The one thing that always keeps the world around us so attractive is the appeal of the human mind to indulge in knowledge and adventure. Among the ways we do that is to stimulate and experience things we have never done before. One of the most unique places on Earth that allows us to experience just that is the Space Coast of Florida. We have five stops on the Space Coast that will give you everything you need and want to indulge in that knowledge and adventure side of ourselves.
The Space Coast of Florida is defined geographically as the area along the I-95 corridor between Sebastian Inlet in the south to Cape Canaveral in the north. If you want the technical term, it consists of the entirety of Florida's Brevard County. One could argue that you could make a three or four day stop in the Space Coast alone if you take the relaxation route seriously enough.
Canaveral National Seashore
Located along the Atlantic coast A1A highway, Canaveral National Seashore can be accessed from its north entry at Apollo Beach and its southern entrance at Playalinda Beach in Titusville. The area is managed by the National Park Service and requires a $5 daily fee to enter the area. If you happen to stay nearby and manage to access the area by foot or bicycle, the fee is just $3. There are also annual and seniors passes available.
When you are on Canaveral National Seashore, there's plenty to see and do. The shoreline itself is 24 miles long and is the longest stretch of undeveloped public beach on the entirety of the Florida east coast. Whatever your outdoor beach activity is, the beach is the main attraction to your stay in the park. There is a reserved pontoon boat tour available on most weekends as well as a canoe guided trip that can be reserved.
Keeping in mind, the area is considered a national wildlife refuge that is home for 14 federally-listed threatened or endangered animals including the green sea turtle, bald eagle, wood stork, West Indian manatee and Atlantic salt marsh snake. Bird watching and animal enthusiasts will be in for a well deserved treat.
If you do decide to traverse through the area, there are three specific locations that will be must stops to enhance your experience. Eldora State House on the New Smyrna Beach side of the seashore is a museum displaying the history and features of the park. Turtle Mound, located on Mosquito Lagoon, gives you an epic panoramic view of the area that can be seen for miles. Last but not least, Black Point Wildlife Drive, which is a six mile journey, gives you a front row and windows view of the many landscape and wildlife that call Canaveral Seashore its home.
Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, which is the home of launch operations for both NASA and SpaceX, is a must stop that every American history and science enthusiast has to make at least once in their lifetime. There is a fee of $50 per adult and $40 per child (aged 3-11) with discounts and passes available through the KSC Visitors Complex website. There is no public transportation to the area although there are some companies that do offer day tours from as far as Orlando.
The admission to the kSC facility includes a bus tour of the Apollo and Saturn V Center, museums, access to Space Shuttle Atlantis and the Visitors Complex. The IMAX theater in the visitors center is also a great place to relax and learn about the rich history of the American space program. The Visitor’s Center also has a solid food court with various options to grab a bite to eat and when you are done, don’t forget to take a stroll into one or both of the two gift shops for memorabilia, gift ideas and much more.
If you want to watch a rocket launch, the Visitor’s Center also provides a list of places through Brevard County and even the KSC facility if there is availability. Checking out the future launch schedule is a must do when planning a trip to the area in general. Doing this could provide for an enhanced experience at KSC, Cape Canaveral and the surrounding area.
Orlando Princess & Canaveral Princess Deep Sea Fishing
While it is not for everyone, the opportunity to go deep sea fishing is one of the marquee things many adventurous people can sign up for. The Orlando Princess and Canaveral Princess Deep Sea Fishing Company offers the ultimate experience of fishing out in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The company offers three versions of the trip and they are half day, full day and the night shark fishing.
The two boat fleet is an 85 and 95 foot fishing boat experience that gives you the ultimate fishing party experience with all the essentials needed to go deep sea fishing. Included is a meal on the full and half day experience as well as a temporary fishing license. Both boats include an upper deck and enclosed air conditioned area.
If you plan to take the trip, the office and docking experience is located in Port Canaveral adjacent to the Bluepoints Marina. For an added bonus, we also recommend taking in a tour of the Canaveral Lighthouse nearby the offices. Taking a day to go deep sea fishing before or after taking that cruise could be a well planned vacation experience that you could get once in a lifetime.