Are there any recommended "back road," off-highway routes to drive from Titusville, FL to Orlando after the space shuttle launch, avoiding severe traffic congestion?
November 2, 2010 10:38 AM Subscribe
Are there any recommended "back road," off-highway routes to drive from Titusville, FL to Orlando after the space shuttle launch, avoiding severe traffic congestion?
An old friend is visiting here in Orlando and he really wants to go see tomorrow's second-to-last space shuttle launch. We'll probably go see it at Space View Park in Titusville. A year ago I went to a shuttle launch and it took over three hours to get back to Orlando as the Bee Line Expressway was basically a long parking lot as everyone departed. I can only imagine it will be much, much worse now that this is one of the last launches. So, by chance, are there any recommended sneaky back ways to get out of Titusville that avoid the overly congested highways?
(If there is no easy way out then I guess a secondary question would be: any fantastic and inexpensive seafood restaurants or kitschy dive bars in Titusville to check out as we wait out the traffic?)
An old friend is visiting here in Orlando and he really wants to go see tomorrow's second-to-last space shuttle launch. We'll probably go see it at Space View Park in Titusville. A year ago I went to a shuttle launch and it took over three hours to get back to Orlando as the Bee Line Expressway was basically a long parking lot as everyone departed. I can only imagine it will be much, much worse now that this is one of the last launches. So, by chance, are there any recommended sneaky back ways to get out of Titusville that avoid the overly congested highways?
(If there is no easy way out then I guess a secondary question would be: any fantastic and inexpensive seafood restaurants or kitschy dive bars in Titusville to check out as we wait out the traffic?)
Response by poster: Thanks, Grither. Bee Line was renamed Beachline about 5 years ago. I don't know anyone living here referring to it by the new name so I tend to forget that it was rechristened. #1 might be worth a try, noted. FL-50 (your #2) will probably be just as bad as #3, I believe.
posted by General Zubon at 1:28 PM on November 2, 2010
posted by General Zubon at 1:28 PM on November 2, 2010
simple answer=no plan on spending the day & it looks like thursday right now
posted by patnok at 6:45 PM on November 2, 2010
posted by patnok at 6:45 PM on November 2, 2010
I should add that I was a VIP guest at the last launch & we spent all day Driving from Orlando to KSC, Bus to viewing site, back to car & home. But it is/was worth every Minute. Plan on gridlock. Be part of history.
posted by patnok at 6:49 PM on November 2, 2010
posted by patnok at 6:49 PM on November 2, 2010
I did this drive in 2008 when I watched a Discover launch (the one with the space toilet!). I took the Beachline route if I remember correctly.
Anyway, my take is that there's not really any way to avoid the traffic. There are very few roads leading away from Titusville, and everyone will be on them. I recall it taking several hours of stop and go traffic to get back to Orlando. Probably wisest just to resign yourself to spending the better part of a day traveling or hanging around town waiting for the traffic to clear.
The northern loop that Grither links may have somewhat less traffic, but I'd imagine that you'd trade distance and time for traffic and time - probably an even trade-off in the end, but it may be worth a try.
posted by owls at 9:00 AM on November 3, 2010
Anyway, my take is that there's not really any way to avoid the traffic. There are very few roads leading away from Titusville, and everyone will be on them. I recall it taking several hours of stop and go traffic to get back to Orlando. Probably wisest just to resign yourself to spending the better part of a day traveling or hanging around town waiting for the traffic to clear.
The northern loop that Grither links may have somewhat less traffic, but I'd imagine that you'd trade distance and time for traffic and time - probably an even trade-off in the end, but it may be worth a try.
posted by owls at 9:00 AM on November 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
1. Longest and most out of the way, but probably least likely to be trafficky.
2. The recommended route on Google maps, shortest and does not take the Beachline Expressway.
3. The Beachline Expressway.
Please note, I am not from Florida, and have no idea the conditions of these roads. I just like playing with Google Maps!
posted by Grither at 1:15 PM on November 2, 2010