After our vacation in Antigua at Pineapple Beach this past January, Dan and I stayed for 2 weeks in Daytona Beach, FL. This was to kill time until we went on our cruise to Panama. Can I tell you that I just LOVE being retired? This time we only had 4 in our group: Dan, his brother David, and his wife, Debbie, and myself (Kathy).
It was the middle of January, so the weather was not 80 degrees and full of sunshine. Most of the time it was chilly and raining. Our condo was right on the ocean, so that was nice. However, with the wind, rain, and cold, we could not really enjoy the beach. Plus, the condo place was repairing the pool.
So, what do you do when you are in Daytona and it is cold and rainy? You could read or watch tv. We were all geared up to watch the Detroit Lions in the playoffs but then they went and lost to the Commanders. So that was out. Yes, we (and the whole state of Michigan) are in mourning for the loss! Being cooped up in the condo gets kind of boring, even if you are in Daytona.
So, on a somewhat sunny day, we went for a tour at the Daytona International Speedway. Now don't turn up your nose if you don't like racing. I don't care for racing much but the tour was actually very interesting. The tour is given via tram so you don't even have to walk that far. You only need to get on and off the tram. Of course, if you have special needs, they can accomodate you. Very Geezer Friendly! Tickets cost $29.97 for adults and leave every hour starting at 9:30am. The tour last about an hour. The tram is an open-air tram and will continue in the rain unless lighning is spotted with 8 miles of the raceway. The tour does stop at the Motor Sports Hall of Fame, which is included in your ticket price, and ends at the Pit Shop Retail Store. FYI: the Pit Stop does not take cash, so take you debit/credit card.
Did you know that NASCAR started in Daytona Beach in 1947? I had no idea. Each year, the winner of the Daytona 500 must leave his/her car in race winning condition so it can be displayed at the museum until the next years winner takes its place. The speedway is located on 480 acres and the track is 2.5 miles long. The turns are banked at 31 degrees. The guide said that the cars have to go at least 55mph to stay on the track or they will roll off. Even the finish line is at 18 degrees. We tried to walk up the finish line. It wasn't that easy. You would think that walking up 18 degrees would be that difficult. They even painted the seats different colors so the raceway gives the appearance that the bleachers are full even if they are not!
Que up Sammy Hagar's song I can't drive 55!. That song was released in 1984. Feel old, yet? You really should take a minute to watch that video. Sammy looks so young. But he is till rocking. He just released a tribute song to Eddie VanHalen on April 25, 2025 called Encore, Thank You, Good Night! Take a listen if you haven't already. There is a killer guitar solo from Joe Satriani. Have you noticed all the good rock songs and movies came out in 1984? What a great year! Let your true Geezer Shine!
The next rainy day we decided to try our hand at axe throwing. WATCH OUT!!!! We went to the Iron Axe Bar & Grill we had a blast though it is not as easy as it looks. You must book your axe throwing online at least 2 hours before your chosen start time. You can reserve your lane for an hour at $25 per person or 1/2hr at $20 per person. All reservations include coaching from and axe throwing specialist. You throw real axes at real wood digital targets and interactive games.
If you want to go all out Viking, you can try the Valhalla Burger. This burger is topped with grilled onion, peppers, 4oz smoked brisket, onion straws, American cheese, and BBQ sauce. Another option would be the Iron Axe Stuffed Bacon and Cheese Burger with your choice of cheese. I think I would have to go with the Viking Grilled Cheese. This mouth watering sandwhich has Gouda, Provolone, and Cheddar Cheese sprinkled with bacon melted between 2 slices of Texas Toast. You can add pulled pork or brisket for just a few dollars more. Man, my mouth is watering. Want to go? I'll meet you there in 18 hours and 13 minutes.
One more thing, this restaurant is animal friendly! They have an outdoor Hatchet Hut and patio, and a doggie waste station. Only service dogs are allowed inside though and your furry friends are not allowed on the table or chairs. I haven't decided how I feel about this rule. I do not want to have to fight my dog for the brisket!
Disclaimer: Although there were sore muscles the day after axe throwing, no Geezers were injured during axe throwing event. :-)
There was yet another rainy day so this time we went to Waldo's Sports Pub & Billiards. Waldo's is your typical Sports Bar and Pool Hall. They have about 20 tables and it costs about $4.50 an hour to play per person. They have lots of tournaments and.......look out.....their FB page says they have beer pong tournaments every Wednesday. Geezers probably won't go because practice does not start til 10pm. Tournaments begin at 11:30pm. It costs $20 per person to play but you get unlimited Busch Light while playing. Man, I feel tired just reading this, past my bedtime. LOL. They have the normal food that you would expect but the wings were awesome!
Another day, we went to the Kennedy Space Center. This day trip is definitely worth the trip for Geezers and youngsters alike! We went on a day that was cold and windy (the Florida Panhandle had received 6 to 8 inches of snow!!! OMG!) but most of the things to see are indoors. There is so much to see!
The tickets to get into KSC range from $70 to $75 for seniors/adults for one day passes and 2 day passes are $84 and $89 respectively. I highly recommend that you check out the website before making the trip. Besides admission, there are several really cool add-on enhancements from Flying with an Astronaut, KSC Explore Tour, Land and Drive on Mars Training Stage, Walk on Mars Training Stage, Microgravity Training Stage, Astronaut Training, and Mars Base 1. Some of these excursions may have some limitations, so be sure to check the requirements if you have mobility issues.
There really is so much to do that one day will not do it justice. Just look at the website and you will want to spend a whole week at the Space Center!
The last excursion we did this time was to go to Blue Springs State Park. Blue Springs is best known as a refuge for hundreds of manatees between Mid-November to March and is one of the largest gathering sites for manatees. The spring fed water keeps the water a constant 72 degrees. Manatees cannot tolerate water lower than 68 degrees for long periods of time. There is a nice boardwalk that takes you buy the super clear water so you can see all the manatees just doing their thing. There is even a tour boat that will take you down the river. This particular day was a beautiful, sunny day and we saw all kinds of birds, manatees, and alligators. The stars of this trip are definitely the manatees! They even have their own dedicated Manatee Cam! You really need to check that out!
This was my own picture that I took. It even looks like some of the birds are standing on the manatees! Check out the Manatee Cam! Until next time, keep your Geezer on!