What can make a weekend in Florida better?
How about a mega moon rocket launch?
As NASA prepares for the launch of its Space Launch System rocket at the end of the month, the Space Coast could see an increase in visitors. The hotels here are filling up, and 100,000 visitors are expected to witness the launch of NASA’s mega lunar rocket on August 29.
An Aug. 17 check of online travel sites shows there are still hotel rooms available the weekend of Aug. 29, with prices ranging from $80 to $500 per night, and they are expected to close. fill quickly. Pricing and search results are roughly the same for the following weekend, Labor Day weekend. NASA has two more launch attempts this weekend if the SLS doesn’t launch by the end of this month (scroll below for launch times).
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The launch of Artemis and the summer holidays contribute to the many sold-out requests. Because Space Coast hotels are filling up, we’ve compiled a guide with tips on where to stay.
What cities should I look for when booking online?
You’re guaranteed to get a great view of the rocket launch anywhere on the Space Coast – as long as the weather and cloud cover cooperate, of course. But if you’re not from the Brevard County area and are just visiting, these are the cities you should put in your search queries and the approximate mileage from Kennedy Space Center.
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“On the continent”
Brevard is a long county with 72 miles of coastline. Watching a rocket launch on the beach is popular with tourists and locals alike. If you are “on the mainland” here, that means you are blocks or miles from the beach. However, the Banana River and Indian River Lagoon run through Brevard, and almost all of these towns in this section below offer perfect river views for a launch.
Mims, 29 km away
Titusville, 22 km away
Port St. John, 20 km
Cocoa, 20 km away
Merritt Island, 26 km away
Viera, 27 km away
Melbourne, 35 to 45 miles
West Melbourne, 43 miles
Palm Bay, 39 to 48 miles
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Video:Artemis I NASA plans to travel beyond the moon
If you are staying “on the beach…”
Watch a rocket launch from the east beach then Space Coast. These are the beach towns you should put in your search queries and the approximate mileage from Kennedy Space Center.
Cape Canaveral, 24 km
Cocoa Beach, 20 miles away
Satellite Beach, 30 miles
Indian Harbor Beach, 32 miles
Indialantic, 36 miles away
Melbourne Beach, 37 miles
Cities outside the Space Coast
If you don’t mind driving, here’s a list of cities (and counties) outside of the Space Coast to put in your search queries for a place to stay. We will include approximate mileage (and taxi time) from Kennedy Space Center. Here’s a tip: leave early to give yourself plenty of time to find parking and get your bearings.
Volusia County, north of Brevard
Oak Hill, 35 miles, about 40 minutes
New Smyrna Beach, 49 miles, about an hour
Daytona Beach, 63 miles, about an hour and 10 minutes
Indian River County, south of Brevard
Sebastian, 66 to 71 miles, about an hour and 15 minutes
Vero Beach, 69 to 81 miles, approximately 75 to 90 minutes
Wabasso, 61 to 73 miles, about 70 to 90 minutes
St. Lucia County, south of Brevard
Fort Pierce, 87 to 94 miles
Jensen Beach, 102 to 108 miles, 90 minutes to two hours
Martin County, south of Brevard
Stuart, 116 miles away, about two hours
Hobe Sound, 131 miles away, about two hours
Orange County, west of Brevard
East Orlando, 45 to 60 miles, about an hour
University of Central Florida, 35 miles, about 50 minutes
When should I book to watch the launch of Artemis?
NASA has three attempts for its SLS rocket launch:
- Launch Window 1: 8:33 a.m. to 10:33 a.m. EDT Monday, August 29
- Launch Window 2: 12:48 p.m. to 2:48 p.m. EDT Friday, September 2 (Labour Day weekend)
- Launch Window 3: 5:12 p.m. to 6:32 p.m. EDT Monday, September 5 (Labour Day)
While you’re on the Space Coast
While you’re here to see the launch of NASA’s mega moon rocket SLS, you might as well make it a mini vacation.
There are lots of things to do and places to go. For example, the Space Coast has 72 miles of beach, and some of the best surfers in the world (we’re looking at you, Kelly Slater), grew up in this area. Coincidentally, the 37th edition National Kidney Foundation Rich Salick Surf Festival will take place from September 3 to 5 in Cocoa Beach.
Besides the Kennedy Space Center, the Space Coast is home to Port Canaveral, the second busiest port in the world, and the Brevard Zoo.
Places to stay include vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, condo rentals, campgrounds, and hotels.
Florida Vacation Rentals
Sites like Airbnb, Vacation Rental by Owner, hotels.comsearch engines such as Google and Bing, or third-party travel booking sites have information about vacancies.
Campgrounds in Brevard County and Central Florida
Traveling to the Space Coast in a motorhome? Consider these options below from Brevard County Parks and Recreation:
- Manatee Hammock, a 26-acre campground in Titusville, eight miles from Kennedy Space Center
- Wickham Park, a 391-acre campground in Melbourne 50km from Kennedy Space Center
- Long Point Park, an 84-acre campground in Melbourne Beach, 84 km from Kennedy Space Center
For a complete listing of Brevard County Parks and Recreation Campgrounds, visit brevardfl.gov/ParksAndRecreation.
There are, of course, a few campgrounds just outside the Space Coast.
For a list of Parks and Recreation campgrounds in Indian River County, visit ircgov.com/parksandrecreation.
How to watch the Artemis I rocket launch from your phone
When and where: If you don’t connect to the watch from the Space Coast, but want to check it online, you can. The FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will have full launch coverage, including a live webcast with tweets and live updates, on August 29 at floridatoday.com/space (you can type this into your browser on your phone) and will feature in-depth coverage. Ask our space team reporter Emre Kelly Where Jamie Groh questions and engage in conversation.
You can also watch the coverage via the FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play. FLORIDA TODAY is part of the USA TODAY Network.
► Click here to download the FLORIDA TODAY app from the App Store
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Sangalang is a digital producer and social media champ for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @byjensangalang.
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