by Nora Caterino

Created on: September 22, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Melbourne, Florida, a small city located along the Central Florida coastline in Brevard County, is a great vacation destination. Nestled along the area known as"The Space Coast" because of the fact that Kennedy Space Center is located at the northern end of Brevard County, you'll find this locale charming and filled with fun activities. Melbourne can act as a central hub for visiting theme parks, attractions, beaches and more without the high costs associated with vacation lodging in some resort areas.

In downtown Melbourne, you'll find "Old Town", a quaint shopping district which retains the look and feel of days gone by. There are antique shops, boutiques, jewelers, cafes and retailers located in an area a few square blocks in size. You can easily park and walk around Old Town and part of your day browsing and investigating shops, as well as buying gifts for friends and family back home.

You'll enjoy Melbourne Beach, just a short hop over the causeways to the east, where you'll find clean, white sand beaches, waves which frequently offer great surfing, beach-side dining, pubs, nightclubs and much, much more. Drive along US Highway A1A and you'll enjoy the view as you easily find a place to put your car in one of the many available beach access parking areas. Unlike many of the beaches further south, you do not have to have a home along the shoreline to gain access to the sand and water. Simply park, walk across a dune-protecting crosswalk, and down a handicap-accessible ramp or a few stairs and you're right on the sand!

While staying in Melbourne, you do not want to miss Kennedy Space Center, home of the Space Shuttle. It's well worth the drive of 35 minutes or so to travel to the Visitors Center at this educational and entertaining destination. You'll be able to view 3-D IMAX movies, enjoy a lengthy bus tour which takes to by key sights on KSC - include the Shuttle if it happens to be on the launch pad during your visit. There are lots of displays, areas for the kids to play, casual dining and snacks, and you are sure to be enthralled with all there is to see. Don't miss stepping out by the water feature in from of the main building to view the Astronauts Memorial which memorializes all those who have lost their lives in man's quest for space.

If you've dreamed of visiting Disney World, Sea World, MGM Studios, Universal Studios and other Orlando attractions but find the high cost of lodging in the expensive resorts in Orlando prohibitive, Melbourne is your solution. You can locate comfortable hotels and motels in the Melbourne area for as little as half the cost of the lowest priced resort lodging in Orlando and you only have to drive a few minutes more to arrive at your Orlando destinations.

Melbourne also offers easy access to Port Canaveral where you can hop aboard a day or evening casino cruise to have some gambling fun. Of course, this activity is for adults only and no one under 18 is allowed on board so if traveling with children, you'll need to plan other activities for them during your four to five our casino cruise. The best part is most of these cruises are absolutely free to board and even offer free food. Plus, you are not required to gamble; you can choose to sit on deck and listen to music or simply lounge while enjoying the gentle Atlantic waves.

For a really fun-packed affordable vacation, Melbourne is not to be missed. You'll find that one short vacation is simply not enough and you'll want to return again and again to investigate the variety of activities offered in this lovely small city.

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