Ariel Magno's Blog: Our Holiday Vacation, First Cape Canaveral...

We've been back to our home for a week now so this is quite a late posting. There were just too many stuff to attend to and it took me a few days to process the photos I made.

To kind of beat the crowd if it was at least possible, we opted to have our vacation quite late in December so we left for Cape Canaveral on Dec. 30 for 3 nights and the another 3 nights in Orlando. The kids had been really looking forward to this vacation and they really do like staying in hotels. I think it's from watching too much of 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody' but I do feel I'm getting better in choosing which hotel to book. Thanks to 'Trip Advisor'! We stayed in Country Inns and Suites on Astonaut Blvd/AIA which is actually an extension of Hwy-538. The hotel got very good reviews and we were not disappointed. I picked the kids' suite which has a separate enclosed area with bunk beds. The kids haven't experienced sleeping in those so to them it was a treat. Like every hotel I book, I pick one with wi-fi and breakfast included (hot breakfast the better and I don't think it's free), a fitness center if possible and of course clean and safe accommodation. The nice swimming pool and jacuzzi was a plus.

It was our first time to stay there since it was our first time to visit the Kennedy Space Center. Our itinerary was to go to the KSC, the KSC Astronauts Hall of Fame the following day plus the local vicinity like Cocoa Beach and then Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville just before heading to Orlando on our 3rd day.

I'm not writing much about the KSC since I think I needed to be a rocket scientist to really put meaning into what the KSC is all about if I'm going to really write about it but we did enjoy going there. They just added a new 'ride' if you will and it's called the Space Shuttle Launch Experience'. It's just a simulation ride and a must if you visit the place but not really over the top like the Expedition Everest ride in Animal Kingdom (next post). The best way to really see the KSC is to hop in one of the buses that will give you a 2.5 to 3 hour tour of the place with 3 stops. Of course there are more engaging tours but it was extra. Overall, it was a very good experience especially for first timers and you really gain more knowledge about the nation's space program.

The KSC Astronaut Hall of Fame is also a nice, swell place to visit. Aside from seeing the real historical space hardware that were on display, plus the memorabilias and the like, they have this hands-on interactive stuff that the kids will enjoys using plus some simulation rides as well. We just didn't try the spinning device to let you experience how many Gs your body can handle. It was long and we didn't want to experience any guaranteed dizziness just by looking at it. If you're not too aware of the history of the space program, this is a nice place to learn a lot.

For some of our photos...