| Orlando has Disney and really no where to hold a track event remotely close to D.I.S., and traffic is hideous. Tampa has a beach but no track and you'd be stuck behind every retiree and traffic jams that are mind blowing. I don't know where you and yours hang out but there are plenty of places to visit, sightsee, and cruise. So everybody reading this doesn't get the wrong idea you have to look at a map of the area to realize that Daytona is just the seed in the middle of the fruit. The areas to the north and south of Daytona are beautiful and there's lots to do and see for the unfamiliar. Since this is a car event lets start at the Hilton Hotel which IS located on the beach and pretty much at the center of Daytona Beach. If you drive north or south you'll be out of Daytona city limits in 10 minutes. To the north you'll enter Ormond Beach, then Ormond by the Sea, then Flagler Beach. For those that want to stretch their legs and drive to the north, in about 45 minutes you can easily cruise to Flagler Beach. The drive runs right along A1A and after you clear Ormond Beach the houses and condos disappear and you'll be riding right next to the ocean. It's a nice cruise and you can make your destination the Flagler Pier. If you want to drive a little further to the north you can continue and in about 20 minutes you'll be in St. Augustine. Back at the hotel and heading to the south will take you along A1A and in about 5 minutes you're out of Daytona City Limits. The next city is Daytona beach Shores, then Wilbur by the Sea (where I live) and then Ponce Inlet. It takes about 15-20 minutes to drive from the Hotel to the Inlet. At the Inlet is the Lighthouse and Park. If you continue straight down A1A you'll dead-end into Jetty Park. If you turn right just before the toll booth the road will take you around to the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is open 7 days and you can climb to the top and get an awsome view. The photo ops up there are awsome. Just imagine a parking lot full of Z's and a pic looking down on them. A word to the wise concerning law enforcement in the areas in and around Daytona. Heading to the north from the hotel nothing to worry about. Just watch your speeds on A1A and pedestrians always have the right of way when at the cross walks. The towns of Daytona Beach Shores and Ponce Inlet to the south are VERY strict concerning the speed limits. The same applies concerning the crosswalks. They have nothing to do but write tickets and if you get pulled over you WILL be ticketed. So just behave when cruising to the south. There's lots of scenic areas to cruise. There's lots of very nice and scenic restaurants to eat at and hang out at for the views. I think the organizers did very well in selecting Daytona as the event location this year. Between the 2 Race Weeks, 2 seperate Bike Weeks, a returning Spring Break, a Jeep-O-rama event, the largest national car show and swap meet, major air-shows, and a few other events I can't recall, I think the area can accomodate a few Z's in town for a week.
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