Merritt Island is a city in the Space Coast region, home to Kennedy Space Center.
Understand
[edit]Get in
[edit]Merritt Island is about an hour from Downtown Orlando, but your only way to get to Merritt Island is to go via car as there is no public transportation available. From Orlando, there are two main highways you can use to enter Merritt Island:
- Highway 528, which eventually becomes Highway A1A after crossing North Cocoa Boulevard.
- Highway 50, which is a more northerly alternative to Highway 528 which becomes Highway 405 after passing the Space Coast Regional Airport and the NASA Causeway Bridge before entering the KSC Visitor Complex. If you do happen to take this route, look out for dolphins (if you're not driving) when traveling on the Causeway Bridge, as they can occasionally be seen, usually in the afternoons.
If you're getting around without a car, Uber drivers are often willing to do the drive up east, but taxi drivers often don't.
If you're coming from the south heading northbound on I-95, take Exit 205AB, while if you're traveling southbound on I-95, take Exit 205A.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]
Map of Merritt Island
- 1 Kennedy Space Center. The US' and NASA's most prominent space center and has been the main launch center of spaceflights since the late 1960s.
- 2 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. An area that is made up of all undeveloped land at Kennedy Space Center, this large area spans a variety of habitats. Half is brackish estuaries and marshes, and the rest include coastal dunes, scrub oaks, pine forests and flatwoods, and palm and oak hammocks. It is home to 16 threatened/endangered species, including the manatee, the Florida scrub jay, sea turtles, bald eagles, and others. Over 1,000 plant species and more than 500 species of wildlife have also been documented on the refuge, including 330 species of birds, 117 fishes, 65 amphibians and reptiles, and 31 mammals. Self-guided car and walking tours are offered. This is a remote area with virtually no amenities, but you can leave for lunch and return later if you wish.
Do
[edit]- 1 Kings Park, 995 Chase Hammock Rd, ☏ +1 321 633-1874. sunrise–sunset. 240 acres (97 hectares) of wetland. Activities include fishing and hiking.
- 2 Pine Island Conservation Area, 2100 Pine Island Rd, ☏ +1 321 449-4720, [email protected]. 8:30AM–sunset. Hiking trails and kayak launch, including extensive wildlife viewing.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Causeway Diner, 3712 N Courtenay Pkwy, ☏ +1 321 454-9898. Diner serving breakfast, lunch and dinner all day long.
- 2 Cozy Corner Cafe, 2425 N Courtenay Pkwy, ☏ +1 321 452-0305.
- 3 El Tucan, 225 N Sykes Creek Pkwy, ☏ +1 321 453-7501. Mexican cuisine.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Cape Crossing Resort & Marina, 201 Ivory Coral Ln, toll-free: +1 800 727-6845. Full resort on the Canaveral Barge Canal, including restaurant, lodging, and marina.