Thinking about watching a launch from the Space Coast?
Read more about a couple of hot spots, known to locals and space enthusiasts alike, then click through the map at the bottom of the story to learn more.
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Playalinda Beach: Where untouched nature meets roaring rockets
One of Florida’s few national parks, the Canaveral National Seashore makes a beautiful drive across the Mosquito Lagoon and doubles as one of the closest public places to Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B and 39A.
The park is nestled between Brevard and Volusia counties and connects with the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.
Both launch pads are visible from the beach and are so close that sometimes, the beach is closed for launches, depending on the payload and rocket.
If the beach is open, the view and proximity to a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is unbeatable. Historic Pad 39A, currently leased by SpaceX, is the same pad Apollo 11 launched to the moon and where SpaceX launches its new heavy-lift vehicle, Falcon Heavy.
Playalinda Beach is about one hour and 20 minutes from Orlando, but it's worth the drive. There are few places in the Sunshine State that are as untouched by developers as this white, sandy stretch of beach.
As you go over the A Max Memorial Bridge over the barrier island and continue on State Highway 402, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will be on your right. Lagoon, pine flatwoods and water block the view, but the Space Shuttle Landing Facility is just beyond the vast green foliage. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to the space center and many species of Florida wildlife. Look out for alligators, tortoises and bald eagles along the route to the beach.
A yearly pass into the Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is $40 or $10 per day. A senior lifetime pass is $80 and includes access to more than 2,000 National Parks.
If you go:
Playalinda Beach: Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore, Titusville, FL 32927
Apollo District Visitor Center: Apollo District at 7611 S. Atlantic Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
Park hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Titusville parks: Local favorites, early space exploration history
In Titusville, 15 miles across the Indian River, almost parallel to multiple launch pads are two Brevard County parks popular to locals for launch viewing.
The towering Vehicle Assembly Building is visible from the Space View Park boardwalk. The park has a beautiful memorial to veterans of all wars and the U.S. Space Walk of Fame, honoring the Mercury and Gemini missions.
On launch day, get there about an hour or two early to grab a good spot in the grass along the waterfront or on the dock. Bring lawn chairs, sunscreen and water. There are bathrooms and the park is near downtown Titusville. Parking can sometimes be a problem. Again, get there early.
The Space Walk of Fame Foundation broadcasts the NASA countdown on park loudspeakers during launches.
Titusville’s Parrish Park is a 36-acre park on both sides of the A. Max Brewer Causeway off State Road 402. The park is only 10 miles from Kennedy Space Center launch pads.
If you go:
Space View Park 8 Broad St. Titusville, Florida 32796 Hours: Dawn to dusk
Parrish Park at Titusville 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Pkwy, Titusville, FL 32796 Hours: Dawn to dusk
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