SAVING CENTSABLY: Thinking out of the box
If you have read my column much during the last few years, you probably know our family loves an adventure.
Because I have a son who loves all things space-related and a son who loves most things having to do with nature, I am always looking for ways to save money while we are learning about these subjects.
Recently we became interested in seeing a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral. We visited Kennedy Space Center last year using a Florida resident friends and family discount. However, the tickets were still very expensive for a family of six. When we found a launch we thought we could attend, I began looking for a place where we could observe the launch.
Kennedy Space Center offered three different viewing ticket options. Of course all these options required a ticket purchase plus the purchase of a regular admission ticket to the Space Center. This could easily cost $400 for our large family. So, that choice wasn't really an option for us.
I began searching on Facebook and on the websites of Space Coast companies. I found that the Cocoa Beach Pier was a recommended location for watching rocket launches. I decided, based on online reviews, that this would be a good choice.
On the day before the launch, I took my family to the pier to be sure this would be a good vantage point. A parking attendant explained that parking at the pier was not free. Metered parking spots were available a few blocks away. However, to park in the lot adjacent to the pier, the everyday cost was $20. She then explained that on launch days the cost increased.
When I told her that I would find a cheaper spot a few blocks away, she asked if knew that it was not free to go on to the pier on launch days. She said that typically the charge is at least $5 per person.
This meant that while I thought I had found a good observation spot, I actually had not.
With 18 hours to go before launch, I found some areas along the banks of the Banana River in the city of Cape Canaveral. These paths along the river are well-worn by many people like us, who over the years have gathered to watch rockets and shuttles blast off. I am sure that in the future we will return to this fee-free area for rocket launch observation!
I hope that your family will have an opportunity to sit on the banks of the Banana River. Maybe, like us, you will get to see dolphins, ducks and other birds to entertain your nature lovers while you wait for liftoff.
Contact writer Rachael Mercer at savingcentsably@gmail.com.
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 10:04 PM with the headline "SAVING CENTSABLY: Thinking out of the box ."