51st Annual Daytona 500 Hotel Guide to Daytona Beach

NASCAR fans, get your engines ready as the 51^st Annual Daytona Beach 500 will take place on February 15^th 2009. It is a Valentine's Day weekend sporting event and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. As a result of the economic downturn and decrease in tourism, official announcements suggest that ticket prices have been slashed from $99 to $55 in efforts to pack in as many spectators as possible.

So where will everyone be staying for the race? There are several hotel options in the area.

If you are considering something that is close to the track and affordable then you may want to consider Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Resort. I have stayed here with my kids and it is great for families with young children. It does not have all of the bells and whistles but it is comfortable and affordable. They hotel does offer package deals so check out some of the promotions by visiting www.hicocoabeachhotelsite.com/specials.

If you plan to be traveling with a special someone, you want to consider The Plaza resort and spa. This hotel is absolutely beautiful, located on the Daytona Beach with spectacular ocean views and clean beaches. The hotel offers all of the amenities but you will want to make your reservations as early as possible. The rooms are oversized and they have salon and spa services on premise. The hotel offers many other extras so visit www.daytonahotels.com/specials.php for the latest deals.

Are you planning to make the racing event a get away with a bunch of friends? If so, consider using Grand Prix Tours. They have a Daytona 500 package which includes transfers, hotels, pre race events and the big day race. This eliminates rental cars and the complexity of coordinating large groups of people. The company has everything down to a science and you won't be disappointed. Visit there website www.gptours.com for details on the Daytona 500 and other racing events.

The sporting events can become expensive so the last consideration maybe a no frills type hotel that is clean but not in the middle of all of the action. I would recommend Comfort Inn De Land located 15 minutes from the speedway it will cost you as little as $79 per night. You will definitely need a rental car to get around but if all the hotels closer to the speedway are booked, this is a nice place.

I am sadden to say that I will not be able to attend the race this year but am certainly going to make my way next year. It is an amazing event and watching on television does not come close to experiencing the real deal.