We just returned from a wonderful four day, three night stay at The Shores Resort in Spa in Daytona Shores Florida. As I mentioned in my post Tips for an Overnight Stay in Daytona Beach, The Shores Resort and Spa was not my first choice for this trip. This vacation was part of a special vacation deal I was offered from Wyndham and my first choice was not available. With that said, after seeing the crowds at my first choice, I am very happy we were at The Shores but is this a good place to vacation with kids?
The Location – Daytona Beach Shores
Daytona Beach Shores is located on the barrier island directly south of Daytona Beach, Florida. The Atlantic Ocean is on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway is located on the west. The resort is 3.8 miles from Ocean Walk Shoppes and Resort and Daytona Beach Bandshell where much of the excitement takes places. So it is much quieter and more laid back than just a few miles away.
The Shores Resort and Spa
A luxury boutique hotel, The Shores Resort and Spa combines the excitement of Daytona Beach with luxurious resort amenities. There are 212 guestrooms, all of which either offers a view of the Atlantic Ocean or Intercoastal Waterway, aka Riverview room.
The oceanfront sundeck boasts a pool, jacuzzi, fire pits, bar and cabanas that can be rented for the day. There are also a few family-friendly games set up on the deck which included a giant sized Jenga, cornhole, and BearPong.
This all sounds really great but is The Shores Resort and Spa a good place to vacation with kids? I was a skeptic. Could my two nine-year-olds be entertained for 4 days at a resort with no waterslide, no lazy river, with only a pool and the ocean? We were about to find out.
Upon check-in to the resort, Mark and I were each given a drink coupon for a free Shores specialty drink and the kids were both given small beach balls, which came in handy with all of the time we spent at the pool. We were also given a coupon for a S’mores kit that could be used any evening of our stay.
The Rooms
A concierge helped us to our room which was a standard double queen river view room. When traveling with kids, this room was not adequate.
Unfortunately, we didn’t even have a balcony which I desperately needed as the bathing suits would not dry. For this length of stay, I much prefer suites that offer a kitchenette and sitting area which not only provides a little more space but more options for feeding children.
Please know, The Shores Resort and Spa has many options when it comes to rooms including suites that would have suited my family’s needs this trip.
Remember, this was a special promotion so I did not get a choice in my room selection.
Dining
Since check-in was at 4 pm it wasn’t long before we were all ready to eat. The Shores Resort and Spa is a luxury boutique hotel so their focus is fine dining which can be done at their main restaurant, Azure Oceanfront American Kitchen. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with prices ranging from $11 to $49 per entree, depending on your selection. They do also offer a kid’s menu with entrees priced at $7.
If you want to skip the fine dining experience with children, which we opted to do, you can also dine at the Oceanview Lounge or Tiki-Hut Barefoot Beach Bar. The Lounge even offers specials various nights of the week so be sure to check their dining events menu. On the evenings we dined at the resort we experienced make your own burgers starting at $5 and Tequila Tuesdays with blackened chicken tacos for $5.
For the adults, be sure to check out the Ultimate Bloody Mary for Two from Azure. Our drink tray was the talk of the adults poolside, who were unaware of this offering, snapping pics and texts to their significant other vowing this was breakfast tomorrow.
The Pool
Speaking of poolside, The Shores Resort and Spa has one main pool. For a resort with so many rooms, I would say the pool is on the small side. It was often crowded and mostly adults, some of which were eating and smoking, yes, smoking in the pool. There is also a jacuzzi which is kept at the perfect temperature and a small kiddie pool for the tots.
The ocean view pool deck has ample lounge chairs with a spectacular view. There are a few umbrellas which offer shade, as well as the cabanas that are for rent. One really nice feature of this resort pool is that their beach access gate requires a gate code. This is a big plus as the last Daytona property we stayed at was full of non-guests coming off the beach to cool off in the pool.
The Verdict
The Shores Resort and Spa is a wonderful place to stay for vacation. The property is absolutely beautiful and the environment is very serene, but is it a place to vacation with kids? I think the answer to this could be yes or no depending on the child’s age and what you are looking for.
My kids had a wonderful time at the resort. They enjoyed playing Jenga, Cornhole, making S’mores at the fire pit and spending their days back and forth between the pool and beach. With that said, when my kids were asked their opinion, they prefer staying up the street where you have a slide, lazy river, arcade, and playroom, the perfect haven for any nine-year-old. For this mom and dad, The Shores Resort and Spa is much more our cup of tea.
What do you look for when staying at a resort? Please be sure to share in the comments.