Places to stay near Cape Canaveral

[Scuba_Jenny]

My mom is coming down in a couple weeks for a visit and we were thinking of going up to Cape Canaveral for a day or so. Any recommendations for budget motels, places to stay, things to do? We will most likely visit the seashore along with a visit to Kennedy Space Center. Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Tom Winters]

Feed her here:http://www.dixiecrossroads.org/experience/index.html, and no, the NASA Shuttle Astronaut Selection Program does not take walk-ins.

 

[TropicalDiver]

Grills at the Port is also a good place for eats. Ron Jon Surf Shop is good for surf wear and such.

 

[Orlando Eric]

KSC / Canaveral Air station was part of my old stomping ground back when I chased $$$ and told lies. There is a tour bus that will take you around the cape some it is reccomended. They miss some really cool stuff there though like the launch pad where the astronauts had the O2 fire in their suits and burnt to ashes.

The Island is pretty cool with the habitat and the management that goes on. Prior to a launch a guy gets a back hoe and digs out all the Gopher Tortistes and moves them to a non active launch area. He gets $75.00 a turtle. Otherwise they would be toasted from the rocket launch. They have their own Fire Department because the rockets set large parts of the island shrubbery on fire at launch time.

The VAB is the largest building per CuFt in the world. It is so large that it has it's own water cycle inside. After it was built it would form rain clouds and rain on peoples work station so the idea was born to install large piping in the roof and run heated water through it like a radiator to keep the water from condensing.

There are many stories and tales that are repeated out there. You never know what is true and what is made up. I know that I have been in areas where you could not see a truck in any direction then when I went onto one of the no longer used pads a KSC Police car or the tac team would show up out of nowhere. Someone told me it was camera from the 10,000 foot high weather ballons mounted on the tether line but I find it hard to believe that they could get a stable shot.

Hotels I can not remember many off the top of my head. I do not think there is much to do there other than KSC - ROn Jon's - the beach and drive US1 to hit the pawn shops for dive gear. That area seems to have a abundance.

 

[DIVERTOM]

If you are going to do the Space Center tour, it takes a whole day. So plan on
staying over. A good place is the Wakula, which also has cooking arraingments.
Luna Sea is not bad also. If you like Chinese food there is a restaurant in Cocoa
Beach which is the best around for the price, its a buffet and they have alot to
choose from, its near the Ace Hardwear store. There are cheaper places to stay
on State Road 3 but its further from the beach.

 

[cudachaser]

There are a ton of hotels in the aree...Sarting at the north end, Radisson, Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Double Tree, Wakula, Hilton, Holida Inn, Ron Jon Resort and some neat mom & pop places, Surf Studio, Pelican etc...Definately stay Beach Side. Comfort Inn and Wakula have the most attractions around them.

The Space Center is a must do...it's an all day affair and tickets are around $30/person. You get tour the "rocket garden", many displays including a full scale mock up of the shuttle and Space Station which you can go inside. The 3d Imax film is awsome, you feel like you are in space. The bus tour takes to the Space Station Facility where you view the actual modules being prepared for flight behind a glass enclosure. The bus then heads for shuttle launch pad area where you can get out and take pics over a beutiful panorama with the VAB, Pads in the back. The tour takes to on old lauch umbilcal tower. Then head out to the Saturn 5 facilty, a superdisplay commenrating the moon flights

Let me know when you are coming! Email private at cbdives@hotmail.com or call 321-537-9751. I should be able to get you dicouted ticket for the tour and since I'm 3 weeks from retireing from NASA, I'd love to "tour guide" at the center

Joe

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Sounds great!

 

[CBulla]

Jen - when Kris and I were over for the STS-109 launch a few years ago, we stayed in Cocoa Beach. We actually camped, but there are quite a few small hotel/motels in the area that were inexpensive and cozy looking. Just like down there where you are and Jupiter area, there are some beach side some mainland side.. it would depend on where she was after.

There is a great little wafflehouse on the west side of one of the beach bridges that looks like it was built in the 60's with all the other buildup in the area.... a real greasy spoon looking place. It had the best breakfast and service of almost any place in the area except the Irish pub on US1.