rbAA

I used to stay at the Holiday Inns in Daytona, as I'm not really interested in the Orlando area and the rats (aka Mickey and Minnie) don't thrill me. Daytona has some great beaches. The HIResort seems a little older than the HI & Suites just north of there, but both always gave me a nice oceanview room with a good sized balcony and you can walk right out the back door to the beach. Reasonably priced on points right now too. If you're a golfer, the HI St Augustine World Golf was fine, or try the one at LPGA Drive if you might want to tee it up from the ladies' tee.St Augustine has some great beaches as well, but I bought my FL property just south in Palm Coast, as I liked the body surfing there better, at Flagler Beach. Great shopping at the outlets in St Aug-Polo shirts in all sizes and colors at outlet prices and Cross sandals or shoes (I try to avoid wearing shoes as I live in Bangkok now.) There's a great Thai restaurant in Palm Coast-Thai by Thai. Nice and spicy and great great curries, and the owner is from Thailand, as are the cooks, at least when we were there, as my GF is Thai.

Of course, if you just want a place to hang out in Orlando, I've liked the StayBridge Suites at the airport. Boring, but comfortable and Sonny's BBQ is nearby, well they are almost everywhere, but decent.. Of course, I've also stayed in Jacksonville, and actually liked the two Candlewood Suites there. Jacksonville is deader than disco, but it depends on what you like. I'm more the beach type. Jacksonville Beach has some good seafood places, and a beach, though last time I was there, the jellyfish were in season.