Meeting place not lost in space

A highlight of convention activities in Brevard County,Florida, is not only its oceanfront location but also its high-flying history of US space travel, which despite the slowdown in the past few years remains attractive to conventioneers looking for things to do after their meetings.

Some claim the Kennedy Space Center is the showpiece of Central Florida’s east coast, which includes the cities of Cocoa Beach, Titusville, Melbourne and Palm Bay. It’s an area otherwise known as Florida’s Space Coast.

But Central East Florida also can rightly be called the “Race Coast,” as it is easily within a 45-minute drive to Daytona International Speedway and a host of race-themed events and attractions, including driveable, hard-packed sands, says www.meetingsfocus.

Some typical activities:

Airboat rides. These can be found everywhere in Florida but some of the largest around are at the Lone Cabbage Fish Camp, which offers four 15-passenger rides through the grassy marshes of the St. Johns River. Stopping points include places to shoot alligators, eagles and various other swamp style creatures.

Surfing: For the area’s best surfing, the most popular place is easily Cocoa Beach. No, it’s not Hawaii but it will do for most amateurs and still draws professionals as well. If you know how, fine; otherwise, there are various groups such as Ron Jon Surf school offering lessons for groups of up to ten. One-on-One private lessons are offered at the Cocoa Beach Surf Company.

Beaches. They can be enjoyed year-round but things slow way down on Brevard County beaches during turtle nesting season (which peaks in June and July), when people wait in silent anticipation under the moonlight for threatened and endangered species like loggerheads, leatherbacks and green sea turtles to lumber ashore and lay their eggs.

Cruises. Casino gambling is available on Victory Casino Cruises that sail twice daily. Games include poker, craps, roulette and others. This is particularly popular for corporate parties. Boats can accommodate up to 1,200 people. Groups can also do a total buy out.

Daytona Beach. In addition to the various attractions of its International Speedway, and the various races there, Daytona also hosts various meetings, corporate outings and receptions with various rooms available, including the massive Velecitorium, a 60,000-square-foot showroom that has also features attractions such as the Goodyear Heritage Museum. 

Historic sites here include the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, which is an 1887 landmark that helped save the life of famous author Stephen Crane, whose experience led him to write a famous story, “The Open Boat,” about his near-drowning experience there.

By David Wilkening