Neptune Beach

The Doc and I are always seeking new adventures. After our whirlwind trip to San Francisco, we needed a few days to relax. Neptune Beach (which runs smack into Atlantic Beach on the outskirts of Jacksonville) fit the bill perfectly. I was shocked at the quality of our hotel and the local eats; I was expecting laid back (read: run down) beachy vibes. We instead enjoyed a lovely stay and many quality eats. What else can you ask for!?

Stay

Our view

The more hotels we stay in, the more I am appreciative of the good ones. One Ocean is in a perfect location, just steps from the beach. All of the folks who work at this hotel and spa are beyond nice.

The views of the Atlantic Ocean are spectacular, and they stock your room with all of the water and snacks that you can shove into your mouth. (I'll never understand why some hotels seem to want you to be dehydrated.) Every area is also clean, which is mind boggling considering the amount of sand that must be marched through here on the daily.

A little bubbly after my spa facial.

The Beach

My Book of the Month Club selection.

I haven't spent much time on the Atlantic coast. The sand is smoothed out every few minutes and super easy to walk along with bare feet. The water is cooler than I am used to (I prefer the bath water temps of the Gulf of Mexico) but refreshing. I did freak out a bit after seeing not one but two jelly fish; they probably freaked out after seeing me pop not one but two cartwheels.

Fancy Food

We were shocked at the quality of the food at the hotel's restaurant, the poorly named Azurea. (It was a source of endless jokes, however.)

The decorations are gorgeous; I felt like the queen of the sea. We were treated to an amuse bouche and a dessert course gratis. Each dish was farm (or ocean) fresh and beautifully presented.

Next Level Latin Fare

We entered The Flying Iguana expecting to eat a few tacos and pound a few margaritas while watching some NBA playoff action. The food here completely blew me away.

Everything we ordered had a million levels of flavor. This is the kind of food I dream about.

The only bummer of this night? My favorite NBA player, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks taking the loss. Maybe next year.

Do you have a favorite 'chill' place? I think we may have just found ours.