Sure, it sounds like an unlikely story, but it's true; my girlfriends and I were surfing last Saturday in Ormond Beach (well, we'll call it surfing, but the waves were so tiny that day, it was really more like an aquatic chat session) and we had the most amazing sighting. Four manatees (two large and two smaller), peacefully swimming side-by-side in shoulder-deep water, popped their snouts up within 10 feet of our surfboards! Like my friends and me, these happy mammals were taking full advantage of the Daytona Beach area's clear skies, glassy seas and 76-degree water temps. And with the nearest inlet several miles away, my guess is they had ventured offshore for a relaxing family vacation -- just chugging along the World's Most Famous Beach at idle speed.

How amazing is this area! Between our wildlife and our nightlife, our attractions and our museums, there's SO much to see. My advice: If you're currently sitting somewhere other than under an umbrella in the Daytona Beach area, I encourage you to take your own mini vacation right now by tapping into our beachcam. Kick back in your chair, pour yourself a cold drink (even if it's just by adding ice to your office coffee mug) and book your next getaway. You need it. You deserve it. And our Daytona Summer Sale deals are the best in years. Oh, and our manatees are ready to welcome you, too!