Cocoa Beach, FL (CNN/Money) -
For real-life excitement for kids of all ages, forget Orlando. Head for the Space Coast
Yes, it is possible to have a kid-centric vacation in Florida that doesn't linger in wallet-busting, mind-numbing Orlando. Head east to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean around Cocoa Beach. The area that Florida's marketers call the Space Coast has attractions to thrill -- and challenge -- children of all ages without pandering to them.
The Kennedy Space Center is an amusement park in its own right. Imax movies vividly tell the story of the international space station and the space shuttle program; then you can experience celestial claustrophobia in a replica of the shuttle Explorer before boarding a bus to the Space Center's restricted areas.
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 Looking for a great family vacation spot? Head to Cocoa Beach, Florida. From surfing and nature tours to the Kennedy Space Center, this destination offers a lot of excitement and great value.
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The two-day premium Space Center ticket ($34 for adults, $24 for kids under 12) also buys entry into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. For an extra $22, the NASA Up Close tour visits the launch pads and landing facility, plus the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, where the shuttle awaits its next mission.
For $19.99 ($9.99 for kids under 12), the Dine With an Astronaut lunch is a good deal for the meal alone (321-449-4444; kennedyspacecenter.com).
The Space Center's ATX (Astronaut Training Experience) is as close as most of us will get to an actual flight. The full-day program includes a session at the training simulators and a full simulation of a shuttle mission, as well as a VIP tour of the Space Center. Tickets are $225; book early (321-449-4400).
Back on Earth
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Explore the quiet, untrammeled beaches at Canaveral National Seashore, where cars and other modern intrusions are prohibited and endangered species thrive. You might spot manatees, dolphins or alligators if you hike through the nearby Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, or take a boat ride along the Indian River Lagoon.
Space Coast Nature Tours (321-267-4551; spacecoastnaturetours.com offers cruises on the lagoon in a solar-powered boat with an underwater microphone. Older kids will gravitate toward Cocoa Beach, a top surfing spot. And when the time comes to cave in to your kids' pleas, Orlando is just an hour away.
Where to stay
Cocoa Beach resorts are relaxed, and some of them have specially designed kids' programs.
The Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach wows youngsters with a pirate-ship pool, sulky teens with a game room and surfboard and boogie board rentals, and everyone else with tennis, volleyball and shuffleboard courts as well as a fitness center (doubles from $50; 800-206-2747; hicentralflorida.com).
The Resort at Cocoa Beach is a kid-friendly condo with playground, game room and even a movie theater (doubles from $165; 866-469-8222; vrivacations.com).
Packages: Pickings for Cocoa Beach are surprisingly slim. In September, Liberty Travel offered a four-night early February stay at the Holiday Inn for just $214, compared with $275 booking through Travelocity .com.
On the other hand, the hotel/rental-car combinations from Liberty and Expedia require flying into Melbourne, Fla. Though Melbourne is a bit closer to the Space Coast than Orlando is, flights to Orlando are more plentiful and air fares are lower -- when we checked in September, they were $30 to $50 cheaper from a variety of cities.
For more: information about the Space Coast, contact the area's Office of Tourism (800-936-2326; space-coast.com).
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