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In order to reach Miami from Cocoa Beach to take our plane without driving too much, we chose to make a stopover in Palm Beach.

Palm Beach is the most eastern city of Florida, and is an island of 25 km2 which has one of the highest concentrations of billionaires in the United States.

On the other hand, for the average tourist, the island will be of little interest. You will certainly see luxurious villas (but inaccessible), luxury stores, many cars, but little to do, except to enjoy the immense white sand beach that runs along the eastern side of the island.

14-days family roadtrip in Florida

this article details one of our stages of a 14-day family roadtrip roadtrip in Florida

Only a short 1 hour drive from Orlando is the Kennedy Space Center, near Cape Canaveral. This is a unique opportunity to see a real space launch complex.

The site is planned in such a way that it takes a minimum of one day to visit, although in fact 4 hours could be enough to see the most interesting things. The attractions are numerous, the visits very well organized, the most passionate will stay the whole day.

We particularly liked :

• APOLLO/SATURN V CENTER : a hangar which can be reached by bus to discover the real Saturn V rockets which explored the moon, one of the biggest rockets which ever flew
• SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS: after an immersive video that retraces the journey of this reusable space shuttle, the Atlantis module appears in front of your eyes in an impressive manner.
• The SHUTTLE LAUNCH EXPERIENCE will also please the most reckless, it is a simulator that reproduces the launch of a rocket. It remains family but it shakes well

Our disappointments:

• During the Bus ride that takes us to the APOLLO/SATURN V CENTER, we see the emblematic “Vehicle Assembly Building” (VAB): the largest building in the world with a single floor with a huge Flag. Unfortunately we can’t visit it 🙁
• We can also see the launch pads of NASA and Space X, but the same: it is impossible to access them 🙁
• The English/French translators in rent which work rather badly

In the evening I recommend you to choose a hotel on Cocoa Beach only 20 minutes away by car

Cocoa Beach is supposed to be one of the best surf spots in Florida, even if I found the waves very small. it’s the city where the most famous American surfer was born : Kelly Slater

You will also find there the biggest surf shop in the world : the Ron Jon Surf Shop

We stayed at the La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Cocoa Beach-Port Canaveral which was very nice and which allowed us to reach the sea by foot

14-days family roadtrip in Florida

this article details one of our stages of a 14-day family roadtrip roadtrip in Florida

The only way to get to Universal Studios Volcano Bay is to drive to the main parking lot of the Universal Studios park, then pick up a shuttle that will take you to the park (it’s well signposted).

You have locker rooms at the entrance and a locker system to drop off your stuff and come back to if needed during the day.

A connected watch called TapuTapu is also given to you at the entrance, which will allow you to queue virtually : you badge at the entrance of the attraction you like, and a timer is displayed (for example 20 minutes) on the watch so you know when to come back to get access. In the meantime, you can go to other attractions where there is no line.

The attractions that we liked the most :

• Ko’okiri Body Plunge : A speed slide almost vertical (70 degrees)
• Honu of the Honu ika Moana : a half pipe space that you can go down in a buoy with several people. Very funny
• TeAwa The Fearless river : we put on vests and we let ourselves be carried in this river with a lot of current which makes the turn of the park.

A little less liked :

• Krakatau Aqua coaster: a lot of queue for this ride where we embark on a raft until 4, and we slide on several bumps and slide. It’s nice and family oriented but it’s not worth the queue to get there

Globally all the park is rather brilliant, with a Hawaiian sound atmosphere, numerous and varied attractions, we spend a very good day there and we relax!

We can also rent private cabins but the numerous deckchairs at disposal are largely sufficient (think of depositing your towels there when you enter the park for the reserves, on the beach in front of the volcano)

14-days family roadtrip in Florida

this article details one of our stages of a 14-day family roadtrip roadtrip in Florida