Day 1:
We took a flight from Toronto to Orlando for Daytona Bike Week! For those of you who don’t know, Daytona Beach is a city on Florida’s Atlantic coast, and Daytona Bike Week is the world’s second largest motorcycle event. So, naturally, we were pretty excited.
It was a pleasant and short 3-hour flight. During landing we got to see a fantastic view of the coast line which got us all the more excited for Florida’s sunny beaches.
Upon landing, we were received by Ace Luxury Transportation and made our way to Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson to rent our bikes.
We had to get a taste of Florida’s air and its roads so perfect for bikers, so we took our time cruising out on the awesome Harley Ultra Classic we had rented.
We rode our way to Makai Beach Lodge and, quite unsurprisingly, we were met by a number of motorcycles in the parking lot; looked like everyone was in the zone for the event to follow! Situated at the heart of the beach, the lodge made for a fantastic view and an even better location.
After the usual and uneventful check-in and unpacking, we made our way downtown to have a little fun. Motorcycle exhibits in celebration of the event, crowds of excited people and buzzing bars is what defined Daytona downtown tonight. We knew this trip would not be anything short of awesome!
Day 2:
We spent most of day immersing ourselves in the excitement of the event we were here for. The festival had some pretty fantastic cruisers up for exhibit that would have any bike lover drooling. The show featured a number of customized Harley’s and a range of other heavy bikes.
A few lucky visitors also got the chance to take live bike riding lessons, with a chance to drive some great bikes and instructions from pros on how to do it right.
Day 3:
Sooo cold in Canada but it’s 22 Degrees in Florida and we’re feeling awesome! We drove down to Gator Joe’s Beach Bar & Grill to have lunch by the lakeside. For only $10.99, we tried ‘locally caught alligator tail’. Gators are a must try in Florida, they are everywhere 🙂 So we wouldn’t pass on the opportunity to get a taste. People aren’t wrong when they say it tastes like chicken!
After a delicious lunch, we dropped by at Sopotnick’s Cabbage Patch Bar for a drink. A simple but busy bar and live country music really set the mood for an awesome day. Surely, we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Highlight of the day was when, at evening, we went to check out the notorious Iron Horse Saloon. This is what we came here for. Iron Horse is a haven for bikers; you can drive inside the bar and drink on the bike! Obviously, the place was swarming with bikers and with some great live music we got a different taste of Florida’s nightlife.
Day 4:
Our final day here and we left for Jacksonville. What otherwise would have been an uneventful lunch was accompanied with an amazing dance performance by an old man really enjoying his music. Some people never let old age get in their way. You do you, grandpa!
We made our way back to Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson to return the bikes and prepped ourselves for our flight back to Toronto. This trip could not have been better as we got the chance to explore the beach and key places at Daytona all on two wheels. We were in this sunny state for just a few days but it surely won us over! We’ll be back soon, Florida.