See the Space Coast in a Cape Canaveral Rental Car
The City of Cape Canaveral, Florida, is best known for being the launching site of NASA space shuttles throughout the history of the United States space program. Located in Brevard County, Cape Canaveral is just 60 miles from the popular tourist destinations of Orlando and Disney World. If you’re cruising through the city in your Cape Canaveral rental car, you might want to stop by the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Canaveral National Seashore or the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
For a look at the history of United States space flight up close, drive your Cape Canaveral rental car over to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, located at Kennedy Space Center, SR 405. The visitor center features a variety of exhibits, artifacts, displays and attractions on the history and future of human and robotic spaceflight. You can also explore the Apollo/Saturn V Center, north of the VAB and the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. Recently, it was announced the Astronaut Hall of Fame exhibit would be moved from its current location to another location within the Visitor Complex to make room for an upcoming high-tech attraction titled "Heroes and Legends." The attraction is set to open sometime late 2016.
Canaveral National Seashore
For some rest and relaxation far from Space Coast tourists, drive your Thrifty rental car to Canaveral National Seashore. You won’t regret it. Situated between New Smyrna Beach and Titusville, the park is located on a barrier island, giving it the feeling you are miles away from reality. The beach features 25 miles of pristine Atlantic Ocean, soft dunes, and more than 1,000 plant species and 310 bird species. Canaveral National Seashore’s 25-mile-long beach is the longest undeveloped beach on the east coast of Florida. Depending on where you’re standing, the John F. Kennedy Space Center can be seen at the southern end of this barrier island. Historically, access was often restricted to this part of the beach during launch-related events at the space center. The space shuttle facility is easily visible from the approach to Parking Lot #1.
Cape Canaveral Lighthouse
Adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center sits the historic Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. Established in 1848, the lighthouse was built to warn ships of the dangerous shoals that lie off its coast. Located inside the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, it’s a short drive over from the city in your Cape Canaveral rental car. The lighthouse stands at 151 feet and is open to the public as a part of the Air Force Space & Missile Museum public tour. However, visitors can only climb up to the fifth floor of the lighthouse because the remaining floors have been deemed a safety liability by the Air Force. Special tours may be available by request.