posted 02-05-2005 02:24 PM               

The Space Coast has KSC and the Cape, the huge Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge, and plenty of surf and beach.

Touring the Cape and KSC can take up two full days if you're up to seeing it all (and you probably are since you are coming all the way here).

You will be just an hour's drive from Orlando with Disneyworld, Universal Studios and Sea World as well as other attractions.

You are also an hour from Daytona Beach if you are a car racing fan.

If you're lucky, you'll get to see a launch!

If you have specific questions, just ask.

------------------
-Ben

posted 02-05-2005 10:28 PM               

Can someone visit the AHOF without going through Kennedy Space Center?

posted 02-06-2005 01:12 AM               

Cheers!

posted 02-06-2005 08:30 AM            

You'll be able then to get to areas like KSC,Port Canaveral,Brevard Planetarium. the far side of the shuttle landing strip,Space Park and loads of other areas. There is very very little public transport thatb is of any use in Florida if visiting the KSC area. There is the Cocoa Beach area shuttle bus (see web for times) and tere are trips from Orlando theme park hotels nerly every day . But you would miss out on an awful lot using buses ratther than a car.

But,beware. If you are not used to driving long distances (i.e. greater than 50 miles at a stretch) Florida is a huge place. Its easily as big as England - so you will know how long that takes to drive? I find the driving easier in Florida (most USA in fact) than home but,remember,they drive on the opposite side to us! Make sure you DOUBLE check everytime you are turning or going across a junction.

The traffic lights are ABOVE you as well in most areas - so remember that :-) Its easy for a UK person miss them !

whatever, just ENJOY IT!

Phill

posted 02-06-2005 01:33 PM               

quote:

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they drive on the opposite side to us

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....and the driver sits on the opposite side of the car over here.(the back seat ) the gears are on the floor (right side). the second gear thats position an angle below the gears is the emergency brake. It is set when up. press button on top handle and bring it down for releasing.

...Floridians are nutter drivers. can tell a native Floridian from a tourist. tourist drive slower.

..and there are toll booths. two of them if you travel from the airport on the beeline highway going to KSC.

posted 02-06-2005 10:43 PM               

AND some of the tourists in rental cars on the Turnpike coming from Miami to Disney. They are the worst.

The larger Metropolitan areas have lots of traffic, and a bunch of aggressive drivers - like ANY in the US. Ive driven in Houston and Atlanta, considered the worst, and NY, LA and Boston (that CAN be the worst) - and feel the drivers here are not so bad after those wonderful experiences.

posted 02-07-2005 10:36 AM               

quote:

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Ive driven in Houston

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Same here...well haven't IN Houston itself.

posted 02-07-2005 06:20 PM               

Also the Flying Tigers warbird musuem. http://www.warbirdmuseum.com/

Ok, they aren't spacecraft, but airplanes, spacecraft what's the difference? They are both cool!
(at least I think so!)

posted 02-12-2005 03:47 AM               

RJB you'd prob'ly see this just driving around, but a nice spot is the Cocoa Beach Pier. With its large Atlantic Grille Restaurant right out above the water, good food & seafood -- with view of The Cape . . . . www.cocoabeachpier.com/images/IMG_5758.jpg
The pier is shown by a little sliver sticking out, N of 520 ON THIS MAP . . . . http://tinyurl.com/68hug
And here is THE PORT . . . .
http://www.portcanaveral.org

For visiting the ocean , park free at the end of most streets in the City of Cape Canaveral. The very 1st of the small, nice ocean parks is Cherie Down (by red star on map link above). The top right park on the map is JETTY PARK , WHERE SOME OF BEN'S LAUNCH PHOTOS ARE FROM. The jetty itself has good view of some Cape features, good rental items & fishing. By Jetty is the newer Ron Jon's Cape Caribe Resort (time shares) with a nice restaurant, etc.

More at Port Canaveral . Going East from Jetty along the Port's length, you'll first come to the terrible casino ships ;-) Catch a FREE 4 HOUR CRUISE out to the ocean. Sterlingcasino.com, departures 11AM & 4PM most days. And Suncruz --portcove.com-- 11AM & 7PM mostdays (SunCruz is on port's west side actually). FISHING CHARTERS are also at the Port. And take your choice of 3 day & longer cruises to the Bahamas (e.g., Carnival lines & Disney, and the impressive Zan Damme & Mariner). http://www.portcanaveral.org/funport/cruise.htm

Simpler fun at Jetty or at the MID-PORT PARK AND BOAT RAMP, just join in the 'Bon Voyages' watching the awesome ships, with the Disney ships doing 1st notes of 'when you wish upon a star' as they head to sea. THURS's AND SUN's @5PM (other times too - cruise link above has pics, times). Mid-port ramp park is also A GREAT COVERED PICNIC SPOT. Across the road is a wonderful smoked fish house. Adjacent is Grill's restaurant for breakfasts-lunches on waterfront deck (yes supper too but definitely less peaceful! and yes, bar available).
http://visitgrills.com/view.php

For lodging, south in Cocoa Beach are Holiday Inn/Hilton/BW etc. They're past famous Ron Jon's store (south of Alan Shepard Pk, the Atlantic ending-point of 520 ).
In humble Titusville I'd choose HOLIDAY INN KSC. It looks out ( get ready for spacefan/ cS terms ) across to that 'city of space' (ksc) on the shore of the vast 'bay of space' (Indian River/Mos. lagoon) , so nice looking out along Indian River Drive by HolidayInn at night, nice for quiet strolling as well, proximal to Titus' small space view park ; small "downtown" Titus. (with a couple nice restaurants, a performance theatre & weekend events) ; & the northmost ksc causeway--to see Discovery landing up close, and to drive out to visit Canav Nat Seashore with it's view of Shuttle(Apollo) pads & mila wildlife preserve.
A slightly higher tempo would be staying down at Cocoa Beach. Special picks, La Qinta & the unique Inn At Cocoa Beach. In city ofCpeCanav, very lovely high end Royal Mansions and a personal fav, the Radisson Resort, with its sweet pool area, near Port Canav.

Ben mentioned some Daytonna things. Also up there, go to the top of old Ponce Inlet Lighthouse (better than ff. link, Ben has more beautiful page, with moonrise) . . . .
http://www.ponceinlet.org
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP THAT MANY MISS. "EXCLUSIVELY" for CollectSpace visitors! Only restaurant around (just about only place, for that matter) 29 stories high. EXCELLENT for sunset dining. Call ahead in case booked for event. If youngsters, be sure to let them press noses on windows looking down at the beach & ocean waves!
http://www.topofdaytona.com
(And finally, if you should desire a place of worship, and this seems at all compatible, you can try Titusville's New Life. Probably the most beautiful new building in Titusville! Other side of US 1 from TICO airport, south of NASA causeway & Boeing, large, modern, very refreshing & very enjoyable, many space workers)

Would be great if UK members posted a link or 2 about THEIR HOME regions too. Well, RJB, I sure did carry on, maybe others will find something here too (and my own travelling friends). Some of this is at Ben's site. And, like Ben, you can drop me a line with q's too. You could post, RJB, a little about your area in England. Maybe you'll be here for Discovery flight, at same time as Brenda-Nov25? Notorious for her Aussie Red Wine :-)

posted 02-16-2005 02:23 AM               

Thought of 2 more items, an appendix to the above "book". Most space purchasing in this are is at KSC. And of course cS members go through buySPACE, and the sponsors & member's sites. But A COUPLE OTHER SPACE STORES IN THE AREA.

At KSC's south gate on Merritt Island is "Space Shirts" ( not just shirts). Renee & I have dealt with another store as well, which is in "downtown" Cocoa Beach and is of more interest to collectors . . . www.spaceworld-usa.com . Haven't been to their storefront loc. lately, hope its still there because they were mentioned in the paper as looking to sell their store.

Hooray, I GOT MY WINE DETAIL FROM BRENDA! We will look into this more, Shiraz sounds exotic!! PS, know you visit Ken & Al, wonder if Brenda's met Ben yet before? Have a good day

posted 02-16-2005 10:02 AM            

I'm also coming to Florida this year (is there a cS European invasion?), but I've got exactly 1.5 days to see absolutely everything 8-D

Seriously...I'm stopping en route so I can finally visit KSC (that's my 1 day), so what can I do with half a day? I'd love to see Cocoa Beach, but won't be able to rent a car. I should be staying in the International Drive area.

Can anyone also recommend some decent bars/restaurants in the area too?

posted 02-16-2005 05:59 PM            

Thanks for the advice! In case anyone is interested - Gator Tours operate a pickup service from selected hotels and areas and for $80/£40 will get you a basic pass plus a pickup and return to KSC. I'll let everyone know how good it is later on.

posted 02-16-2005 06:38 PM               

At KSC's south gate on Merritt Island is "Space Shirts" ( not just shirts).

other shirts he sells are animals of the areas. Store is small.

The owner also collects space items and displays them. Has a photo (I think..could be wrong) of Pamela Melroy who work there once inscribed to him. He printed STS-95 launch shirt where John Glenn signed it.
A foam material from the area of the parachute the fell all during a mission.

He told me the bar next to him...NASA workers and astronauts stop by for drinks.

posted 02-16-2005 07:48 PM               

They have memorabilia all over the walls including autographs and photos of astronauts drinking there. It's the Cape's 'Outpost.' And it's also got a hole-in-the-wall atmosphere :-)

They have live music Friday nights and it can get crowded; but it's dead during most of the week.

This might be a place to consider for a RTF get together...

posted 02-25-2005 11:57 PM               

Titusville's displayed Titan rocket being moved to the Port for restoration was mentioned by my wife, Ren Ren. And yes, you can see the 1st stage. Right as you start going around the bend, into the Port after the exit off 528. Its pretty obviously visible & looks kind of funny there! And its funny its a maritime company doing it, hope they know what they're doing! Didn't know so many companies do space restoration. We all know about Kansas City Cosmo. But saw a post on a CA one, one in Orlando. And the one Renee posted about, the S.A.S. museum in Omaha with the free tickets!

COMING FOR SPRING BREAK, maybe 1st time since last spring???
IT'LL BE FUN, but there's something sad. And that's the remaining traces of the hurricanes! A lot smaller walk across the beach to the water (the shore line has come in a ways)! Vegetation's been snuffed & thinned just at the inland edges of the beaches, because of the sort of heaped gray sand on top. Many signs are still down from the hurricanes -- why, I don't know. Even Orlando street signs are still in a major replacement project. Just a couple major hotels toward Satellite Beach still closed. Our Pastor said, maybe Ben knows for sure, that some hotels are still closed in Daytona, and Daytonna 500 visitors ended up even coming down here for a room. Roofs still unrepaired too here & there. Our own neighboring building has been haranguing through the process, roof completed last month, but ceilings still not done, bare rafters! However all in all, most things are great, and its beautiful & wonderful around here.

SA, ELLIS K! You've probably been here by now. Maybe not, though. Should have said that I possibly could take you around, in your QUICK tour of the area! You can click our email, in the 4 icons up there if you're around & interested in such.