The Casements Tour: A Surprisingly Charming Look at Rockefeller’s Florida Life

I heard about The Casements Tour a while ago, but I finally made time to experience it! My friend lives in Ormond Beach, so I visit quite often, though I had never visited Rockefeller’s winter home. Well, now that I have experienced The Casements Tour in Ormond Beach, I can confirm it’s absolutely worth adding to your Daytona Beach itinerary!

This free tour was far more interesting than I ever expected! Here’s what you can expect if you decide to do The Casements Tour and I’ll share who I think will really enjoy this experience.

A Little Background: What Is The Casements?

The Casements is a historic mansion in Ormond Beach and is best known as the former winter home of John D. Rockefeller. It was built in 1913 and this three-story home was designed with a mix of architectural styles. Rockefeller bought it as a fully furnished home in 1918.

Its name comes from the large casement windows that were unusual in Florida at the time. Rockefeller spent his final winters here until 1937, hosting friends, local leaders, and even famous guests like Henry Ford.

After his death, the home changed hands several times and eventually fell into disrepair. The City of Ormond Beach purchased the property in the late 1970s and restored it into the cultural center you see today. The Casements now serves as a community hub with art exhibits, classes, historic displays, and private events. They also offer free tours that highlight the home’s unique past.

It’s smaller than some historic mansions, but that’s part of its charm. The Casements feels personal, and approachable. This background makes the tour even more interesting once you step inside and begin exploring the rooms where Rockefeller actually lived, worked, and welcomed guests.

Arriving at The Casements

The Casements sits on the Intracoastal Waterway, just over the bridge. Parking is easy, and once you cross the bridge you will turn right onto the one-way street, Riverside Drive, with The Casements on your left and the Intracoastal Waterway on your right.

You’ll take the first left onto Casements Drive and the parking lot will be on the left. I visited on a Saturday and had no issues parking. There’s a bike and walking trail in front of The Casements as well, but there was still plenty of parking in this free community lot.

I enjoyed the beautiful day as I made my way to the front door. Once inside, there’s a waiting area and to the left an information booth where I was able to confirm the next tour time. The gift shop was also on the left, but was not open when I was there.

Guided and Self-Guided Free Tours

I was allowed to walk around the home on my own, but it definitely came alive more on the free guided tour. They do offer an app for a self-guided tour experience, but I did one of the free guided tours.

They offer free guided tours Monday through Friday and every Saturday except the first one of the month. I recommend checking their website for the latest times or to see if there are any events that could impact the schedule.

Additionally, since it is a cultural center, they have various events offered that may also be of interest! While the tour is free, you can donate to the cultural center in one of the donation boxes in the home.

Inside the Mansion: The Casements Tour

The tour guide arrived on time and there were quite a few of us on this 10:30AM Saturday morning tour. She was excellent and someone on the tour told me she had been before and the tour guide her first visit was not as good as the one we had!

Throughout the tour, we were given insights into the home and the various owners it had over the years. Of course, most of the interesting tidbits were about the home’s most famous owner: John D. Rockefeller.

A Few of the Rockefeller Tidbits

The guide told us so much about Rockefeller. Part of why he wintered in Ormond Beach was to play golf. It was said that his wife learned first. He then hired himself a coach and refused to play anyone until he was good enough to win.

In Ormond Beach he played 8 holes every day. The guide mentioned several possible reasons for this including the 9th hole being extra difficult and he didn’t want it to negatively impact his score.

While he was competitive, he was also generous. The first billionaire gave away more than $500 million over the years. He gave to his church, to education, medical research and more!

In Ormond Beach, he was known as neighbor John. He had a desire to live to 100 years old and missed that goal by less than 3 years!

Guided Tour

There’s so much more that was shared, and you’ll get to see photographs of Rockefeller as well as historical pictures of the area. We visited the many rooms, learning their history and seeing how they are utilized today in the cultural center capacity.

Some rooms felt like a Rockefeller museum and others showed signs of the cultural center events. There were some rooms with original tile, cabinets or windows and the guide was always great at pointing that out.

I can’t speak to the self-guided app tour, but I absolutely loved the guided tour! The fact that it’s free makes it even more worthwhile!

My Favorite Part of The Casements Tour

While the home facts and even local history was interesting, it was all the information I learned about Rockefeller that really impacted me. Learning so much about his character and life was truly fascinating!

Hearing about his faith and how he was a family man was especially meaningful to me. I also enjoyed learning about his quirks, like the fact he went bald early in life and owned wigs of various lengths to appear like natural hair growth.

Overall, I definitely recommend this tour and with its FREE price tag, it’s even better!

The Stetson Mansion tour is also a great historic home worth checking out in Volusia County, but it’s not free. Additionally, it was the home I found more interesting (at least on the holiday tour) than the tidbits I learned about John Stetson. Read more about my experience here: Stetson Mansion Tour Review: Beautiful History, But Is It Worth Visiting?

Who Would Enjoy This Tour?

I think most people would enjoy this tour! Kids would get bored, but I think most people would find something about it they like and with it being free, it’s not a big investment.

If you like history or architecture, you’ll probably enjoy it the most! For fascinating information about the first billionaire, it can appeal to anyone! Of course, not all tour guides are created equal and I did have a great one!

• History lovers
• Architecture/heritage enthusiasts
• Budget-conscious travelers
• People visiting Daytona or Ormond Beach for the first time

Practical Info for Visiting The Casements

Time to Allow

The tour actually lasted close to 90 minutes! To verify, I checked the time stamps on my photos and videos, so I’m actually surprised as I type this because it did not feel that long.

Additionally, there is a museum room of photographs and newspapers you can spend time in before or after the tour, but The Casements close at 12PM on Saturdays, which is about when the tour ended.

The outside area by the water is beautiful, so it’s worth having a little bit of time to explore or take photos. Overall, you can easily spend two to three hours visiting The Casements.

Cost

As you know by now, the tour is free! They do have donation boxes around if you choose and I did leave a small donation, though it didn’t feel like an expectation.

Parking & Accessibility

Parking is easy and there was plenty of parking on a Saturday morning. The lot entrance is on Casements Drive.

There are no elevators, so accessibility is limited.

Additional Tips

The Cultural Center has events regularly, so be sure to check their website for the most up to date information. Some events are private, some are paid but open to the public and some are free!

Lunch or Coffee Nearby

Before the tour I stopped at Soraya, which is one of my favorite Ormond Beach coffee shops. It’s beautifully decorated and it’s less than a 10 minute walk from The Casements.

I had lunch at Wild Rabbit Bistro and enjoyed the healthy food options! It was my first time eating there and I enjoyed it overall, but I wouldn’t recommend the mahi, as it was dry.

There are plenty of restaurants nearby, so it won’t be difficult to find a good option! I love Jimmy Hulas for tacos, which is a good casual spot. Or for a nicer option, head to Margarita Island – Ormond Beach.

There are so many options including sushi, Thai, kosher, and Italian and all close. The Casements sit on the Intracoastal Waterway, and all these options are on either side of Granada Blvd. but before you get to the beach!

If you’re looking for a treat and not a meal, there are donuts nearby at Swillerbees Craft Donuts & Coffee in Ormond. There’s also my favorite bowl place called Solberry Bowls! They offer more than just acai as a base and I love the coconut or cacao bases!

More Sites in Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach is one of my favorite cities in this county because I just love the vibes. However, there’s not much to do in this small beach town.

Some options to consider are a drive of the Ormond Scenic Loop or a visit to Tomoka State Park.

Final Thoughts: Is The Casements Worth Visiting?

Yes! I absolutely loved this experience and the fact it’s free made it even better! I wouldn’t call The Casements tour a day trip from Daytona Beach, because it’s actually right next to Daytona. So if you’re visiting, I’d definitely add it to your Daytona itinerary.

Carve out a two to three hours for The Casements tour and enjoy lunch or coffee nearby. I think most people will enjoy this experience, especially if you get a great guide at The Casements like I did!

The Casements Tour in Ormond Beach

When it comes to historic places, this one may not have a wow factor, but it’s free and interesting! I love how Ormond Beach turned it into a Cultural Center that can be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike!

If you have a couple hours, The Casements Tour in Ormond Beach is absolutely worth it, in my opinion! Plus, you can enjoy some delicious coffee or grab a bite to eat in the area as well.