If you want to have the BEST food ever, make reservations at Fat Kahuna’s. They only seat about 20, maybe fewer now with Covid, I don’t know. They were rated #1 restaurant on Trip Advisors for a long time, they’ve dropped to #2 haha. If you can only get the 5:00 time slot, take it! It says fine dining, but it’s not what you think. A small, fun Hawaiian vibe.
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We’ve rented a condo in Cocoa Beach for May and July for the past 6 years or so. LOVE Fat Kahuna’s! Need to make reservations in advance.
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Does anyone know if we will be able to see this spacecraft launch from Cocoa Beach?
June 3Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 22
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its second cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 22nd mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from March and May 20.
I just saw this on the Launch Schedule website! It says time TBD. Is there a usual time of day this happens? My husband and son would be over the moon if they could see this!
Yes! You’ll be able to see/hear/feel the launch from Cocoa Beach. Time of the launch is mission dependent. Space Flight Now is a good site to follow for the latest updates.
There is usually a decent crowd on the beach for the launches. I’m happy that there is still a lot of interest.
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Wow, this is going to be super cool! I didn’t even realize there would be a rocket launch until just now.
We are going to Kennedy Space Center too. Is it worth paying for the guided tour? It’s only $20 per person, but I heard there’s so much to see that the guided tour isn’t necessary. We love all the extra info a tour guide gives, but won’t do it if it’s not great.
Sorry, I don’t have an opinion about the guided tour – we’ve never done it. I’m sure someone else will chime in. It’s been years since we’ve been to the Visitor Center, but we really enjoyed it.
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OH! we saw a space launch from kennedy space Center from Cocoa Beach in 2015. It was great!
it was in the evening. I’m not 100% sure where we sat, but it was on the beach somewhere in that general area. You can get closer to it by driving around. I think there were people parked all over the place to watch it.
We always pay extra for the guided tours. Big nerds that we are. We also buy the headphone tours at the museums.
It’s been years since we were at KSC but I am sure we did the guided tour.
We love knowing as much as we can. My sister never buys the tours or headphones. She’s happy as she like to power tour, see as much as you can in as little time. My family is the complete opposite
Don’t forget to make your Fat Kahuna’s reservations!
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For launches, you can go out on the peninsular road that runs along the banana river. There is an air force station at the end and there are bleachers. The view is across the river, but you can feel the heat and see the smoke and there will be lots of people to tell you what is going on (as some of them go to 100s of launches). I think it is worth it. You’ll see cars all lined up along that road but I found it best just to go to the station, park, and sit in the bleachers.
https://spacecoastlaunches.com/viewing-spots/
You can see the rockets in the air from anywhere on the space coast, but you need to get closer to the launch site to feel the heat and see the smoke.
My daughter went to Florida Tech. I was at one of her games and I swear, as they were playing the national anthem, a rocket was launched right over us. “And the rocket’s red glare…” It was very cool.
Closer to the launch date, they’ll give you a time window. They almost always go off at the first time or they are cancelled. They could move them out a little to a different date, but they might even add more to the schedule.
You can pay more to watch the launch from Kennedy in a special area (I think you have to take a bus out there). See a Rocket Launch at Kennedy Space Center
It really is very cool and worth the effort to find a good viewing spot.
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This is great info, thanks!
Just going to say it’s hard to guage missile lift off. Sometimes it’s right on the dot and other times days later dependent on weather, technical problems etc. The traffic can be really bad since the causeway turns into a parking lot but that is just part of the ambiance. People camp out for big shots. Bring bug spray.
I’m super excited about this! I am fervently hoping the launch isn’t cancelled. I’m not going to tell my husband. That way, if it happens, it’s a fun surprise, and if it doesn’t, he won’t be disappointed.
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Don’t know if you’ll be in Cocoa Beach yet, but there is also a Spacex Falcon 9 launch scheduled for June 1st at 1225am.
No, but we will be there for sure on June 3. I am so excited! Think I already said that…haha