Cape Canaveral

Space shuttle Discovery at the Kennedy Space Center (2009)

Cape Canaveral is a city in Brevard County, Florida, most famous as the home of America's launch pad, Kennedy Space Center. Cape Canaveral is part of a region known as the "Space Coast", since all of the manned United States spacecraft are launched from the Space Center on nearby Merritt Island.

The city of Cape Canaveral is located at the northern end of a barrier island on the Atlantic coast of Florida. It is due south of the geographical feature Cape Canaveral which is on Merritt Island.

Get in

By plane

Melbourne International Airport (IATA: MLB) [1], just 27 miles south, is the closest airport to Cape Canaveral. It is served by Delta Airlines [2] with six daily arrivals (note that Flight 5197 does not operate on Saturday, and Flight 5049 does not operate on Tuesday or Wednesday) from Atlanta, and US Airways [3] with 3 daily arrivals (2 on Saturdays) from Charlotte, N.C.

Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO) [4], from which Florida State Route 528 goes straight to Cape Canaveral, is the largest airport serving the area. The drive takes a little less than 1 hour, but SR 528 requires tolls. Tolling is $2.00 from the Airport, and even more from Orlando's other tourist areas.

Daytona Beach International Airport (IATA: DAB) [5] is about an hour and 15 minutes north by way of Interstate 95.

By train

The nearest Amtrak station is in Orlando, 50 miles west.

By car

Cape Canaveral is at the eastern end of Florida State Route 528 from Orlando. Interstate 95, a primary north-south route on the Atlantic Coast, intersects FL-528 near Cape Canaveral.

Get around

By bus

• Space Coast Area Transit [6] is the name of the local Brevard County bus service. It is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. The website provides maps and timetables. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. $1.25 per ride, or $35 for a monthly pass.

See

Saturn V, KSC Visitor's Complex

• Cape Canaveral Lighthouse [7]

• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (Just to the west of Orsino on Florida State Road 405, between Range Road and East Avenue SW), ☎ +1 866 737-5235. 9AM-6PM. Adult $50, 3-11 $40 + $10 parking. This busy tourist attraction offers museums, movies, a rocket garden and bus tours of former shuttle preparation and launch facilities. This is an official Federal site - however, the visitor complex is run by contractors for a profit, so prices are comparable to private tourist attractions, not a typical national park. Basic admission (a 2 day pass) includes an excellent bus tour, the museums and the IMAX movies. Additional special tours or programs should be booked in advance since they sell out quickly. NOTE: this facility may *sometimes* be closed on launch days!
  • Quick note: the Visitor Complex's new exhibit with Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to open on June 29, 2013.

• Air Force Space and Missile Museum (Tours leave from the AF Space and Missile History Center just outside the south gate of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station), ☎ +1 321-853-9171, e-mail: airforcespaceandmissilemuseum@patrick.af.mil. M-F 8AM-4PM W-Th 9AM (launch and operations schedule permitting). Free. The three-hour tour includes stops at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum, the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and several historic launch complexes. Reservations are required and seating is limited. Adults must be able to present one form of official ID, such as a driver’s license, military ID and/or passport, when checking in at the History Center. Bus and most facilities are NOT handicapped accessible. Note that these sites can be seen daily via a fee-based special KSC bus tour of Cape Canaveral.

• Air Force Space and Missile History Center (Just outside the south gate of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station), ☎ +1 321 853-9171, e-mail: airforcespaceandmissilemuseum@patrick.af.mil. Tu-F 9AM-2PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su Noon-4PM. Free. The History Center is an extension of the Air Force Space and Missile Museum. It is located outside of the gates of the Air Force Station and does not require entry onto the station.

Do

Atlas rocket launches into space from Cape Canaveral (May 2004)

• View a rocket launch: NASA keeps a list of Brevard County parks where rocket launches can be viewed. They also provide limited opportunities to view them through the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The best places are to the south from Jetty Park near Port Canaveral, or across Indian River in Titusville.
  • The next scheduled launch is an Atlas V rocket carrying a GPS satellite. Launch is scheduled for 5:38pm EDT on May 15, 2013.

• Go on a Cruise from Port Canaveral [8] - Evening and extended cruises offered. These are especially popular for their casino facilities which are not available on land.
  • Victory Casino, 180 Christopher Columbus Dr., 321-799-0021. Relax and gamble for a night on the water. Ages 18+.

• Zero Gravity Corporation , ☎ +1-800-937-6480. $3675. Parabolic flights on a modified 727, offering brief periods of weightlessness.

• Cocoa Beach Sportfishing Charters, 800 Scallop Dr, +1 321-848-2662. [9]. Deep Sea Fishing Charters leaving from Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral. Catch Dolphin,Wahoo,Sailfish,Grouper and many others. Children Welcome.

• A1A Beach Rentals, 6811 N Atlantic Ave, ☎ +1 321-505-7455. Surfboard rental, paddleboard rental, kayak rental, bike rental, beach gear rental. Rentals are by the day, 2-day, and weekly, and the company delivers everything to you. Activities include kayak fishing, kayak manatee and wildlife viewing, surfing lessons, stand-up paddle boarding lessons, cruise shore excursions, surf fishing, flats fishing.

Buy

Kennedy Space Center's Gift shop is a treasure trove of astronaut autographs.

• Fin Freak Offshore Charters (Obsession Fishing Charters), 505 Glen Cheek Dr, Cape Canaveral, ☎ +1 321-631-3474. Cape Canaveral fishing charters

Eat

• Rusty's Seafood, 628 Glen Cheek Drive, ☎ +1 321-783-2033. Great surf and turf, in a relaxing setting on the water, with live entertainment, and seating both inside and outside over the water.
• Grill's Seafood Deck &Tiki Bar, 505 Glen Cheek Drive, ☎ +1 321-868-2226. Fresh seafood and great atmosphere.
• Fishlips, 610 Glen Cheek Drive (At Port Canaveral), ☎ +1 321-784-4533. Unique food and drinks, live entertainment, great nightlife.
• Dixie Crossroads, 1475 Garden St Titusville, FL 32796, ☎ +1 321-268-5000. Seafood

Drink

• Causeway Diner, 3700 N. Courtenay parkway, ☎ +1 321 454 9898. diner serving breakfast, lunch and dinner all day long

Sleep

• Country Inn & Suites, 9009 Astronaut Blvd, ☎ +1-321-784-8500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12PM. Closest hotel to Port Canaveral, with packages that include shuttle service to Port Canaveral. Complimentary hot breakfast.
• Residence Inn, 8959 Astronaut Blvd, ☎ +1 321-323-1100, toll-free: +1 800-331-3131, fax: +1 321-323-1029.
• Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort, 1000 Shorewood Dr, ☎ +1 321-784-4922, toll-free: +1 888-933-3030.

Go next

• Disney World is 1-1/2 hours by car due west in Lake Buena Vista.

Routes through Cape Canaveral

Daytona Beach ← Titusville ←

N  S

→ Cocoa Beach → West Palm Beach