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Learn about the Space Coast of Florida by reading Florida's Space Coast by William Condon, WTA President and Business and Leisure Traveler. It features a mini, but thorough tour of the area, plus all you'll need to know to plan your trip including how to get there, objective information on places to stay and eat, and things to do. At the end of the article, we've provided a summary of the contact information for your easy reference. Enjoy!about the Space Coast of Florida by reading Florida's Space Coast by William Condon, WTA President and Business and Leisure Traveler. It features a mini, but thorough tour of the area, plus all you'll need to know to plan your trip including how to get there, objective information on places to stay and eat, and things to do. At the end of the article, we've provided a summary of the contact information for your easy reference. Enjoy!
Florida's Space Coast
by William Condon, WTA President and Business and Leisure Traveler
Many thoughts and images are conjured up when you think of Florida and all that
it has to offer. One of these gems is what’s known as the Space Coast of
Florida. It is that area from Titusville to Palm Bay and includes Merritt
Island as well as the Atlantic barrier beaches of Playalinda, Cocoa,
Satellite, Indian Harbor, Paradise, Indialantic, Melbourne, Melbourne
Shores, Floridana and Sebastian Inlet State Park. Its territory also
includes a number of beaches that are part of Patrick Air Force Base and
are available to military personal and often used by the general public.
It offers something for all ages.
While
the most visible attraction in the area is the Kennedy Space Center and
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, there are many other reasons to spend
time exploring the Space Coast. One of the most interesting activities is
to spend part of a day at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The
Space Coast encompasses over 250 square miles of wildlife refuges with
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge making up a small but highly interesting
part. It is home to hundreds of animal species and more than a thousand
different plants and trees. Many of the animals are on the endangered
list. There are opportunities to see a variety of species of egrets,
rosette spoonbills, anhinga, bald eagles, alligators, horseshoe crabs,
hawks of all kinds and much, much more. The refuge offers several
opportunities to view wildlife with several walking trails and lookouts.
The most popular method by far to explore the refuge is via the Black
Point Wildlife Drive, a 6-mile brochure-guided tour in your car. The only
equipment you will need is a pair of good binoculars, preferably 10X25 or
better. We used an 8X24 Zoom that worked well in that it gave a wide field
of vision to locate the subject and providing an excellent viewing
opportunity. Depending upon the number of people traveling with you, you
may want to have more than one pair.
The ever impressive
Canaveral national seashore
Leaving
the refuge, there are two additional partial day activities that are worth
considering. One is the Manatee viewing area near the canal bridge off
Route 3 North, and the other is a visit to Playalinda Beach at the
Canaveral National Seashore. Both activities require a left turn when
exiting the refuge. Turn left on Route 3 for the Manatee’s and watch for
the signs as you cross the canal bridge. To reach Playalinda, turn right
on Route 3 and then left at the stoplight. There is a gate that is closed
within three days of a shuttle launch that prevents access, so be sure to
check the shuttle launch schedule ahead of time. Of all the beaches,
Playalinda is a "must do" for beach lovers. Most of the beaches have
restroom and shower facilities and many offer free parking. Playalinda has
restrooms, but no showers. In many communities, you can park off A1A on a
side street with meter parking, but note that restrooms and showers may be
many blocks away.
Sebastian Inlet State Park is at the south end of the Space Coast, but is
definitely worth visiting. There is a small maritime museum that depicts
the fishing industry in the area over the past 100 years or so. You will
also find a campground and fishing jetties along both sides of the inlet.
A walk out on the fishing jetties is a must. The pelicans that wait for a
handout from the fishermen are so tame that you can literally pat them on
the head as you pass by. Further along off US Route 1, after crossing the
bridge going south, is a left turn that will take you into the town of
Sebastian. This is a very scenic drive of only a few miles and offers nice
views and many good restaurants on the water.
A visit
to the Kennedy Space Center is an experience that is enjoyed by all ages.
Allow a whole day if you want to do it right and plan to take one of the
additional tours. The Shuttle “up close” was our choice and it didn’t
disappoint us in the least. We were bused to areas that are not accessible
to the general public tour and treated to a bird’s eye view of the launch
pads and the preparation building. We actually pulled up to the edge of
the runway where the Shuttle lands. Each afternoon you will have an
opportunity to visit with an astronaut and hear a presentation as well as
ask questions. This is billed as the “Astronauts Encounter.” Another
terrific attraction is the “Apollo Mission” building, which houses a
complete history of the Apollo missions and a full size Saturn V moon
rocket - all 363 feet. Not on the grounds, but only a short distance west
off SR 405 is The Astronaut Hall of Fame. Here you will discover the
largest collection of personal astronaut artifacts and learn about space
heroes. They also offer an interactive experience that gives you a true
taste of space travel.
Space shuttle
launch at Kennedy Space Center (night launch)
There
are many other attractions on or near the Florida Space Coast that are fun
as well as interesting. One of the most fun adventures is to take an
airboat ride off the Saint John's River. There are many operators
including some with large capacity airboats. We prefer the smaller boats
that carry nine passengers or less. The one we used was Grasshopper
Airboat Ecotours that can be reached just before the Saint John's River
off Highway 520.
A trip
to the Space Coast is not complete without a visit to Historic Cocoa
Village. It is situated directly on the Indian River, south and west of
the Route 520 Causeway from Merritt Island and before you reach US Route
1. It has a variety of interesting shops and a number of very good places
to eat. There is a lovely park right on the river that includes a
playground for the children, an amphitheater, a river walk, and many
benches to lounge on. It is connected to Lee Winner Park with its
amenities such as docks and a boat launch. There are ample restrooms and
the village is directly across the street.
Golf and
tennis are two favorite pastimes in the area and there are many
opportunities to enjoy either sport. The weather year round is conducive
to outdoor sports and there are more than 17 public golf courses available
as well as many public tennis courts. Also, it is often possible to use
private facilities by checking with the club’s tennis or golf pro. There
are highly rated golf courses on the Space Coast, so if you are a
championship golfer, you will not be disappointed.
Finally,
if you are traveling to Florida by air it is usually far less expensive to
fly into Orlando and rent a car. If you are coming in the off-season or
during the week, you will find it more economical to rent a car at one of
the airport off site locations. All of the major rental car companies, as
well as a number of local ones, pick up at the airport. During peak season
you may want to check the prices at Titusville and Cocoa Beach locations.
You could use one of the airport executive shuttles depending on the size
of your group and length of stay and perhaps save on the rental at one of
these locations.
Driving
in Florida is much the same as other areas in the United States. Be sure
to buckle up and some words of caution are in order. The speed limit on US
RT. 95 is 70 mph in most places, but many drivers exceed that limit and
there are always many accidents. We avoid RT. 95 where possible and take
the local routes. Become aware of the continuous green lanes that are a
real hazard to the unaware. These are most often found where a side or
local road is entering a major road such as US RT. 1 on a 90-degree angle
and does not cross over. The continuous green lane is on the far right,
but out-of-state and foreign drivers entering from the perpendicular road
have been known to cross into the continuous green lane in front of
oncoming traffic. Headlights are required during periods of reduced
visibility during the day and, of course, from sunset to sunrise. It is a
good idea to keep them on all of the time; we do simply because of the
large volume of traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.
The
Space Coast of Florida is a unique vacation destination. It offers
beautiful beaches for those who like "fun in the sun," wildlife
sanctuaries for those who prefer a more peaceful setting, and plenty of
attractions for those who like to be "on the go."
Details
WTA’s Travel Access Discount Program serves up deeper discounts on
hotels, car rentals, flights, and activities all over the world. Most of
our travel deals are not available to the public, which means rates are
much lower than what the average consumer can find online. Click here to start accessing for free today.
Getting
there/transportation:
Where to stay: (Listed alphabetically)
-
Best Western
Oceanfront Resort
5600 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa
Beach
Phone: (800) 962-0028
Web: http://www.bestwesterncocoabeach.com
-
Comfort Inn
& Suite Resort
3901 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa
Beach
Phone: (321) 783-2221
Web:
http://www.comfortinn.com/
-
Courtyard by
Marriott
3435 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa
Beach
Phone: (321) 784-4800, (800) 321-2211
Web: http://courtyardcocoabeach.com
-
Days Inn
Cocoa Beach
5500 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa
Beach
Phone: (800) 799-1631
Web:
http://www.daysinncocoabeach.com/
-
Econo Lodge
of Cocoa Beach
1275 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach
Phone: (321) 783-2252
WTA discount: Yes
-
Hampton Inn
3425 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa
Beach.
Phone: (321) 799-4099, (800) HAMPTON
Web:
http://www.hamptoninncocoabeach.com/
-
Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront
1550 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach
Phone: (321) 799-0003
-
Holiday Inn
Cocoa Beach Resort
1300 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach
Phone: (321) 783-2271
-
Holiday Inn
Express
5575 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa
Beach
Phone: (321) 868-2525
Web:
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/coifl
-
Radisson
Resort At The Port
8701 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral
Phone: (321) 784-0000
Where to eat:
-
Cafe Margaux
220 Brevard Ave, Cocoa
Phone: (321)-639-8343
Web:
www.margaux.com
-
Black Tulip
207 Brevard Ave, Cocoa
Phone: (321)-631-1133
-
Mango Tree
Restaurant
118 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach
Phone: (321)-799-0513
Web:
www.themangotreerestaurant.com
Attractions/Things to do:
More
Information:
Notice: This information is current as of
August 2001. It is recommended that you contact the numbers, and/or
visit the web sites above to determine any changes to the
information. |
