 |
Playalinda, an unspoiled escape on Cape Canaveral.
(Photo: Rain0975, via Flickr) |
After exploring Orlando’s earthbound offerings, look skyward on a day trip to Cape Canaveral. Wake up late and grab �Breakfast in Bed� for brunch at Artisan’s Table: a puff-pastry tart with crumbled bacon and Parmesan, topped with a baked egg ($6), washed down with a latte with maple syrup and orange zest ($4). Then drive out to the Kennedy Space Center ($50). Build and race your own jet-propelled race car, learning about the laws of motion, safety, and construction along the way ($25), then check out the just-opened "Space Shuttle Atlantis" exhibit, allowing an up-close view of a real space orbiter. Vertically launch yourself in the astronaut-training simulator, then try out the new Great Balls of Fire computer program, where you can virtually blast off in a spaceship to the asteroid belt and check out the potential impact of a huge asteroid or comet if it were to hit Manhattan. When you’ve had your fill of space fantasy, drive 30 minutes toward the cape, stopping at Wild Ocean Seafood for lunch: blackened Cajun fish on a brioche bun or a Canaveral shrimp po’boy, made with wild local fried shrimp ($9.99). Then drive 20 minutes to Playalinda beach, a pristine stretch of sand on a wildlife refuge favored by locals and surfers, right by the launchpad at Canaveral National Seashore park (daily-use fee, $5 per car). It’s the rare beach around here unspoiled by hotel development; look out for gators while you watch the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.