About an hour east of Orlando, Florida’s Space Coast is where humans launch into orbit. With rockets now lifting off more often than ever, there’s a real chance to see one during your trip.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Stand beneath a real Saturn V moon rocket, see Space Shuttle Atlantis up close and explore exhibits on today’s missions. Bus tours take you out toward the launch areas. Plan a full day — there’s a lot to see.
How to Watch a Launch
- Check the schedule. Launch dates shift often for weather and technical reasons, so follow official launch schedules and local news the week of your trip.
- Pick a spot. Popular public viewing areas include Space View Park and the waterfront in Titusville, Jetty Park in Port Canaveral, and the beaches of Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral. Kennedy Space Center sells special launch-viewing tickets for some missions.
- Arrive early and be patient. Traffic builds fast on launch days, and countdowns can hold or scrub.
- Night launches light up the sky and can be seen from much of Central Florida.
Cocoa Beach
A classic surf town with a long pier, wide beaches and the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop. Great for a post-launch beach afternoon.
Wild Side of the Cape
The land around the launch pads is also a wildlife haven. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge offers driving tours with birds, alligators and sometimes manatees, and Canaveral National Seashore protects miles of undeveloped beach.
Want to see launches the way we do? Keep an eye on GoFlorida.tv — the Space Coast is one of our favorite places to point a camera.
Watch Florida Live
GoFlorida.tv streams festivals, concerts, parades and community events from across the Sunshine State. See what’s coming up on our Upcoming Livestreams page, or get in touch if you have an event you want taken live.
Featured photo: Reinhard Link, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons