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Florida Space Coast Travel Adventures

by Robert Painter

If you had one question to ask an astronaut, face to face, what would it be? I know if I had it do over exactly what I would ask. Unfortunately, it may be that I’ll never see Story Musgrave again, much less get a chance to ask that vital question.

Three days on the Florida Space Coast just wasn’t quite enough time. There was so much to do I didn’t have time to lie in the sun, do a little body surfing and just relax. I did get in my three mile exercise walks each morning, but that doesn’t count for leisure time by my way of thinking.

If you’re going to Disney World and Orlando and you need a break - the Space Coast is the place to get away from the crowds and the noise. It’s only an hour away, but it’s a shift into a lower gear and a chance to see what Florida used to be like. Old Cocoa Village is a lovely, tree lined haven filled with nice little boutiques, award winning restaurants, and historic architecture.

Try Murdock’s for lunch and be sure to taste the deep fried olives. Or visit The Haven, an authentic English Tea Room. And, by the time you read this, a new French pastry shop with homemade soups, breads and other items will be open.

Cocoa Village cozies up alongside the Indian River Lagoon. Beside the waterfront is a spectacular park, complete with grassy picnic areas, a covered walkway, and a boardwalk that overhangs the river. Just watching the children playing in the specially designed child’s waterfall makes one think of earlier, simpler days. But, bring a towel and you can join in, too!

In the evening the Village Playhouse, owned by the local Community College, produces some of the finest musical productions in the state. The Playhouse, dating back to 1924, is beautifully restored and listed on the National Register of Historic places. Just down the street is the S.F. Travis Hardware Store, the oldest business on the Atlantic Coast from Jacksonville to Key West. It was built in 1885 and is still operated by the same family!

If you arrive after a few days in Orlando, you can stop by Essential Massage, have an Aromatherapy Facial massage and bring yourself back to life. They’re right on the main street - just ask anyone.

Is it time for dinner already? You can’t do better than the Dixie Crossroads in nearby Titusville. Be prepared for a feast. And don’t fill up while you’re waiting for your table. This is a busy place and you may have to wait a few minutes. While you’re waiting they bring out an enormous tray of the best Corn Fritters you have ever tasted. I guarantee it! If you don’t like them, you don’t have to pay for them. Of course, if you do like them, you still don’t have to pay for them. Just try not to eat so many that you don’t have room for the fantastic variety of shrimp that is yet to come. Begin with the Shrimp Soup, then wade into the variety of shrimp on the menu. I had at least 4 or 5 different kinds of shrimp, including the Rock Shrimp that Dixie Crossroads is famous for. You can read about the history of Rock Shrimp when you get there, so I’ll just tell you that it’s kind of like eating tiny lobsters - it took the owners a while to figure out how to quickly and easily prepare them for the table, but Rock Shrimp are now the house specialty - half a million pounds served annually. Oh, and the sugar dusted corn fritters - over 3 million a year.

To get back into a faster pace, but still more relaxed than Disney, you must spend a day at the Kennedy Space Center. Begin with breakfast at the Moon Hut, packed with space memorabilia, where the astronauts and their families ate in the early days of space exploration.

Tour buses will take you around the complex and you can see the VAB or Vehicle Assembly Building (it is so big it can be seen from space), the launch gantries, a close up look at a rocket engine, the 7 foot thick track used for moving rockets from the VAB to the launch site, and a great observation tower where you can overlook the whole complex.

And you won’t want to miss the Astronaut Hall of Fame, just opened with the world’s largest collection of astronaut memorabilia, displays and exhibits. You can even ride in the "Simulator Station", a realistic astronaut training simulator. Be prepared to feel the pressure of four times the force of gravity, take a virtual moonwalk and be prepared to be upside down a few times - it’s exciting! The IMAX film is not to be missed. It’s in 3-D and really fun. Remember the 50’s and be ready to put on the glasses.

It’s a bit expensive and the food is pretty average fare, but I wouldn’t miss having lunch with an astronaut. The lunch group is fairly small - we probably had about 50 people - and you have lots of time to personally ask questions of the astronauts.

We had Story Musgrave, a remarkable gentleman with at least 6 college degrees including an M.D. Dr. Musgrave is a veteran of six flights totaling about 1,282 hours in space. He is a mathematician, a pilot, a surgeon, a cardiovascular physiologist, a biophysicist, a parachutist, a much published author and a man with at least a dozen varied hobbies. And, if you like, he’ll sign autographs and pose for photos with you.

What did I ask him? Some vague question about the importance of Newton’s law of gravity relative to space travel. What should I have asked him? Did you ever see or encounter anything in space that would make you believe in the existence of extraterrestrial beings? I thought of it later - maybe you can ask when you get there.

If You Go:

Southwest Airlines to Orlando - usually around $200. round-trip. Fun, efficient and almost always on time! www.Southwest.com

Thrifty Car Rental - about $20 a day (Hint: Unless you really, really need lots of room, always reserve the least expensive car. If you arrive after 10 am they are usually gone and you get an automatic, free upgrade. Always check Expedia or Travelocity for deals.) www.thrifty.com

Inn at Cocoa Beach - www.theinnatcocoabeach.com - a beautiful small hotel right on the Atlantic Ocean. Well equipped exercise room, spacious guest rooms, evening complimentary wine and cheese, breakfast included. Friendly, helpful staff. Only a block from the famous Ron Jon’s surf shop. You can walk to the pier for the nightlife and restaurants and bars on the pier.

More info - www.space-coast.com

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	Real Travel Adventures Web Magazine Flag of Florida Send this Page to a Friend Peace for Everyone Florida Space Coast Travel Adventures by Robert Painter If you had one question to ask an astronaut, face to face, what would it be? I know if I had it do over exactly what I would ask. Unfortunately, it may be that I’ll never see Story Musgrave again, much less get a chance to ask that vital question. Three days on the Florida Space Coast just wasn’t quite enough time. There was so much to do I didn’t have time to lie in the sun, do a little body surfing and just relax. I did get in my three mile exercise walks each morning, but that doesn’t count for leisure time by my way of thinking. If you’re going to Disney World and Orlando and you need a break - the Space Coast is the place to get away from the crowds and the noise. It’s only an hour away, but it’s a shift into a lower gear and a chance to see what Florida used to be like. Old Cocoa Village is a lovely, tree lined haven filled with nice little boutiques, award winning restaurants, and historic architecture. Try Murdock’s for lunch and be sure to taste the deep fried olives. Or visit The Haven, an authentic English Tea Room. And, by the time you read this, a new French pastry shop with homemade soups, breads and other items will be open. Cocoa Village cozies up alongside the Indian River Lagoon. Beside the waterfront is a spectacular park, complete with grassy picnic areas, a covered walkway, and a boardwalk that overhangs the river. Just watching the children playing in the specially designed child’s waterfall makes one think of earlier, simpler days. But, bring a towel and you can join in, too! In the evening the Village Playhouse, owned by the local Community College, produces some of the finest musical productions in the state. The Playhouse, dating back to 1924, is beautifully restored and listed on the National Register of Historic places. Just down the street is the S.F. Travis Hardware Store, the oldest business on the Atlantic Coast from Jacksonville to Key West. It was built in 1885 and is still operated by the same family! If you arrive after a few days in Orlando, you can stop by Essential Massage, have an Aromatherapy Facial massage and bring yourself back to life. They’re right on the main street - just ask anyone. Is it time for dinner already? You can’t do better than the Dixie Crossroads in nearby Titusville. Be prepared for a feast. And don’t fill up while you’re waiting for your table. This is a busy place and you may have to wait a few minutes. While you’re waiting they bring out an enormous tray of the best Corn Fritters you have ever tasted. I guarantee it! If you don’t like them, you don’t have to pay for them. Of course, if you do like them, you still don’t have to pay for them. Just try not to eat so many that you don’t have room for the fantastic variety of shrimp that is yet to come. Begin with the Shrimp Soup, then wade into the variety of shrimp on the menu. I had at least 4 or 5 different kinds of shrimp, including the Rock Shrimp that Dixie Crossroads is famous for. You can read about the history of Rock Shrimp when you get there, so I’ll just tell you that it’s kind of like eating tiny lobsters - it took the owners a while to figure out how to quickly and easily prepare them for the table, but Rock Shrimp are now the house specialty - half a million pounds served annually. Oh, and the sugar dusted corn fritters - over 3 million a year. To get back into a faster pace, but still more relaxed than Disney, you must spend a day at the Kennedy Space Center. Begin with breakfast at the Moon Hut, packed with space memorabilia, where the astronauts and their families ate in the early days of space exploration. Tour buses will take you around the complex and you can see the VAB or Vehicle Assembly Building (it is so big it can be seen from space), the launch gantries, a close up look at a rocket engine, the 7 foot thick track used for moving rockets from the VAB to the launch site, and a great observation tower where you can overlook the whole complex. And you won’t want to miss the Astronaut Hall of Fame, just opened with the world’s largest collection of astronaut memorabilia, displays and exhibits. You can even ride in the "Simulator Station", a realistic astronaut training simulator. Be prepared to feel the pressure of four times the force of gravity, take a virtual moonwalk and be prepared to be upside down a few times - it’s exciting! The IMAX film is not to be missed. It’s in 3-D and really fun. Remember the 50’s and be ready to put on the glasses. It’s a bit expensive and the food is pretty average fare, but I wouldn’t miss having lunch with an astronaut. The lunch group is fairly small - we probably had about 50 people - and you have lots of time to personally ask questions of the astronauts. We had Story Musgrave, a remarkable gentleman with at least 6 college degrees including an M.D. Dr. Musgrave is a veteran of six flights totaling about 1,282 hours in space. He is a mathematician, a pilot, a surgeon, a cardiovascular physiologist, a biophysicist, a parachutist, a much published author and a man with at least a dozen varied hobbies. And, if you like, he’ll sign autographs and pose for photos with you. What did I ask him? Some vague question about the importance of Newton’s law of gravity relative to space travel. What should I have asked him? Did you ever see or encounter anything in space that would make you believe in the existence of extraterrestrial beings? I thought of it later - maybe you can ask when you get there. If You Go: Southwest Airlines to Orlando - usually around $200. round-trip. Fun, efficient and almost always on time! www.Southwest.com Thrifty Car Rental - about $20 a day (Hint: Unless you really, really need lots of room, always reserve the least expensive car. If you arrive after 10 am they are usually gone and you get an automatic, free upgrade. Always check Expedia or Travelocity for deals.) www.thrifty.com Inn at Cocoa Beach - www.theinnatcocoabeach.com - a beautiful small hotel right on the Atlantic Ocean. Well equipped exercise room, spacious guest rooms, evening complimentary wine and cheese, breakfast included. Friendly, helpful staff. Only a block from the famous Ron Jon’s surf shop. You can walk to the pier for the nightlife and restaurants and bars on the pier. More info - www.space-coast.com Subscribe Real Travel Adventures Web Magazine Thanks for visiting us! Add to Bookmarks \ ____________________ Home Previous Page Next Page _____________________ If any links don't work PLEASE NOTIFY US.