed to the sand. It was about 5pm or so by then and the sun was starting to go down. Whatever warmth might've gone with the day was quickly fading. But that didn't stop our curious kiddos from heading out to the water's edge. We splashed for a few minutes with our pant legs rolled up before walking the beat of the warmer (and dryer) "boardwalk". I love boardwalks. It's just fun. The food. The games. Of course, we never had the money for it growing up and since we still don't- we only watch and smell and window shop. But we always give in to buy just a little something. Coleson was all agape at the cool bungee jumping apparatus. We reminded him of his money that he could spend where he wanted. $50 from Christmas- all to himself. But when it was gone, it was gone. He decided to hold onto it for a bit.
On down, we came to another beach shop. Every boardwalk has one shop that beats everyone else's prices and amount of inventory. Usually a corner type store. Almost like the Wal-Mart of the area, but with a local name. Anyway, we found it and, since we're budget shoppers, stopped in. There we found Coleson a pair of swim trunks (he'd grown out of his and I couldn't find them anywhere at stores at home in January) and the boys found these totally awesome huge blue and red shovels. They were perfect for what we planned the next day. So they used the first of their money (aside from frequent gum purchases on the days driving).

Then at another shop, Jared and I bought the boys shark tooth necklaces, because they were just so stink'n cool (and the cheapest we'd seen) and a dolphin bead necklace for the princess. After boardwalk'n for awhile we stopped for dinner at a place called Sloppy Joes. It was between that and Bubba Gump's Shrimp. We decided the first place had more food the kids would eat, but then we wished afterwards that we'd gone for what we really wanted. Oh well. The food was still good and we dragged ourselves back to our hotel by way of an absolutely stunning night time ocean walk.  It was just beautiful.