I've driven both manuals and automatics.
Even though I hate driving, manuals are a bit more fun to drive. I'm not one of those "multi-tasking" people, so using my other hand and foot to operate the vehicle isn't an issue and makes me feel more like I'm doing something rather than turning a wheel and pushing a pedal.
Automatic cars are just really convenient. My first car (which is my current car) is an automatic and it's an overall pleasure to drive. Since I don't drive very much, I prefer the convenience of being able to just hop in the car and have a very smooth ride to my destination without having to push the clutch, downshift, upshift, etcetera.
As for which one I prefer, I don't really have a solid answer for this as I prefer both in different situations. If I were to go cruising and there aren't any cars around, I would prefer a manual as driving an automatic on a cruise is terribly boring. For every other situation, an automatic is preferable.