I came here with my homeschooling co-op, they did a free mini class event for us. Very nice of the…read moreteacher to take the time to teach the kiddos all about navigation and she made it really fun for them as well as broke it down for them to understand in game form. I think it lasted about 25 mins or so. Only wish I would have walked more into their trail to see the water view if there is one I didn't get to see it. In all a cool spot to get a bit of history and sight seeing.

Wow! What a cool place. My husband and I have been choosing a different nature sanctuary in…read moreBrevard county to explore and walk, today we chose Sams house and Pine Island sanctuary. We decided to park at the Pine Island end of the trail, there are a couple of rustic areas to park. The trail head for the Pine Island loop which is about 3/4 of a mile is near the manatee viewing area and kayak launch. The walk from parking area to the start of the garnet trail which takes you to Sam's house is a wide open green area that is used for walking or horseback riding, there is no shade but if you're lucky there is a beautiful breeze along the lake. The trail to Sam's house is very rustic with some boardwalks and lots of root covered ground. The path is clear but some areas a a little soft due to the surrounding canals. Sam's house is one of the original homes in Merritt Island. There are areas with explanations and examples of what was grown and sold in the area. Apparently there were prehistoric animal remains found in the area as well as the burial mound of Indigenous people. This is a definite place to revisit and explore the other trails and bits of history.

This Steamboat Pioneer Memorial sign is posted at the center of the Space Coast Park leading up to…read morethe Gemini Monument at the tip of the brick walkway. The memorial sign provides information of the Steamboat Pioneer that was engulfed in a fire in 1877 where it sank at this location on the Indian River.

This historic sign tells us the tragic tale of the Steamship Pioneer, which burned while anchored…read morehere back in April of 1877. The Steamship Pioneer was the first commercial passenger steamboat on the Indian River and was the flagship of Captain T.J. Lund's Pioneer Steamboat Company, which was formed in the 2870's to transport people. History has always fascinated me and ot is hard to imagine what Titusville must have been like back in those days to the tourists. I am glad I came across this plaque.

Dummett's quest for seclusion led him to devote much of his time to this perfectly protected grove,…read moreuniquely lodged between two large temperate lagoons. It is thought that Dummett's experiments with grafting, as well as the mild lagoon climate, helped his grove survive the record-setting freeze of 1835 that killed groves throughout the territory.[8]

I had to come down here for some government business recently. The employees could not have been…read morenicer or more helpful. There are some big advantages to small towns in this day and age.

Space Shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center is absolutely astounding. So cool to witness…read moreall the marvels of space travel in the past, see all that's being done in the present and into the future. If you have any questions about space travel or ever had any doubts about the legitimacy of NASA or any space related, this marvel of a spectacle is definitely worth a visit if you are planning to come to Orlando! 5 solid stars and two galactic thumbs up!

The last building that we toured was the impressive Space Shuttle Atlantis. Kennedy is the…read morepermanent home of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Atlantis is raised 30 feet off the ground, and is turned 43.21 degrees as if it were in space. There's a full scale external tank and two rocket boosters that are the grand gateway. The huge orange external tank is suspended 23 feet above the ground, and reaches 184 feet in the air. The inside tour tells the entire story of the Space Shuttle Program. There is over 60 exhibits and simulators to experience in the space shuttle center. Two other sights to see is full sized replica of the Hubble Space Telescope, that hangs opposite the open payload bay doors of Space Shuttle Atlantis, with Atlantis' Canada Arm extended(the robotic arm made by Canada). The permanent memorial honors the lives lost during the space shuttle missions, Challenger and Columbia are in the complex with patches along the walls, Challenger on the left and Columbia on the right. We didn't do the space shuttle experience(another trip in the works later this year) on this visit, but some of my younger family members did take the slide down to the next level. Space Shuttle Atlantis also has a souvenir shop located on the way out. I REALLY enjoyed my second time visiting Kennedy Space Center, it was worth the 33 yrs. wait return visit.

According to the historical landmark plaque (summary version):…read more In early pioneer times native Americans and explorers had to pull or haul their canoes and boats across this narrow strip of land from the Mosquito Lagoon to the Indian River. Hence it became known as "haulover". Fort Ann was established nearby in 1837 during the 2nd Seminole War to protect the haulover from Indians and also carry military supplies from the Lagoon to the River. In 1852, the first canal was dug using slave labor by contractor G.E. Hawes. It was 3 feet deep, 14 feet wide, and completed in time for the 3rd Seminole Indian War (1856-1858). By 1887 a new and deeper canal was dug not far from the original. This is its present day location. In 1927 the Haulover Canal was incorporated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to be maintained. It has been dug wider and deeper and a basin added for launching boats. I enjoy visiting here. It's a beautiful motorcycle ride that includes riding through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge- just north of Kennedy Space Center. There's a drawbridge that crosses the Haulover and as one crosses over from the south, on the north side is a site for manatee watching. The manatee watching site has a paved parking lot and a raised concrete fenced platform where one can watch manatees as they forage for food and raise to the surface for air. They can stay under water anywhere from 5-15 minutes so be patient. I saw several on my visit. Several boats were going "out" into Mosquito Lagoon. I saw a pontoon boat, a fishing boat, a sailboat (that required the drawbridge to be raised), and even a person in a kayak. The boat launch is on he south side and west of the drawbridge. This is a great place to visit or bring your boat and enjoy a day on the water traversing between the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River by way of the historic Haulover Canal.

Love seeing Manatees, dolphins and gators at the haulover canal. Beautiful spot. Usually quietread more

I'm a fan of rockets, launches and photography in general and I have driven from Miami several…read moretimes to witness many launches. I remember the rollout of Artemis I and the many scrubs, multiple times and drove to and stayed at Titusville for this historic experience, until it finally happened on the early morning of November 16th 2022. This time I watch it from the rooftop of the newer Courtyard Hotel. It was quite an experience, everyone clamping and screaming and happy! The closest point to LC-39b with public access is Playa linda but due to its proximity it's always close 48 hours before any launch attempt. So the really best option will be from inside KSC at the banana creek or the Apollo/Saturn V Center but those options are quite expensive and they sellout in few minutes. I'm looking for ways to the next Artemis II schedule for the end of 2026...

Love visiting the Lighthouse. Call to make a date to see the lighthouse with groups of 10 or more…read more Must do this well in advance because ID clearance is required. If you're fortunate you can also see Hangar C.

**INITIAL REVIEW**…read more The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Tour (which I will shorthand simply to the Lighthouse Tour) has been one of those "backyard adventures" I've been wanting to go on for the longest time. Eventually, I was able to partake in said adventure with my friends, Nate and Chops. Afterwards, I have to say that even for a probably "one-and-done" for a tour, it is definitely worth every penny spent. This tour was everything I wanted and loved, and it delivered. First and foremost, the actual business building for the Lighthouse Tour is nothing you have to worry about. According to all the tours, you will meet up at the Sands Space Museum and take a charter van to multiple locales on the tour. Before we get to the actual tour I partook in, it should be noted there are numerous tour options such as the museums alone, the lighthouse alone, or the full experience. Prices range from $35 (lighthouse only) to $65 (full tour). I went with the latter which includes numerous museums, historic launch sites, and the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. It should also be noted that the more you do, the longer the tour. The full tour is four hours long. Please take note the things you need to check before the tour such as wearing shoes if you plan to walk up the five floors of the lighthouse, small bags allowed with small closed-contained foods and drinks only. Finally, you need to fill out a clearance check as all the stops, with the exception of Sands Space Museum, is on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Military Base. With those in mind, the full tour - known as the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and Space Flight Tour - is all the stops if possible. I say "if possible" because some stops may be closed for maintenance or upgrades. For us, The Sands Space Museum, where the tour stars, was closed for renovation. However, the museum is free and not on protected property so I can go back and check it out. We visited four different launch sites, three museums, and the Cape Canaveral lighthouse. I personally loved the lighthouse and Hanger "A" which housed some of the larger historic rockets and jets that have helped bring NASA and the U.S. military where it is now. I personally was surprised that the first drone was used as target practice. I can't really detail everything I saw or this would become one my longest reviews, longer than I usually do. Just know that, like I said earlier in the review, for a possible one-and-done, it is worth every penny. However, if you really want to make sure the tour is a one-and-done, pay for the full tour. You'll have enough time to visit everything within the four hours, and if anything is closed, they'll take you to the Canaveral National Seashore, which was amazing because it is literally almost "untouched" by tourism. I will give this tour four out of five stars. I am not going to say consistency will earn the fifth star because only a super fan will take this tour numerous times... or work for the tour company. I will say that the lacking star has to do with the price. It can be high overall especially if stops are closed for some reason.

We visited the vehicle assembly building while at the Kennedy space Center in Cape Canaveral…read more After waiting on line for the bus tour we went to the VAB. The Vehicle Assembly Building (originally the Vertical Assembly Building), or VAB, is a huge building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It was designed to assemble large pre-manufactured space vehicle components, like the massive Saturn V, the Space Shuttle & the Space Launch System, and stack them vertically onto one of three mobile launcher platforms used by NASA. In 2022, the first Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was assembled inside in preparation for the Artemis I mission.

The closest you can get to the VAB building is driving past it on the bus tour. It's an incredibly…read morehuge building that could fit the entire coliseum in Rome and still have room for a parking lot on the roof! And right now the Artemis ll is in there getting its fuel injectors worked on. Hopefully we get a launch in April of this year (2026) for our return to the moon. It's incredible to think an entire shuttle is in that building standing straight up getting ready to launch. Take the tour to get close. We even saw a returned booster being moved down the road here all burned up. It was incredible.

Bridges are engineering marvels and I never miss the opportunity to admire their graceful…read morearchitecture, whether I'm driving across one or standing beneath it. During a recent visit to Titusville, I came across the impressive A. Max Brewer Bridge, which spans the Indian River Lagoon and connects the mainland to Merritt Island. Long before today's bridge existed, travelers crossed the lagoon by ferry from Scobie Dock. That changed in 1922 with the opening of the hand cranked wooden Walker Bridge, replacing the ferry service and providing the area's first permanent river crossing. Plans for a stronger concrete bridge were delayed by World War II, leaving a dangerous temporary curve in place. In 1942, an Army transport truck missed the turn, crashed through the wooden bridge supports, and plunged into the river, tragically claiming the lives of six soldiers. The surviving portion of that original infrastructure later became the Veterans Memorial Fishing Pier. A replacement low level steel swing bridge, the Roy Roberts Bridge opened in 1949. In 1983, it was renamed in honor of Albert "Max" Brewer, a prominent local attorney, state representative, and member of the State Road Board who was killed in a plane crash in 1966. After more than six decades of service, the aging swing bridge became increasingly unreliable due to frequent mechanical failures. The current A. Max Brewer Bridge opened on February 5, 2011, replacing the old structure with a modern fixed segmental bridge stretching 3,207 feet and rising 65 feet above the water. Constructed by The Lane Construction Corporation at a cost of approximately $45 million, the bridge was designed to improve traffic flow while providing scenic pedestrian walkways and seamless access to the Veterans Memorial Fishing Pier. Its striking design and functionality earned it the national AASHTO People's Choice Award in 2011-2012. Today, the A. Max Brewer Bridge is more than just functional transportation. It's a beautiful landmark of engineering and history with breathtaking views of the Indian River Lagoon. Get the best view from beneath the bridge at Parrish Park which also offers swimming, boating, and fishing. Whether you're driving across it or stopping to admire its elegant curves, this bridge is a valuable link in Florida's Space Coast.

A spectacular 65 ft tall structure named after a Titusville attorney and constructed in 2010. A…read moregreat spot for cycling and jogging with a dedicated fishing pier. Although it does not open, it is tall enough to allow monster ships to pass underneath to sail up and down the Indian River Lagoon. The bridge permits easy passage from Titusville to Merritt Island.