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If I may speak frankly, on past adventure trips, I have journeyed to many exotic and exciting locals such as Argentina, South Africa, Nepal, etc. but not once did I consider Daytona, Florida until I received an invitation to participate in a “soft-adventure” press trip. I mindlessly scrolled down the email, finger poised over the delete key, and then I saw ”Sky-Diving” and immediately RSVP’ed: “YES! My chute is packed and ready to go!”

I’ve had a “Bucket List” for years…I’ve just never called it that. I always have referred to mine as “Something to Tell the Grandkids if I Live!” (Many years, and no kids— ergo no grandkids, later I suppose I could change the title.) Skydiving had been fluxuating among my top 5 To-Do’s forever, so I was totally psyched about this opportunity.

When I landed at the airport, the first major challenge was the freaky weather. Somehow, Daytona got confused and thought it was located in Alaska and not Florida. For 3 days I suffered through the “coldest winter I ever spent was the next three spring days in Daytona.” Mittens, mufflers and layered sweats were de rigueur, and all outdoor activities were canceled due to high winds and rocky seas.

Thankfully, spring sprung the last two days and it was business as usual. But we had to pack all our courageous acts into a much shorter amount of time. Turns out if you really wanted to get your juices flowing with a little advance planning you can have the one of the most exciting 24 hour action-packed, heart -thumping, adrenaline-filled getaways of your life.

What follows is my suggested itinerary…Feel free to pick some from column A and some from B or just copy the whole shebang and go out in style. With a few adaptations, this trip could easily make a most exciting Girlfriend Getaway, a “Dude-let’s compare testosterone levels”, or a superb family bonding experience that will have your kids bragging about their totally-cool parents.

Let’s Get Started:

Check into your hotel. We stayed at the Best Western in Ormond, which was recently remodeled and offers exceptional value for the money. It’s right on the beach, so when you open your sliding door at night and snuggle down in your comfy bed, the sound of the waves will lull you into a deep sleep, which you’re really going to need for tomorrow’s plans.

Morning:
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Fuel up at the Dancing Avocado Kitchen (D.A.K.) located in the heart of the Historic Downtown area. A crazy-fun mish-mash of a restaurant that serves creative, healthier food fit for both vegetarians and meat eaters. They obviously believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and serve HUGE breakfast burritos and omelets filled with cheese, eggs, taters and the kitchen sink! A glass of fresh squeezed juice, and you’ll definitely want a side of their cinnamon-sugar dusted fried plantains and you’ll be ready to fly.

more juicy details to come in the next post!