East Central Florida
Known aptly as ‘Space Coast’, the Eastern part of central Florida combines two interests; surfing and space exploration.
Home of Kennedy Space Centre the world-famous launch pad for the American space programme. Around the NASA complex, a tourist attraction has grown and continues to regularly expand and upgrade its exciting offerings. Here is the seat of the Space Coast’s identity, an attraction that encompasses several campuses with launch site bus tours, IMAX theatres, a centre devoted to moon exploration, an astronaut’s hall of fame, space exploration history exhibits, robotized presentations, opportunities to meet real live astronauts, and sensational space simulation rides.
However, the exclusion zone around Kennedy Space Centre has also created a massive nature reserve that is home to a range of native Floridian wildlife including bald eagles, endangered loggerhead turtles and manatees.
Cape Canaveral, home to an air force base and growing cruise ship port, occupies a barrier island fronting the south end of Merritt Island. Catch a short casino cruise or an extended getaway to the Bahamas and beyond. Its Jetty Park is a favourite for watching shuttle launches and for fishing off the pier. The new Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort opened there recently, a spin-off of the longtime, big-name eponymous surf shop on Cocoa Beach. This 24-hour watersports cathedral brought surfing fame to the town. That and the funky, endearingly ramshackle Cocoa Pier, where waves are always the best and diners and fishermen can watch the action. Several major surfing contests centre around the pier, including the Surfing Festival over Labor Day weekend. It’s a partying kind of place any weekend and particularly during shuttle launches. A surfing school and surfing museum further Cocoa’s reputation.
