DEL.ICIO.USAdventures in flight — birds and rockets
For the AJC
Sunday, June 07, 2009
The 72 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches are just one of the delights of Florida’s Space Coast — the area around Cape Canaveral that also includes Cocoa Beach, the Kennedy Space Center and Melbourne.
Visitors also can marvel at some of man’s greatest technological achievements or explore the unspoiled natural beauty and wildlife in one of the country’s preeminent nature preserves.
Scott Andrews
Visitors to Florida’s Space Coast can get an upclose view of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center.
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The highlight of the trip may be the John F. Kennedy Space Center, which is NASA’s primary space-launch facility. This unique experience presents a historical lesson on America’s space exploration while affording the opportunity to witness a piece of history in the making. Launch Complex 39 was the launch point for the Saturn V rockets that carried all Apollo lunar missions, including the epic Apollo 11 journey that landed on the moon. It is still used for launches.
Located just north of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the Merritt Island National Refuge provides the perfect escape for nature lovers hoping to get up close and personal with local wildlife. Visiting the nature preserve is the ideal complement to a visit to the Kennedy Space Center since the refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is comprised of all the land not used for NASA Kennedy Space Center operations.
Begin your journey at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which offers fascinating exhibits, interactive activities and guided tours focused on the space program. A good place to start is at the IMAX theater early in the day before the crowds arrive. The film “Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3-D” relies on breathtaking footage shot by NASA astronauts on their actual missions to the moon. Make your next stop the Shuttle Launch Experience, where visitors prepare to blast off on a simulated launch that is more of a thrill for kids than adults.
Other not-to-be-missed adventures include:
» Astronaut Encounter — take advantage of the rare opportunity to meet and take photos with veteran NASA astronauts
» U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame — dedicated to our nation’s astronauts and housing the world’s largest collection of personal memorabilia
» Space Shuttle Plaza — features a full-sized NASA Space Shuttle replica of Explorer
» Astronaut memorial — honoring those that have perished in the name of space exploration.
Bus stops at launch pads
The Launch Control 39 (LC 39) observation gantry is the first of three stops on the bus tour enabling access to otherwise restricted areas of the Kennedy Space Center. There you are met with breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views of the launch pads, the launch control center, the Crawlerway and the massive Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
The imposing 100,000-square-foot Apollo/Saturn V Center, which is the second stop on the bus tour, is dedicated to man’s quest to land on the moon. Saturn V is otherwise known as the moon rocket and was used by NASA’s Apollo and Skylab programs from 1967-73. The Saturn V Center “is a tribute to the Apollo astronauts and the machines that got them there – and brought them home safely,” according to the Web site of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Be sure to check out the moon buggy, the command module and the actual consoles that were used in the Apollo program.
The last stop on the tour is the International Space Station Center, dedicated to the largest and most scientifically complex project in modern history. Once you pass through the door, you are afforded a bird’s-eye view of the facility where NASA prepares and tests the actual components of the International Space Station (ISS).
Birding paradise
As you drive along the seven-mile Black Point Wildlife Drive within the Merritt Island National Refuge and notice the abundance of different species of birds and ducks within close proximity, it becomes increasingly obvious why the 140,000-acre refuge is renowned as one of the best birding locations in the United States. In fact, it boasts 1,500 varieties of plants and wildlife, 15 federally listed threatened or endangered species, and more than 320 documented species of birds. You also will see a variety of intriguing ecosystems, including coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks.
For the adventurous, there is a five-mile loop hiking trail called the Cruickshank Trail that includes a lookout tower only a few minutes from the parking lot at stop number 8 of the Wildlife Drive. There are several other excellent hiking trails located throughout the refuge including:
» The 1/4-mile boardwalk at the visitors’ center
» Oak Hammock: 3/4-mile trail that is one mile from the center
» Palm Hammock: one mile from center; a two-mile loop
» Scrub Ridge: one-mile loop on Fla. 3
» Pine Flatwood Hiking Trail: one-mile loop.
Whether you are a space buff or not, a trip to the Kennedy Space Center and Merritt Island National Refuge will provide an entirely new appreciation for America’s conquests in space — past and present — as well as the surrounding natural beauty and wildlife. You may be so impressed after your visit that you’re ready to plan a trip to experience a launch in person. But you better not wait if you want to witness history in the making, since NASA intends to stop flying shuttles by the end of next year.
If You Go
Getting There
While the nearest airport is Melbourne International Airport (www.mlbair.com), which is approximately a 45- to 60-minute drive to the Kennedy Space Center, Orlando International Airport (www.orlandoairports.net/main.htm) has more frequent flights and is often cheaper. It is about a 45-minute drive to the Kennedy Space Center.
Driving time from Atlanta to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is about 7 hours and 45 minutes.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Located at Fla. 405, Kennedy Space Center, 32899; Tel. 321-449-4400; www.kennedyspacecenter.com; the complex is open daily except for Dec. 25 and certain launch days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; admission is $38 plus tax for adults and $28 plus tax for kids (3-11).
Merritt Island National Refuge
Located at Fla. 402 (5 miles east of Titusville), Titusville, Fla., 32782; Tel: 321-861-0668; www.fws.gov/merrittisland/; refuge roads, trails and boat ramps are open daily from sunrise to sunset, although certain closures can be expected for launch days. The visitors’ center is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on weekdays; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays; and Sundays, Nov. – March from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; there is no entrance fee, although donations are accepted.
Accommodations
Ron Jon Resort Cape Caribe — Conveniently located between Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, this oceanfront resort offers spacious villas and a vast array of amenities such as a heated pool, massage service, water slide and heated lazy river. Studios, $168-$202 per night, two-bedroom villas, $256 to $308; located at 1000 Shorewood Drive, Cape Canaveral, Fla., 32920; Tel: 1-888-933-3030; www.ronjonresort.com
Fawlty Towers Resort Motel — known as an icon to locals, it is self-proclaimed as tropical, tranquil and affordable. Doubles, $74 to $87; two-room mini-suites, $124 to $137. Located at 100 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, Fla., 32931; Tel: 321-784-3870; www.fawltytowersresort.com
Restaurants
Jack Baker’s Lobster Shanty Cocoa Beach — boasts a prime waterfront location in an upscale setting offering superb seafood. Entrees $15.99 - $35. Located at 2200 S. Orlando Ave., Cocoa Beach, Fla.; Tel. 321-783-1350; www.cocoabeachlobstershanty.com
Sunset Waterfront Café and Bar — situated on the waterfront and renowned for great food and excellent views. Entrees $8.99 to $22.99. Located at 500 W.Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, Fla., 32931;Tel: 321.783.8485; www.sunsetwaterfrontcafeandbar.com
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