Florida’s Space Coast is experiencing a tourism explosion driven by frequent rocket launches from SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other private space firms. Elon Musk is effectively building a “Rocket Disneyland” at Cape Canaveral — a place where visitors can watch real launches just a few kilometers away.
According to the local tourism authority, 41% of visitors now travel to the region specifically to witness a rocket liftoff.
A New Kind of Spectacle
On rooftop bars like Space Bar, crowds gather nightly for rocket shows. Bartenders serve cocktails with names like “Lucky Launch” and “Andromeda Lemonade,” while SpaceX’s Falcon 9 streaks across the sky.
By 2028, at least 17 new hotels are expected to open to accommodate the influx of “space tourists.”
Nature Meets Technology
Stretching more than 110 kilometers along the Atlantic, Florida’s Space Coast blends wildlife — manatees, alligators, dolphins — with rocket pads and launch towers.
The Kennedy Space Center, once the heart of NASA’s Apollo era, is now sharing the spotlight with SpaceX, which has turned launches into high-tech spectacles complete with VIP zones and glowing wristbands for guests.
Local Concerns
Not everyone welcomes the boom. Environmental groups warn that Musk’s plans to move Starship launches from Texas to Florida could increase the annual number of launches to 100.
Each launch requires roughly 1.5 million liters of water for cooling, plus another 250,000 liters for landing operations — a major issue amid Florida’s water shortages.
Even so, tourism continues to thrive. Cruise traffic through Port Canaveral is breaking records, and local hotels are marketing “rocket-view rooms” with panoramic launch vistas.