2 Best Sights in Cape Canaveral, Northeast Coast

The best view at Port Canaveral is no longer from the top of a cruise ship. In fact, the view from atop this towering seven-story structure makes the cruise ships look—well, not so massive after all. The tower, a short walk from the cruise port, is equal parts museum and scenic overlook. From the seventh-floor deck you can see the cruise port, the Atlantic Ocean, the Banana River, and even the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Displays on others floors highlight everything from space flight to surfing and marine life to maritime history. Don't miss the interactive exhibits, including a virtual ship's bridge that lets you pilot a boat through the Canaveral Channel and into the Atlantic. A theater shows a 20-minute film on the history of Brevard County, and a small café sells refreshments and baked goods. The ground floor houses a visitor information center.

A wonderful taste of the real Florida, this 4½-acre beach and oceanfront campground has picnic pavilions, bike paths, and a 1,200-foot-long fishing pier that doubles as a perfect vantage point from which to watch a liftoff from Cape Canaveral or to glimpse the gigantic cruise ships as they depart the port for the Bahamas. Lifeguards are on duty year-round, and all manner of equipment from beach chairs and umbrellas to bodyboards to beach wheelchairs is available for rent. A jetty constructed of giant boulders adds to the landscape; a walkway across it provides access to a less-populated stretch of beach. This is Florida without the theme-park varnish. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.