🏁 A Valentine’s Daytona 500 Adventure

Our first race of the 2024 NASCAR season

Probably one of the best Valentine’s Day gifts we have ever had was heading to our first race of the year — the Daytona 500.

We arrived in Orlando on Thursday and checked into Westgate Resort. That evening, we attended a VIP party where we received our Daytona 500 tickets. It was the perfect way to kick off race weekend.

🍽️ Disney Springs & The Boathouse

We were excited about this race. It was the first race of the season and a fresh start for the 2024 NASCAR schedule.

On Friday, we made our way to Disney Springs. Christie had mentioned that she wished we had eaten seafood when we were there in October, so this time we made sure to stop at The Boathouse.

We enjoyed seafood, walked around Disney Springs, listened to a concert, and Christie got to enjoy a churro. It was a great night and a fun way to enjoy Orlando before race weekend really got started.

☔ A Rainy Saturday in Orlando

Saturday was kind of a wet day. It was just enough rain to make you not want to do too much, but also just enough to still want to get out and explore.

We drove around Orlando and made our way to Icon Park, where we ate at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips. Afterward, we walked around Icon Park, visited one of the many outlet malls in Orlando, and then made our way back to Disney Springs.

🎬 A Postponed Daytona 500

Sunday ended up being a long day, but not in the way we expected. The Daytona 500 was postponed because of the rain, so we decided to stay in the room and watch movies.

It was disappointing to wait another day, but sometimes the best memories come from the unexpected parts of a trip too.

🏁 Finally — Daytona 500 Day

Monday morning, we woke up and got ready to head to Daytona for the first race of the season. Even though it was a day later, it was definitely worth the wait.

Once we got to Daytona, we parked at Volusia Mall and broke out the Blackstone. After eating, we made our way to the track and walked around to check out everything going on before heading inside.

Daytona International Speedway is not like any other track we have been to. They even have escalators that take you up to the concourse. For free seats, we had a really good view. We sat in the 400 section coming out of Turn 4.

Only six laps into the race, the first wreck of the season happened right in front of us. Along with all the sights and sounds of being at the racetrack, it made the day even more memorable.

You do not always realize the good times you can have with your spouse, or how magical those moments can be, until you are right there living them. Do not ever take them for granted.

This trip gave us:
🏁 Our first race of the 2024 season
❤️ A Valentine’s getaway
🍽️ Disney Springs and seafood
☔ A rainy Orlando adventure
🏎️ A postponed but unforgettable Daytona 500
💙 Another memory for our bucket list

❤️ Final Thoughts

These are the moments Christie and I have made for our bucket list. The trips, the races, the laughs, the unexpected delays, and the time spent together — those are the things I will always cherish.

The Daytona 500 may have been delayed by rain, but it was worth every minute of the wait.