You won't find many places where nature exists in harmony with technology-but it does here in Cape Canaveral on the Space coast. You'll also find clean beaches, fabulous fishing and great golfing!
The City of Cape Canaveral is located on the Atlantic Ocean approximately midpoint between Miami and Jacksonville and is slightly over 50 miles east of Orlando. This 1.9 square-mile beach and coastal community is bounded on the west by the Banana River, on the north by Port Canaveral, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south by Cocoa Beach.
Adjacent to the north side of the Port is the John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA. Seven miles to the south of the City is Patrick Air Force Base. This strategic Florida location places the City in the center of America's space facilities and immediately adjacent to Port Canaveral, the only deep water port between Fort Lauderdale and Jacksonville.
This location also means that the community is an integral part of the retirement-resort-vacation-recreation complex of the north beaches area of Brevard County.
Some of the things that draw visitors and residents to Cape Canaveral are following:
Kennedy Space Center
The Kennedy Space Center will delight everyone as it showcases America's exploration of space. The Space Center's Visitors Complex offers everything from hands on exhibits to IMAX theaters. In one of the newer exhibits, "Exploration in the New Millennium", visitors are taken on a journey from the Vikings' discovery of the New World to the Mars Viking Lander launched in the 1970's. Here you can also touch an actual piece of Mars, and submit your name to fly in space on a future mission. Face-to-face question and answer sessions with astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle missions are now offered daily, and you can tour a full-scale mock-up of components of the International Space Station. The 363-foot, 6.2 million pound Saturn V rocket in the Apollo/Saturn V Center will astound you with its sheer size, and all of the exhibits in the Center and on the bus tour are worth the visit.
Ace of Hearts Ranch
The Ace of Hearts Ranch invites you to unwind, forget about traffic and schedules and take in the beauty of a Florida trail. While riding horseback you can relax and enjoy unforgettable scenery while traveling through the many habitats and terrains this area has to offer. Beach rides along the pristine Canaveral National Seashore are available November through April 15th.
Andretti Thrill Park
Andretti Thrill Park is Melbourne's hottest new family action attraction. Featuring five challenging tracks to test your driving skills, Kart Racing Courses, Bumper Boats, The Wave Rave - a water thrill ride, 18-hole championship Mini Golf, Kiddie Rides, Rio Grande Express Railroad, Laser Tag, Slot-Car Racing and Arcade Area.
Astronaut Hall of Fame
Excitement arises as visitors relive the daring exploits of the first twenty American astronauts. Personal momentos and historic artifacts illustrate the lives of these heroic men. Guests experience the rigors of astronaut training aboard unique simulators designed to allow adventure seekers to feel the forces of gravity and the thrill of aerial acrobatics.
Astronaut Memorial Planetarium
The Brevard Community College Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory (AMPO) was designed primarily as an educational facility to benefit students, teachers, researchers, and the public. The facility offers several unique ways to explore outer space. Underneath its signature 70-foot aluminum dome, the building houses a museum honoring space explorers from around the world, a planetarium featuring a first-of-its-kind dual projection system, a fully accessible observatory, a hands-on demonstration hall, an IWERKS movie theater, and a traveling portable planetarium. These features, each innovative on its own, work together to connect Earthbound visitors with the far reaches of our galaxy--and beyond. The result is a planetarium which is recognized as the best in the world.
Cocoa Beach Pier
Cocoa Beach Pier is one of the best places on The Space Coast to view a shuttle launch. More than 800 feet of Pier Pleasure awaits you. Eat at any one of the fine restaurants, shop from the specialty stores, play volleyball or reel in the big one. The Cocoa Beach Pier has it all. Enjoy beautiful Cocoa Beach from the Cocoa Beach Pier or catch a shuttle launch from one of the best viewing sites on The Space Coast. Experience Pier Pleasure, over 800 feet out over the ocean. At The Pier Restaurant you can enjoy elegant dining, fresh seafood and panoramic ocean views.
Forever Florida
Forever Florida is a 3,200-acreCentral Florida nature preserve adjoining the Crescent J Ranch, a 1,300-acre working cattle ranch. A variety of guided nature tours are available as well as horse-drawn covered wagon tours and horseback tours. Enjoy a home-style meal in our beautiful cypress Visitor Center. Also features bike tours, a pony riding ring and ranch petting zoo.
Space Coast Nature Tours
Explore the wonders of nature on a 90-minute narrated cruise on the beautiful Indian River Lagoon, where eagles soar, dolphins play, and alligators lurk. Enjoy views of NASA's massive Space Shuttle assembly building and towering launch pads. Learn interesting facts about the diverse history of the area and participate in global research for water quality testing. Nestled next to Kennedy Space Center where Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, home to 16 threatened and endangered species and over 300 species of birds, protects this diverse habitat among man's gateway to the stars.
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