A return visit to Kennedy Space Center changed my outlook on life.

A year ago, I headed to Orlando to finally make some unfulfilled childhood dreams come true. After visiting Disney, Universal Studios, and the Kennedy Space Center, my space nerd cravings were satisfied and I returned home with the box truly ticked. Well almost.

Rocket Garden - Kennedy Space Center — Rocket Garden – Kennedy Space Center

When I had the opportunity to talk to an astronaut along with watching a rocket launch and driving along Florida’s inviting Space Coast, my reborn inner child jumped at the opportunity. Some concern did cross my mind as I had already experienced a similar trip once before. Will this trip this time eclipse the first?

Melbourne, Florida

Flying with TUI, we landed at Melbourne International Airport, Orlando. On arrival you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for TUI International Airport as every wall was adorned with the ubiquitous red and blue branding. TUI even offers a dedicated passenger lounge with free food and drinks for premium customers during flights. This is what I will experience upon my return, shaking off the sadness on the way home.

Courtyard Titusville Kennedy Space Center

best in Titusville

The Courtyard by Marriott Titusville, our group’s hotel for the next few days, occupies the centerpiece of Space Center’s luxury real estate. When you enter the hotel, any space fan will rejoice as you are greeted by a live board displaying each of the upcoming rocket launches. Luckily we arrived just as the launch was due at 4.45am. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Jet lag caused my eyelids to open, ensuring that I would get up.

Explosion

Watching from the rooftop terrace, aptly named “Space Bar”, we had a magnificent view of the Space X Falcon rocket taking off. It illuminated the darkness of Florida for a moment, reflecting the explosive explosion of fire scattered across the lake in front of us. We all watch in excitement as it soars across the night sky, the sonic explosion and deafening rumble reaching us within 40 seconds. It’s one of those pinch-yourself moments, but for some locals it’s as normal and commonplace as the occasional thunderstorm. Personally, I would move here to see this spectacle regularly.

Kennedy is calling

After our amazing rocket launch, it was time for Kennedy Space Center’s main course. Having visited it before, it still retains its innate charm and lives up to all previous expectations. I was surprised at how dumbfounded I still was by the events that happened with Apollo 11 and the space shuttle Atlantis. The latter was a great moment when a group of schoolchildren screamed in delight in unison as the shuttle opened. I thought the cacophony of noise was just for Swifty.

Meeting with an astronaut

It’s not often in life that you meet someone who can have a profound impact on you in a matter of minutes. We had the pleasure of being in the company of the brilliant Steve Smith for a specially organized session where you pay an additional fee to talk to an astronaut. Surrounded by enthusiasts of all ages, it was fascinating to hear his insightful tales of fixing the Hubble Telescope and his explanation of his philosophy regarding spacewalks and our planet.

Within our group we made inquiries about everything we could call. From what it’s like to fail a mission, to how one can come to terms with the enormity of the planet they see before them. Steve’s response was honest and informative, but his obvious love and passion for family life was most endearing. For me, his words about prioritizing and ultimately “simplifying your life” is advice that I have begun to put into practice. Really life changing.

In Cocoa Beach and beyond…

It’s not all space launches, astronauts and key lime pie, although I was able to successfully eat the latter a few times. Leaving the rockets behind, we took a slower boat ride on the Banana River at sunset in Cocoa Beach. It’s a great tourist spot, as are the gasps from boat passengers when the dolphins swim close. Florida’s riverfront homes compete with the brightly colored “VOTE FOR TRUMP” banners that bloom on most lawns. Just look away if you’re not that politically minded.

The storm is waiting

If you want more adrenaline in your adventure, then the airboat ride will be more than worth your time. We went to Camp Holly and alligator territory. Ever since I was inspired by the title of Gentle Ben as a child, I have always found this journey ridiculously inspiring. Speeding through mangroves and swamps at breakneck speeds, stopping to watch alligators dive into the water as you approach, is a dizzying experience. We were also caught in a storm on the way home and at speed, the rain hitting our bare arms and faces like sharp, tiny bullets. Proof that, as Floridians will attest, if you don’t like the weather here, just wait five minutes.

Six unusual facts about the Space Coast

The Space Coast is America’s gateway to space, hosting more launches than any other site in the world and hosting all manned launches from the United States into orbit and beyond.
Home to legends and Olympians such as Kelly Slater and Caroline Marks, the Space Coast is known as the Capitol of East Coast Surfing, with key spots located in Cocoa Beach and Sebastian Inlet.
The Space Coast is the best nesting site for sea turtles in North America and is also home to leatherback turtles, green turtles, and the rare Kemp’s ridley turtle (the rarest sea turtle).
The Space Coast contains many beautiful, protected natural sites, including Canaveral National Seashore, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, Sebastian Inlet State Park, Indian River Lagoon Conservation Area State Park, Lands Conservancy Program Brevard and St. Johns counties are endangered. River.
During the summer months, the Indian River Lagoon (an estuary of national significance for its incredible biodiversity) is illuminated at night by the bioluminescence of plankton dinoflagellates in the water.
The Space Coast is a birding and fishing paradise, where hundreds of species can be found during migratory seasons and year-round.

Kayaking for the brave

I also decided to go to the Brevard Zoo’s local menagerie. I have to be frank that I don’t fully agree with animals in captivity, although they seem to be happy with the conservation element here. The main reason for visiting was to kayak around the zoo itself. It’s a thrilling sight to see giraffes chewing on your legs away from you as you carefully walk downstream. For the more adventurous, there is the opportunity to go kayaking on your own on the lake adjacent to the alligator site. Although I participated in this, I did not see any alligators, but I did get a feeling of calm and serenity that I had not experienced throughout the entire trip.

Florida cuisine

It’s not all about key lime pie (unfortunately), but I sampled some powerhouse microbreweries on this trip, as well as incredible food at the 4th Street Gas Station, where brunch options are as plentiful as citrus in Florida. However, if finer cuisine is more your thing, then you can’t go wrong with Village Food Tours, who took us on a culinary tour of Melbourne. From Mediterranean to custom deserts, they’ve got all the local eateries and your expanding waistline covered. However, you can easily burn yourself out surfing the gorgeous Cocoa Beach.

Re-entry

When the whole world is at your feet, why return to the same place twice? Florida surprised me with the differences between every Space Coast location I saw. NASA has a monopoly here, but they’re proud of it. Despite the truly outstanding spectacle of the rocket launch, there is a reason to return here more than once. Astronaut Steve Smith shared useful wisdom by advising me to simplify my life. It made me forget why I was even afraid to return to the same place twice.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (kennedyspacecenter.com) brings to life the epic history of the US space program, offering a full day or more of fun, inspiration and educational activities. One-day admission costs $75 per adult/$65 per child plus tax, and two-day admission costs $89 per adult/$79 per child.

Guests can express their passion for space at Courtyard Titusville Kennedy Space Center (marriott.co.uk). The hotel’s rooftop bar, The Space Bar, offers stunning views, serving local cuisine and drinks, as well as great views of rocket launches. Room rates start at $170 plus taxes per night, per room.

Rooms at the Hampton Inn & Suites Cape Canaveral Cruise Port (hilton.com) start from $169 to $299 plus taxes per room, per night, including breakfast, depending on the season and day of the week.

TUI offers return flights to Melbourne-Orlando International Airport from a number of UK airports including London Gatwick, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Belfast and Newcastle. Return prices for summer 2025 start from £550 per person. For full details visit tui.co.uk.