On a sunny afternoon at The Cove On Ormond Beach, a central east Florida resort overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, children on tubes zoomed down a two-story water slide. A father in Bermuda shorts flipped burgers on a grill. Dozens of resort guests, including myself, lounged around the oceanfront pool.

Sitting there poolside, quietly observing life at The Cove, I realized how fitting the resort's name really is. Like a natural cove or harbor, this property is a calm hideaway – a peaceful retreat perfect for dropping anchor and soaking up some quality R & R.

There's plenty to do at the resort and in the area, but if you want to expand your horizons, cruise over to Orlando, Daytona Beach or St. Augustine – all make for great mini-vacations within a vacation. With this prime location, The Cove is at the crossroads of Florida's best worlds.

Here, adventure-seekers can indulge in a variety of fun water activities, including parasailing, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing and banana boat rides.


Island-style Luxury

After checking in, I headed straight for my South Tower sixth-floor villa, which had all the comforts of home and then some. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo had island-style furnishings along with three plasma TVs, wireless Internet (for a fee) and a washer and dryer. The spacious living room opened up to a private balcony overlooking the beach, and the full kitchen even came with a blender, perfect for whipping up a frozen beverage or two.

But the master bathroom held my favorite feature: a two-person whirlpool bathtub. It might have been the middle of the day, but that didn't stop me from dimming the lights, throwing on a Bob Marley CD and letting the jets knead my muscles like a master masseuse.


Beach Day

 Refreshed, I slipped on a bathing suit and sunglasses and followed the smell of salty air to the resort's sandy beach. Here, adventure-seekers can indulge in a variety of fun water activities, including parasailing, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing and banana boat rides.

Or they can participate in one of the resort's many scheduled activities. At the pool, children can make crafts – and new friends – during afternoon down-time, while adults can receive a complimentary mini-spa treatment or enjoy a Las Vegas Casino Cruise. And on Sunday afternoons, everyone meets at the pool for pizza. The resort also helps organize local tours and excursions to area attractions, such as the Ormond Beach Winery.

On the beach, I laid claim to one of The Cove's complimentary lounge chairs and umbrellas and caught up on a novel I'd been trying to finish for weeks. Late in the afternoon, I couldn't resist taking a dip in the oceanfront hot tub before heading upstairs.


Seafood and River Views

That evening, a friend from college met me at the resort, and we sipped champagne on the balcony and caught up on each other's lives. Then we went out for gator tail at RiverGrille on the Tomoka, a local favorite that's a throwback to rustic Old Florida. Sitting on the outdoor patio, we heard crickets chirp.

Because the area is rich with great places to eat, we set our sights on another hotspot for our main meal – Chart House Restaurant, where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the Halifax River in Daytona Beach (only about 10 minutes away). We sipped wine and feasted on oysters on the half shell and parmesan-encrusted black grouper.

Another local restaurant not to be missed is Frappes North, a popular fine dining restaurant in Ormond Beach.

No vacation is complete without something sweet, at least in my book. So for dessert, we indulged in brownie sundaes at iScream Creamery, a family-owned shop in Ormond Beach that makes its own waffle cones.


Beyond the Shore

The blast of sugar renewed our energy levels, so we danced the night away at the Ocean Deck Restaurant & Beach Club in Daytona Beach, where local reggae band Caribbean Posse had the place jumping all night.

Lounging in bed the next morning, I leafed through a booklet outlining the area's many offerings. Climb the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse or get soaked at Daytona Lagoon water park. Experience life in the fast lane at the Daytona 500 Experience or play a round of golf at LPGA International. Find unique pieces at the Fountain Square Shopping Village or hunt for bargains at the Volusia Mall. It all sounded tempting, but I vowed to put off all decision-making until after my morning swim.

If you want to get an early start, you can always make the short drive to Orlando to check out its big-name attractions, like Disney's Magic Kingdom or SeaWorld. Or, spend the day shopping and sightseeing in the nation's oldest, continuously occupied city, St. Augustine. Both cities are only about an hour away.

No matter what you do or how far you venture, one thing is certain: at the end of the day, the tranquility of The Cove will be waiting.